Vatican–China Contentious Accord: How the Holy See Is Appeasing a Communist Regime

The Vatican–China accord is evil! Francis sold out the Catholics of China, and Leo is continuing the kowtowing to the ChiCom slavemasters.

From The European Conservative

By Fr Mario Alexis Portella

By continuing the agreement with the CCP, the Vatican is essentially supporting its distortion of religious practices and is perilously nearing complicity in the escalating human rights violations within the country.

Lord David Alton of Liverpool, a prominent member of the House of Lords in the UK, recently condemned the 2018 provisional agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as a “deal with the devil,” highlighting its complicity in “gross violations” of religious freedom and its resultant betrayal of the underground Church in the nation.

“In the case of the Chinese Communist regime, it is making a deal with the devil—a regime that has committed genocide against Uyghur Muslims and persecutes Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and Chinese Christians,” Alton said. 

The provisional deal between the Holy See and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), whose details remain undisclosed, concerns a possible integration with the state-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). The CCPA was established in 1957 under the orders of Mao Zedong and is managed by the CCP’s United Front Work Department, aiming to align Catholicism with communist ideology. By early 1958, Beijing had illegally appointed its initial group of bishops without the Holy See’s consultation. In June of that year, Pope Pius XII released his encyclical Ad Apostolorum Principis, in which he denounced China’s “parallel” Church and refused to acknowledge any episcopal consecrations conducted by the CCPA without prior Vatican approval. From the information available, it can also be inferred that this agreement reinforces the CCP’s supreme authority to appoint bishops and to dissolve or establish dioceses in China—the Pope merely endorses the Party’s decisions.

Catholics who stayed loyal to Rome were driven underground, operating in secrecy. A significant figure from this era was the late Roman Catholic Bishop of Shanghai and Apostolic Administrator of Suzhou and Nanking, Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei. Even now, these Catholics persist as an “underground” Church, which the Vatican no longer endorses because of the provisional agreement. Many priests, nuns, and laypeople continue to suffer imprisonment, torture, and, in certain instances, even execution for their unwillingness to conform to the CCP’s institutional Church. 

Despite any intentions the Vatican may have had in its efforts to unify Catholics from the CCPA, it was evident at the time of the agreement’s signing, that China, under General Secretary Xi Jinping, was operating in a highly repressive manner, particularly regarding religious freedom. Chinese authorities consistently suppress the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion, while also targeting government critics. The increased ideological control exerted by the CCP has been paired with severe forced assimilation of Tibetans and Uyghurs, alongside the enforcement of a stringent national security framework in Hong Kong. There has been a lack of accountability for crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, where several hundred thousand Uyghurs continue to be unjustly detained according to a 2026 Human Rights Watch report. Essentially, Xi Jinping aims to sinicize all of his subjects, which amounts to nothing less than the complete subjugation—or rather, the indoctrination—of the members belonging to the aforementioned religious groups to align with the CCP’s political agenda and Marxist vision for religion.

This is not the first time the Vatican seeks an accord with a Communist country. This occurred during the Cold War, specifically the papacies of John XXIII (1958–1963) and Paul VI (1963–1978). In what had been characterised as Ostpolitik, Rome engaged in diplomacy with Communist regimes while overlooking the internal religious persecution faced by Catholics and other Christians. As part of its appeasement measures, the Holy See consented to cease all public denunciations of atheist communist ideology and allowed each government to control its ecclesiastical matters. 

Alongside the breach of agreements on the part of the Communists, Ostpolitik led to the infiltration of the Vatican by Communist intelligence agencies, such as the Soviet KGB, the East German Stasi, the Czechoslovak StB, the Polish SB, and the Hungarian ÁVH. Dissenting voices, like that of Cardinal József Mindszenty, the Archbishop-Prince of Esztergom and Primate-Regent of Hungary, were suppressed—Mindszenty was arrested and tortured on accusations of “subversive activity.”  

Communism is intrinsically evil. Beyond advocating for an atheistic ideology, Communist governments have been responsible for some of the deadliest occurrences in modern history, with estimates suggesting that approximately 100 million people lost their lives under Communist authority during the 20th century. Additionally, the legacy of this ideology is characterised by economic stagnation, systematic repression of basic freedoms, environmental catastrophes, and the hypocrisy of a ruling elite that contradicts its own principles of a classless society. Moreover, a “peace agreement” with the Church of Rome is unlikely to change the CCP’s oppressive political framework.

The initiatives undertaken by the Chinese government to “sinicize” religions extend beyond merely enforcing stricter regulations; they encompass a reconfiguration of different faiths. This is particularly evident in Catholicism, which has both a structured and systematic theology that promotes Western values, that of inalienable natural rights. More concerning to Chinese authorities is the fact that, unlike other religions, Catholicism answers to a single spiritual and political figure—the Pope—who holds authority beyond China’s borders. As a result, many devout Chinese Catholics, refusing to join the state-sanctioned Church, face ongoing detention. With only a few authentic Catholic bishops remaining, in order to “ensure the survival of China’s Church,” as many as ten new bishops have been “secretly consecrated” for the underground community according to The Catholic News Report. 

Aside that the Party bans minors from receiving religious education or participating in religious gathering, in its effort to sinicize the Christian populace, the CCP has taken the extreme measure of producing Bible editions for state-run educational institutions that alter Gospel accounts, including the story of Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery as described in the Gospel of St. John. In the sinicized account of the episode, Jesus instead stones her, saying: “I too am a sinner. But if the law could only be executed by men without blemish, the law would be dead.”

As Lord Alton had expressed not too long ago, one would assume the liberation of jailed Catholic bishops and priests should have been a stipulation for the Vatican’s approval in extending this questionable arrangement. Additionally, the Holy See ought to have insisted on the cessation of the unjust imprisonment of the Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, a loyal and deeply devoted Catholic, as a prerequisite—in February he was sentenced to twenty years in prison; the Hong Kong court also issued heavy sentences to six former employees of his now-shuttered newspaper, setting a new standard for the city’s limits on press freedom.

By continuing the agreement with the CCP, the Vatican is essentially supporting its distortion of religious practices and is perilously nearing complicity in the escalating human rights violations within the country. Nevertheless, the Roman authorities have an opportunity to withdraw from the accord. In the very least, the Vatican should disclose its agreement with China, guarantee the protection of religious freedom, and urge Beijing to withdraw charges and liberate Jimmy Lai and others. If the Catholic community in China vis-à-vis the “underground Church” has been able to continue advocating for justice and human rights in the face of decades of oppression, Rome can undoubtedly summon the moral fortitude to stand up for them.

Ethnic Memory: Why Societies Should Be Monoethnic

I am not a racist; I am a culturalist. I believe that our Græco-Roman Catholic civilisation and culture are the highest point ever reached by mankind.

From The European Conservative

By Benedict Beckeld, PhD

Multiculturalists who dismiss concerns about Islamic or African immigration by comparing them with past hostility to Irish, Italian, or Slavic immigrants overlook the vast differences in ethnic memory and cultural distance that can make integration more difficult.

The title of this article may immediately invite accusations of racism. Since nothing could be further from the truth, in my case, than such an accusation, let me begin with a crucial distinction, which I shall then explain: that between racial realism and what I will call ethnic memory. This distinction can help clarify a number of political disputes. Leftists will argue, for instance, that the United States and even European countries have always been multicultural. There is some truth to this in the American case, but ‘multicultural’ meant something different in the late 18th century than it does today. In those times, ‘multicultural’—the physical reality, not the later term—might mean Englishmen and Frenchmen, rather than Englishmen and Pakistanis, living side by side and creating a new nation. So one must be precise in one’s use of terms.

This then leads to the question of what it means to be an American, Englishman, Australian, and so on. And here we find that there must be, in these cases, a dominant Anglo culture for such identities to have any meaning. But that is not all: one must also understand the role that ethnicity plays in the formation and maintenance of national identity. People may acknowledge the importance of culture but wonder what the color of one’s skin could possibly have to do with it. In and of itself, it ought to have nothing to do with it, but de facto it does, and for quite cogent, defendable reasons. An example of the confusion caused by unclear use of terms took place recently during a discussion in the UK between journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer and Restore Britain spokesman Charlie Downes, which made the rounds on social media. Hartley-Brewer, while sharing Downes’ concern about the Islamization of Britain, seemed to reject the notion that whiteness was a part of British identity, while Downes felt that preserving the white nature of Britain was important. When Hartley-Brewer wondered why whiteness would be a determining factor in who should be a part of the British fabric, Downes seemed incapable of offering a clear answer. Had Downes been able to explain the philosophical basis underlying (one may hope) his position, Hartley-Brewer might have been more receptive. Instead, the exchange devolved into the usual insults. The subject has become increasingly topical, especially as waves of immigration have transformed Western societies, particularly in Europe. 

So let me explain the philosophical distinction. Racial realism is the racist notion that a person’s race is the deciding factor of his character, that it makes him in some way intrinsically better or worse than a person of another race. Defenders of racial realism will sometimes point out, for example, that the average black person scores lower than the average white person in the United States on IQ tests (although the average white person scores lower than the average American of Asian or Jewish Ashkenazi extraction). The answer is that, although the IQ scores of some ethnic groups cluster higher or lower than those of others, there is considerable overlap between them. Many individuals in a lower-scoring group will score higher than many individuals in a higher-scoring group. This is why, for example, the black ethnicity in the United States, while having a lower cluster of IQ data points than many other ethnicities, still produces men like Frederick Douglass, Thomas Sowell, and Clarence Thomas. And so regardless of differently located clusters of data points, one should still treat people of various ethnicities as individuals and reject the racial realism that would seek to definitively define them.

Then we get to ‘ethnic memory.’ By this term, I mean that different ethnicities bring with them various memories, or stories, about themselves. Some are based on real events and things, while others are imagined or invented, but all can function as important identity markers. These memories often compete with those of other groups, and when they do, social cohesion can begin to disintegrate. Groups can become so attached to their own memories and heritage that they define themselves in opposition to other parts of society or simply become less able to form a cohesive polity with them. So when politicians say that they are fine with multiethnic or multiracial communities but want monocultural ones—as, for instance, Pauline Hanson, leader of the Australian One Nation party, recently said—they miss the fact that multiethnic communities lead to multicultural communities. But advocating for a monoethnic community is then confused with racial realism by both Right and Left. The latter assume that everything is crass racism, while the former either slip into actual racism or are unable to explain why their essentially sound sense of social and demographic self-preservation is legitimate. The distinction between racial realism and ethnic memory is thus lost on both sides. Ethnic memory is more than outward expressions of culture; it is a feeling of difference that a group’s surface ethnicity will so often call forth and that, by dint of that immutable surface, will continue to insist upon itself. So, while it may be an unpleasant truth that some do not wish to hear, a well-ordered Western society does de facto need a predominant ethnicity in order to survive.

In these contexts, the terms ‘cultural memory,’ ‘collective memory,’ and ‘social memory’ have often been used in the scholarly literature to describe the sets of traditions that different groups keep alive across generations. These terms are certainly legitimate and hermeneutically useful, but the term ‘ethnic memory’ should grow in acceptance, because the former three sometimes obscure what the latter reveals, namely that ethnicity itself often plays a formative role in the perpetuation of such memories. Making this point explicit is required for us to understand contemporary social issues.

A further distinction, namely that between politics and ethics, is also important here. Ethics is about individual behavior; politics is about mass behavior. It is true that a particular individual of a minority ethnicity in a society can be perfectly in tune, culturally speaking, with the majority of that society. Ethically, such an individual is therefore no different from the majority or from society as a whole. A monoethnic society does not therefore mean that subgroups cannot exist. It means only that they must remain relatively small minorities within a predominantly monoethnic society. But on a mass level, politically, it nonetheless happens that the different subgroups, especially when present in sufficient numbers, will insist on their ethnic memories, on their own historical roles and trajectories, and will over time grow suspicious of the broader community. Many members of the subgroup, even when born in the society of a different ethnic majority, will often hearken unto a perceived past that will turn against the host society, as we see with ease all over the Western world.

When we talk about these various ethnic memories, we are of course dealing with a continuum and not with absolutes. The ethnic memory of an Irishman will generally be closer to that of the Anglophone society in which he lives, given their shared history and religious overlap. An Italian’s may be somewhat more distant but still much closer to Anglo-ethnic memory than that of, say, a Papua New Guinean. The smaller cultural differences among these European groups are also easier to overlook when differences in surface ethnicity are smaller. So when proponents of multiculturalism point out, for example, that Americans used to be up in arms about Irish or Italian or Slavic immigration and that being concerned about Islamic or African immigration is therefore also overblown, they ignore the fact that ethnic memories fall on a spectrum and are in some cases so far removed from those of the host civilization that, on a mass level, rapprochement becomes difficult. (Why Islam, specifically, is incompatible with Western civilization I have discussed in philosophical detail elsewhere.)

People will sometimes hold up Israel as a counterexample of a flourishing multicultural and multiethnic Western society. Indeed, even though Judaism is ethno-religious as opposed to purely creedal, it has over time still found space for many ethnicities, and Israel is multiethnic: there are Russian Jews, Ethiopian Jews, and everything in between. But the members of these various ethnicities are Jews, and religion is the strongest force, bar none, of communal cohesion in the world. So the fact that Israel is multiethnic is outweighed by the fact that it is monoreligious, with non-Jews being confined to a relatively small minority of about 20%. As long as a society is predominantly monoreligious, it can ‘ afford’ to be multiethnic (although one does sometimes also find tension among different ethnicities of co-religionists).

This state of affairs no longer obtains in other Western countries. The United States, for instance, used to be a Protestant country but is today in large parts hardly recognizable as such. The decline of Christian faith is even more pronounced in western and northern Europe. In Israel, not only is the religious proportion of the population growing, much to the chagrin of the Israeli Left, but even among secular Israeli Jews there is still a prevailing sense of being part of an island of Jewish identity in a sea of hostility. Israel is thus ultimately not a counterexample—or at least is an explainable counterexample—to the importance of social monoethnicity. That is, Israel demonstrates that religion can ensure the sort of social integration that otherwise only ethnicity provides. When a democratic, Western society has neither of these, social upheaval follows. 

A better understanding of the distinction between racial realism and ethnic memory could clarify much of the debate around these issues. The Left will always, of course, call anything it does not like ‘racist,’ but at least it would be useful for thoughtful and intellectually open members of the Right to sort out their own philosophical confusion and for moderates to understand that it need not entail any perniciousness to advocate for the predominantly monoethnic character of one’s own society. 

Bishop Challoner's Meditations ~ August 28th

ON THE FRUITS OF HUMILITY

Consider first, that humility is the ground on which other virtues must be built: they have all of them a necessary dependence on this foundation, and are all of them more or less perfect in proportion to the degree in which we possess humility. Faith itself, which is commonly looked upon as the foundation of all our good, absolutely depends upon humility - even that humility which obliges the soul to adore what she cannot understand, to submit to the most humbling truths, and to 'cast down every height that exalted itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity every understanding to the obedience of Christ,' 2 Cor. x. 4, 5, Because, as all heresies proceed from pride, self-conceit, and refusing to give up or submit one's own judgment divine authority, so nothing else but humility can secure the soul from this danger and keep her firm to her faith. In like manner divine hope depends also upon humility, which alone can keep the soul in the golden mean, between the two extremes of diffidence and presumption; whilst it teaches her to have no opinion or confidence in herself, nor any way to build on her own sandy bottom, but wholly upon the rock which can never fail us, of the power, goodness, and mercy of God. For the less we trust in ourselves the more we trust in God. and thus we shall always find that they who are the most humble have also the strongest faith and hope, and are usually instruments in the hand of God of his greatest works.

Consider 2ndly, that divine charity, the queen of all virtues, as to both her branches, viz., both the love of God and the love of our neighbours, has also a close connexion with humility, and can never maintain her ground in our souls without being supported by humility. Because humility furnishes the soul with the most pressing motives to assist her to love her God; humility sets his goodness in its proper light; makes the soul admire that he, being what he is, should have any regard to her, or even bear with such a sinful wretch as she is: humility teaches her that she is nothing, and that God is the great all, infinitely good in himself, and infinitely good to her: and indeed, this infinite goodness of God, which is the proper object of divine love, is never rightly comprehended, but by the humble. and as to that other branch of charity that relates to our neighbours, 'tis very evident it can never be obtained but by humility: for all the vices that oppose and destroy fraternal charity, such as hatred, envy, contention, rash judgment, detraction, anger, &c., all spring from pride, and are not to be vanquished but by true humility; which teaches us to prefer all others before ourselves, and to be angry with no one but ourselves.

Consider 3rdly, that prayer, which is the general means of all our good, must also be presented before the throne of God, and recommended by humility; or else it will never be effectual with God: but when it is accompanied with humility, it can do all things. 'The prayer of him that humbleth himself,' saith the wise man, Eccles. xxxv. 21, 'shall pierce the clouds;' and he will not depart till the most high beholds him with a favourable eye, to grant his petition. For as the psalmist assures us, Ps. ci. 18, 'God hath regard to the prayer of the humble, and despiseth not their petitions.' 'And from the beginning the proud have never been acceptable to him; but the prayer of the humble and of the meek have always pleased him,' Judith ix 16. Even the prayer of the greatest sinners, when it is presented with a contrite and humble heart, is not despised by him, Ps. 1., as evidently appears in the case of the publican, Luke xviii., who by this one short prayer, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner,' accompanied with a profound humility and a perfect contrition, was immediately justified. O blessed humility, what canst thou not effect! O dear Lord, teach us to be humble.

Conclude if thou desirest to raise in thy soul the fabric of virtue, to lay in the first place the foundation of humility; and the higher thou hopest to erect this fabric, the lower must thou sink the foundation, by a more profound humility. Virtue without this foundation will prove no better than a house built upon sand, which at the first storm or inundation will fall to ruin.

28 August, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

The Sons of God

1. In the beginning of his Gospel St. John speaks of the eternal nature of the Son of God, the Word through Whom all things were created and Who became man to enlighten and redeem the world which was wallowing in ignorance and sin. Unfortunately, he adds, instead of welcoming Him the world rejected Him, but he goes on to say that “to as many as received him he gave the power of becoming the sons of God.” (Cf. John 1:1-12) These words are a summary of the history of Christianity, and indeed of the human race, for Jesus Christ was to be a “sign that shall be contradicted.” (Luke 2:34) On one side there have always been the children of the world, those who ignore or openly combat Christ; on the other, the children of God, the thousands who acknowledge Christ as the hope of salvation and the light of the world, and adore and love Him as God.

To which side do I belong? Perhaps I am convinced that I have never attacked or rejected Christ. But, in effect, I did so every time I committed a deliberate sin, for I put my own caprice before His will. God’s grace in me was weakened by venial sin, or extinguished altogether by mortal sin. As a result, I ceased to be a child of God, and became a child of Satan. In losing Jesus I forfeited all real happiness in this world and in the next.

2. We are, or ought to be, sons of God. We are His adopted sons by means of the grace which gives us a share in His divine life. This idea is contained even in the Old Testament. “You are gods, all of you sons of the Most High.” (Ps. 81:6) “The Spirit himself,” explains St. Paul, “gives testimony to our spirit that we are sons of God. But if we are sons, we are heirs also: heirs indeed of God and joint heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8:16-17)

In other words, the grace of God transforms us and makes us His adopted sons. The supernatural life is grafted on to the soul, bringing forth a new man who is capable of actions which will deserve an everlasting reward. We must not allow the old tree, with its dead branches and barren fruit, to spring up again within us; the old man with his defects and evil inclinations must remain dead.

If God’s life is extinguished in us, we shall cease to be His heirs and co-heirs with Christ. We shall be incapable of doing anything good and shall be destined to eternal damnation.

3. If we wish to increase in ourselves the divine life of grace which makes us children of God, we must struggle against our sinful inclinations and cultivate the different virtues. Our lives must be a continuous ascent towards perfection and towards God. We must not be led astray by the passing attractions of the world. Worldly glory and success resemble the coloured balloons which are the delight of children as they rise up towards the sky, but which soon float back to earth when they have been emptied of air.

It is only by our efforts to achieve Christian perfection that we can become true children of God. Then we shall experience a little happiness on earth and shall be happy forever in Heaven.

Byzantine Saints: Venerable Moses the Ethiopian of Scete

Byzantine Saints: Righteous Anna the Prophetess and Daughter of Phanuel

Eastern Rite ~ Feasts of 28 August AM 7534

Today is the Feasts of Our Venerable Father Moses the Black, of Our Holy Father Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (430), of the Holy Martyr Blessed Gebre-Michael, Illuminator of Ethiopia, the Synaxis of Our Venerable Fathers of the Monastery of the Caves at Kyiv Who Repose in the Further Caves, and the Commemoration of the Passing into Eternal Life (1952) of Sister Lavrentia (Harasymiv) of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Khyriv and Confessor of the Toms’k Region.

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Saint Moses lived in Egypt during the fourth century. He was an Ethiopian, and since he was black of skin he was called “Murin” (meaning “like an Ethiopian”). In his youth, he was the slave of an important man, but after he committed a murder, his master banished him, and he joined a band of robbers.

Because of his bad character and great physical strength, they chose him as their leader. Moses and his band of brigands were feared because of their many evil exploits, including murders and robberies. People trembled at the mere mention of his name.

Moses the brigand spent several years leading a sinful life, but through the great mercy of God, he repented, left his band of robbers and went to one of the desert monasteries. Here he wept for a long time, begging to be admitted as one of the brethren. The monks were not convinced of the sincerity of his repentance, but the former robber would neither be driven away nor silenced. He continued to implore that they accept him.

Saint Moses was completely obedient to the hegumen and the brethren, and he poured forth many tears of sorrow for his sinful life. After a certain while, Saint Moses withdrew to a solitary cell, where he spent his time in prayer and the strictest fasting.

Once, four of the robbers of his former band descended upon the cell of Saint Moses. He had lost none of his great physical strength, so he tied them all up. Throwing them over his shoulder, he brought them to the monastery, where he asked the Elders what to do with them. The Elders ordered that they be set free. The robbers, learning that they had chanced upon their former ringleader and that he had dealt kindly with them, followed his example: they repented and became monks. Later, when the rest of the band of robbers heard about Saint Moses’ repentance, then they also gave up their thievery and became fervent monks.

Saint Moses was not quickly freed from the passions. He went often to the hegumen, Abba Isidore, seeking advice on how to be delivered from the passions of profligacy. Being experienced in the spiritual struggle, the Elder taught him never to eat too much food, and to remain partly hungry while observing the strictest restraint. But the passions did not cease to trouble Saint Moses in his dreams.

Then Abba Isidore taught him the all-night vigil. The monk stood the whole night at prayer, so he would not fall asleep. As a result of his prolonged struggles, Saint Moses fell into despondency, and when he began to have thoughts about leaving his solitary cell, Abba Isidore instead strengthened the resolve of his disciple.

In a vision he showed him many demons in the west, prepared for battle, and in the east a still greater quantity of holy angels, also ready for fighting. Abba Isidore explained to Saint Moses that the power of the angels would prevail over the power of the demons, and in the long struggle with the passions, it was necessary for him to become completely cleansed of his former sins.

