Musings of an Old Curmudgeon

18 April 2026

The pontiff is wrapping up his tour of Africa and promoting friendship and ecumaniacal dialogue.

Summa Contra Gentiles Book I: God is Goodness Itself

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 7 March 1274), was a Doctor of the Church, Philosopher, Theologian, Jurist, Dominican Friar, and Priest. Known as Doctor Angelicus "Angelic Doctor," and the Doctor Communis "Universal Doctor" his writings serve as a defense and proof of the validity of Christ's authority over all. The Summa contra Gentiles (also known as Liber de veritate catholicae fidei contra errores infidelium, "Book on the truth of the Catholic faith against the errors of the unbelievers"). The Summa contra Gentiles consists of four books. The structure of Saint Thomas's work is designed to proceed from general philosophical arguments for monotheism, to which Muslims and Jews are likely to consent even within their own respective religious traditions, before progressing to the discussion of specifically Christian doctrine. Book I begins with general questions of truth and natural reason, and from chapter 10 investigates the concept of a monotheistic God. Chapters 10 to 13 are concerned with the existence of God, followed by a detailed investigation of God's properties (chapters 14 to 102). When demonstrating a Truth about God which can be known through reason, St. Thomas gives multiple arguments, each proving the same Truth in a different way. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a student of religion, or simply curious about the impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the world, this playlist is designed to provide an informative and engaging journey through its captivating past. Subscribe to the Contemplating History channel for more educational content and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history.

Catholic Church Raises Moral & Ethical Concerns About Artificial Intelligence

From EWTN

Dr Charles Camosy, Professor of Moral Theology & Bioethics, at The Catholic University of America, explains why forming a relationship with AI could become a serious threat to life, human dignity and relationships.

The Holy Rosary

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

The Life of His Majesty the King Charles I of England (1600-1649)

From The Romanian Monarchist

Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after his father inherited the English throne in 1603, he moved to England, where he spent much of the rest of his life. He became heir apparent to the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1612 upon the death of his elder brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales. An unsuccessful and unpopular attempt to marry him to Infanta Maria Anna of Spain culminated in an eight-month visit to Spain in 1623 that demonstrated the futility of the marriage negotiation. Two years later, shortly after his accession, he married Henrietta Maria of France. After his succession in 1625, Charles quarrelled with the English Parliament, which sought to curb his royal prerogative. He believed in the divine right of kings, and was determined to govern according to his own conscience. Many of his subjects opposed his policies, in particular the levying of taxes without Parliamentary consent, and perceived his actions as those of a tyrannical absolute monarch. His religious policies, coupled with his marriage to a Roman Catholic, generated antipathy and mistrust from Reformed religious groups such as the English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters, who thought his views too Catholic. He supported high church Anglican ecclesiastics and failed to aid continental Protestant forces successfully during the Thirty Years' War. His attempts to force the Church of Scotland to adopt high Anglican practices led to the Bishops' Wars, strengthened the position of the English and Scottish parliaments, and helped precipitate his own downfall. From 1642, Charles fought the armies of the English and Scottish parliaments in the English Civil War. After his defeat in 1645 at the hands of the Parliamentarian New Model Army, he fled north from his base at Oxford. Charles surrendered to a Scottish force and after lengthy negotiations between the English and Scottish parliaments he was handed over to the Long Parliament in London. Charles refused to accept his captors' demands for a constitutional monarchy, and temporarily escaped captivity in November 1647. Re-imprisoned on the Isle of Wight, he forged an alliance with Scotland, but by the end of 1648, the New Model Army had consolidated its control over England. Charles was tried, unconstitutionally convicted, and judicially murdered for high treason (against whom?) in January 1649. The monarchy was abolished and the Commonwealth of England was established as a republic. The monarchy was restored in 1660, with Charles's son Charles II as king.

Quantum Mechanics and the Principle of Non-Contradiction

With Fr James Brent, OP, PhD, STL, Asst Professor of Philosophy, Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC.

Here Is a List of Saints, Blesseds, and Venerables From Canada

For a country of only 40 million people, Canada has done quite well in sanctity, from the North American Martyrs to Governor General Servant of God Georges-Philias Vanier.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

Saints can be found in every country in the world, and the Catholic Church is beginning to recognize more and more outside of Europe.

For many years Aleteia has featured various articles highlighting Catholics of the United States who have been canonized or are in the process of canonization. That list of articles can be found here.

We are now embarking on a new initiative to highlight the many saints and holy men and women from Canada. We have already written several articles on particular individuals, and will be unveiling more as the weeks and months progress.

It's a great reminder that saints are not bound by geography, but spring up wherever the Holy Spirit moves, which is to say, everywhere!

Canonized

North American Martyrs

St. Marie of the Incarnation

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

St. François de Laval

St. Kateri Tekakwitha (also on list of USA)

St. Marguerite d'Youville

St. Brother André

St. Marie-Léonie Paradis

Beatified

Bl. André Grasset

Bl. Marie-Rose Durocher

Bl. Louis-Zéphirin Moreau

Bl. Frédéric Janssoone

Bl. Catherine of Saint Augustine

Bl. Dina Bélanger

Bl. Marie-Anne Blondin

Bl. Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin

Bl. Nykyta Budka

Bl. Vasyl Velychkovsky

Bl. Marie-Élisabeth Turgeon

Venerable

Ven. Vital-Justin Grandin

Ven. Alfred Pampalon

Ven. Elisabeth Bergeron

Ven. Delia Tetreault

Ven. Adolphe Châtillon

Ven. Marie-Josephte Fitzbach

Ven. Antoine Kowalczyk

Ven. Rosalie Cadron-Jette

Ven. Marie-Anne-Marcelle Mallet

Ven. Joseph Staub

Ven. Jeanne Mance

Ven. William Gagnon

Ven. Aurélie Caouette

Ven. Élisabeth Bruyère

Ven. Ovide Charlebois

Servant of God

Servant of God Jeanne Le Ber

Servant of God Michael Power

Servant of God Stephen Eckert

Servant of God Elzear DeLamarre

Servant of God Vénérance Morin-Rouleau

Servant of God Leon Pratte

Servant of God Gerard Raymond

Servant of God Louis Doumain

Servant of God Eugene Prevost

Servant of God Albert L'Heureux

Servant of God Louis Emond

Servant of God Victor Lelievre

Servant of God Pierre Fallaize

Servant of God Georges-Philias Vanier

Servant of God Gilberte Lapierre

Servant of God Dorian LaPlante

Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty

Servant of God Pauline Archer-Vanier

Servant of God Colette Lamontaigne Samson

Servant of God Carmelina Tarantino

Servant of God Julienne Dallaire

Servant of God Emiliano Tardif

Pictured: The Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec