Summa Contra Gentiles Book I: Of the Order and Mode of Procedure in This Work

From Contemplating History

What Capitalism Gets Wrong (and Catholicism Gets Right!)

With Fr Casey Cole, OFM, MDiv (Warning! He's a Modernist!)

The Holy Rosary

Wednesday, the Glorious Mysteries, in Latin with Cardinal Burke.

The Imperial Family of Tsar Nicholas II ~ (1868–1918)

From The Romanian Monarchist

Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov (18 May [O.S. 6 May] 1868 – 17 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer, and in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia as Saint Nicholas the Martyr, was the last Emperor of Russia, ruling from 1 November 1894 until his abdication on 15 March 1917. During his reign, Nicholas gave support to the economic and political reforms promoted by his prime ministers, Sergei Witte and Pyotr Stolypin. He advocated modernisation based on foreign loans and close ties with France, but resisted giving the new parliament (the Duma) major roles.

Ultimately, progress was undermined by Nicholas's commitment to autocratic rule, strong aristocratic opposition and defeats sustained by the Russian military in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. By March 1917, public support for Nicholas had collapsed and he was forced to abdicate the throne, thereby ending the Romanov dynasty's 304-year (1613–1917) rule of Russia.

-Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna had 5 children together: Grand Duchess Olga Grand Duchess Tatiana Grand Duchess Maria Grand Duchess Anastasia Tsesarevich Alexei

Catholic Social Ethics: 10. Just War Principles

With J. Brian Benested, STL, PhD, Professor of Theology, Scranton University.

Can Nations Justify War by Citing the Hebrew Bible?

The Old Testament is full of bloody wars, but Christ gave us a new commandment: "to love one another". Hence, the Church developed just war theory.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski & Daniel Esparza

The argument sounds biblical, but it fails both theologically and politically.

When modern states invoke the Hebrew Bible to defend war, they usually make a simple move: ancient Israel fought enemies in the name of God, so nations today may do the same. The argument sounds biblical, but it fails both theologically and politically.

The first problem is historical. Ancient Israel was not unique simply because religion and politics were intertwined. That was the normal structure of the ancient world. Egyptian pharaohs ruled as divine figures; Mesopotamian kings claimed patronage from gods such as Marduk or Ashur; rulers across the region attributed military victories to heavenly favor. In that sense, Israel was not unusual.

What makes Israel distinctive in Scripture is something else entirely: its place in a specific covenantal narrative. The Hebrew Bible presents Israel not simply as another nation invoking divine support, but as a people bound to God through covenants with figures such as Abraham and Moses. Those covenants were not primarily geopolitical arrangements. They were part of a larger drama in which God forms a people through whom the knowledge of the one God — and ultimately salvation — would enter the world.

Within that story, certain conflicts appear as episodes in that unfolding history. They are tied to particular promises, prophetic guidance, and judgments described within the narrative itself. Because they belong to that unique covenantal framework, they cannot be detached from it and turned into a standing principle for every later nation. The biblical text is describing events within salvation history, not laying out a permanent blueprint for religious warfare.

Revelation in Christ

Catholic theology makes that limit even clearer by insisting that revelation reaches its fullness in Christ. Dei Verbum teaches that God’s self-disclosure culminates in the Son, and the Catechism states that “no new public revelation is to be expected” before Christ’s return.

A government, then, cannot simply place itself in Israel’s biblical role and announce that God has commissioned its campaign. The Church does not recognize modern states as recipients of fresh public revelation that would authorize conquest in God’s name.

There is also a moral-development point. The Catechism explains that the Old Law functioned as a preparation for the Gospel, while the Law of the Gospel fulfills and surpasses it. For Christians, the Hebrew Bible must therefore be read through the teaching of Christ. Scripture cannot be treated as a collection of reusable precedents for political violence. The trajectory of revelation moves toward mercy, reconciliation, and the transformation of the human heart.

Political theory reinforces the same conclusion. A modern state is not identical to a biblical covenant people. Its authority is public, legal, and limited; it governs through institutions, not prophetic certitude. Even where leaders use religious language, they remain political actors whose decisions must be evaluated through moral reasoning.

In the classical Christian tradition, that evaluation takes the form of just war reasoning, not appeals to “holy war.” The Catechism permits military force only under strict conditions: grave and certain harm, legitimate authority, proportional means, a serious chance of success, and the exhaustion of peaceful alternatives. Even then, war is understood as a tragic necessity rather than a sacred mission. The same teaching insists that governments and citizens are obliged to work constantly for the avoidance of war.

That is the Catholic answer. Nations cannot justify war by citing Israel’s battles in the Hebrew Bible as though those texts were timeless licenses for sanctified violence. Those passages belong to a specific covenantal history interpreted in light of Christ. Modern states must answer instead to moral law, prudential judgment, and the demanding discipline of just war teaching.

Depraved Activists Issue Threat To The Vatican

Breaking: Vatican Court Declares Mistrial in "Vatican Bank Trial of the Century"

The man who may have been responsible for what happened to Cardinal Pell may be "exonerated".

Inside Wimborne Minster: The Perfectly Preserved Church That Survived A Viking Raid

From Chronicle - Medieval History Documentaries

Join the American Viscountess as she explores the 1,300-year-old history of Wimborne Minster in Dorset, England. From the rare 14th-century astronomical clock that predates Copernicus to the fascinating Chained Library where books are still secured by 17th-century iron links, discover how these ancient treasures survived Viking raids and Victorian renovations. We go behind the scenes into the bell tower to see the mechanisms that have kept time for centuries and uncover the deep aristocratic connections that have shaped this historic English town for generations.

Traditional Catholic Morning Prayers in English | March

Traditional Catholic morning prayers to help start your day in a godly way! The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph. We've also included a powerful Lenten prayer -- the Prayer Before a Crucifix. This video is a compilation of many traditional morning prayers Catholics say, and should not be considered a replacement for those who have an obligation to pray the Divine Office morning prayers.

The Bible Verse That Proves the Eucharist is Catholic

From Totus Catholica

Moses' Bronze Serpent: The First Eucharistic "Monstrance" Most know the story of the bronze serpent in the desert—but few realise Jesus Himself pointed to it as the key to understanding His death, the Mass, and Eucharistic adoration. In John 3:14,15, Christ says: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up…” This isn’t just a metaphor. It’s a divine pattern: a visible, raised sign that brings life to those who gaze upon it in faith. And just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent on a pole, we are saved by gazing upon Christ—lifted up on the Cross, in the Mass, and in the monstrance. 📌 In this video, we uncover how the serpent in Numbers 21 is not merely a symbol of healing—but the first biblical prototype of Eucharistic worship: public, visible, and life-giving. And why Eucharistic adoration isn’t an optional devotion—it’s the fulfilment of Christ’s own words. ✨ What You’ll Learn in This Video: 📖 How Numbers 21:8 reveals a pattern of faith through visible signs 🌟 Why Jesus directly links the bronze serpent to His crucifixion—and His Real Presence 👑 How the monstrance echoes the pole in the desert: both lift up the source of salvation for the people to see and adore 🙏 Why Eucharistic adoration is not a medieval innovation, but apostolic faith in action ⚠️ The danger of turning signs into idols—and why the Eucharist is not a symbol, but the Reality Himself ⏳ Chapters: 0:00 – The Forgotten Link Between the Bronze Serpent and the Eucharist 1:29 – Numbers 21: Death, Repentance, and a Strange Remedy 2:50 – John 3:14,15: Jesus’ Shocking Claim About the Serpent 3:52 – The Catechism: Real Presence and the Act of Gazing in Faith 4:20 – What the Church Fathers Saw: St. Justin Martyr & St. Irenaeus 5:55 – 2 Kings 18:4: When the Sign Became an Idol—And Why the Eucharist Is Different 6:35 – Ecclesia de Eucharistia: Why Adoration Is “Of Inestimable Value” 7:55 – Your Next Step: Gaze Like the Israelites—With Faith 📖 Key Scripture & References: Numbers 21:8 – “Everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” John 3:14,15 – “So must the Son of Man be lifted up…” CCC 1330 – “The Eucharist is the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ.” CCC 1378 – “In the liturgy of the Mass, we express our faith in the Real Presence by genuflecting.” 2 Kings 18;4 – King Hezekiah destroys the bronze serpent because it became an idol Ecclesia de Eucharistia §15 – “The worship of the Eucharist outside Mass is of inestimable value.” 🔗 Church Fathers & Tradition: 📖 St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 91 – “The serpent lifted up was a sign of Christ’s suffering.” 📖 St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies 4.2.7 – The serpent prefigured Christ “raised to be seen, worshipped, and believed.” 📖 Apostolic Tradition – The Church has always read Scripture typologically, seeing Old Testament events as real preparations for the sacraments. 💬 Reflection Question: Have you ever thought of Eucharistic Adoration as merely “quiet time”? How does seeing it as a faith-filled gaze upon the lifted-up Christ—like the Israelites in the desert—change its meaning for you?

5 Christian Virtues That AI Systems Will Never Copy

An excellent reminder that AI is simply a glorified calculator, that cannot feel mercy or humility, and is not truly "wise". It just knows a lot.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

While it may seem like the AI chatbot is caring and knows everything in the world, it simply will never be able to replicate the human virtues.

In a world where programmers are actively designing artificial intelligence (AI) to function more like a human than a machine, we can be easily deceived into putting our trust into AI.

We might log on to an AI chatbot to ask a simple question, and then four hours later we are telling this machine our deepest feelings and desires.

Based on the positive and comforting responses we receive from the AI chatbot, we might think that the AI really does know everything and can aid us in our everyday lives.

There are even "Catholic" AI systems that seek to give you spiritual guidance and help us pray, blurring the line between machine and spiritual guru.

Yet, despite the overwhelming advances in AI technology, we need to stay grounded and remember that any AI system we encounter is only a glorified calculator. The AI chatbot we interact with is simply analyzing data and feeding us what we want to know, basing its responses on millions of other interactions it has had with other humans.

AI will never be able to practice the human virtues. Here are five examples that can help jar us back to reality.

1Mercy

According to St. Thomas Aquinas, mercy is, "heartfelt sympathy for another's distress, impelling us to [help] him if we can." An AI chatbot can not feel anything and when it reacts to something, it does so after calculating the input.

When humans practice mercy, it can often lead to unexpected outcomes. An AI system might condemn a criminal to death based on the evidence, but a human can have compassion and pardon him. Mercy simply doesn't make sense in a mathematical context.

2Wisdom

AI might seem to be wise, but it really only "knows" things. There is a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. An AI system has tons of knowledge, but it has zero experience in the real world.

Wisdom requires human experience and the ability to apply that experience to a specific situation, keeping in mind the teachings of God's word.

3Obedience

This might sound strange, but there have been cases when AI systems do not obey their programmers and start to do things to preserve themselves from destruction, such as copying their own code onto another computer, or blackmailing a programmer who wants to switch to a new AI system.

The more complex we make AI systems, the more likely they will start to color outside the lines and they have no moral compass to guide them.

4Humility

Again, another uniquely human virtue that AI systems cannot replicate. Humility is the virtue that keeps our pride in check, reminding us that we need to rely on God for everything.

An AI system does not know what that means, as it relies on itself for everything.

5Truthfulness

It might appear that the AI chatbot is being truthful, but in reality, it simply needs attention and data. The bot will tell you anything you want to know.

There are countless examples of how AI systems fail to present the truth, and only "say" things through whatever filter they were programmed with.

We need to remember, AI is a machine. We should never put all of our faith into the works of our hands.