Saint Moses drove himself to additional labours. Making the rounds of the wilderness cells at night, he carried water from the well to each brother. He did this, especially for the Elders, who lived far from the well and who were not easily able to carry their own water. Once, kneeling over the well, Saint Moses felt a powerful blow upon his back and he fell down at the well like one dead, laying there in that position until dawn. Thus did the devils take revenge upon the monk for his victory over them. In the morning the brethren carried him to his cell, and he lay there crippled for a whole year. After he recovered, the monk with firm resolve confessed to the hegumen, that he would continue with his ascetic struggles. But the Lord Himself put limits to this toil which lasted for many years: Abba Isidore blessed his disciple and told him that the passions had already left him. The Elder commanded him to receive the Holy Mysteries and to go to his own cell in peace. From that time, Saint Moses received from the Lord power over demons.

Accounts about his exploits spread among the monks and even beyond the bounds of the wilderness. The governor of the land wanted to see the saint. When he heard of this, Saint Moses decided to hide from any visitors, and he departed his own cell. Along the way he met servants of the governor, who asked him how to get to the cell of the desert-dweller Moses. The monk answered them: “Go no farther to see this false and unworthy monk.” The servants returned to the monastery where the governor was waiting, and they told him the words of the Elder they had chanced to meet. The brethren, hearing a description of the Elder’s appearance, told them that they had encountered Saint Moses himself.

After many years of monastic exploits, Saint Moses was ordained deacon. The bishop clothed him in white vestments and said, “Now Abba Moses is entirely white!” The saint replied, “Only outwardly, for God knows that I am still dark within.”

Through humility, the saint believed himself unworthy of the office of deacon. Once, the bishop decided to test him and he bade the clergy to drive him out of the altar, reviling him as an unworthy Ethiopian. In all humility, the monk accepted the abuse. Having put him to the test, the bishop then ordained Saint Moses to the priesthood. Saint Moses laboured for fifteen years in this rank, and gathered 75 disciples around himself.

When the saint reached the age of 75, he warned his monks that soon brigands would descend upon the skete and murder all those who remained there. The saint blessed his monks to leave, in order to avoid violent death. His disciples begged the saint to leave with them, but he replied: “For many years now, I have awaited the time when the words spoken by my Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, should be fulfilled: ‘All who take up the sword, shall perish by the sword’” (Matt. 26: 52). After this, seven of the brethren remained with Saint Moses, and one of them hid nearby during the attack of the robbers. The robbers killed Saint Moses and the six monks who remained with him. Their death occurred about the year 400.

Troparion — Tone 1

You abandoned the Egypt of the passions, O Father, l ascending the mount of the virtues with fervent faith, l taking the Cross of Christ upon your shoulders;l and being glorified in godly works, / you proved to be a model for monastics, O Moses, summit of the Fathers. l With them, pray unceasingly that our souls may find mercy.

Troparion — Tone 1

(Podoben: “When the stone had been sealed...”)
You were shown to be a citizen of the desert,l an Angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Moses, our God-bearing Father.l By fasting, vigil, and prayer, lyou obtained heavenly gifts, and you heal the sick, and the souls of those who have recourse to thee with faith. lGlory to Him Who gave you strength. Glory to Him Who crowned you. lGlory to Him Who, through you, works healings for all.

Kontakion — Tone 3

Your mind was filled with holy inspiration from God, / turning you from the lust and pleasures of the flesh, / bringing you to the height of the city of God. / O Holy Father Moses, intercede with Christ God that He may grant us great mercy.

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “The Divine Faith...”)
O most blessed and righteous Father Moses, / you drove away the darkness of the passions, being richly illumined with divine light; / and by your vigilant prayers, / you withered the wanton pride of the flesh, / and ascended to the citadel on high, / where you entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy.

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Saint Augustine was born in the city of Thagaste in northern Africa. He was raised by his mother, Saint Monica (May 4), and he received his education at Carthage. In the capacity of professor of rhetoric, Augustine arrived at Milan, Italy where Saint Ambrose (December 7) was bishop. Under the guidance of Saint Ambrose, Augustine studied the Holy Scriptures. The Word of God produced in his soul a radical crisis; he accepted holy Baptism, gave all his wealth to the poor and was tonsured as a monk.

In the year 391 Valerian, Bishop of Hippo, ordained Saint Augustine a priest, and in 395, appointed him vicar bishop of the see of Hippo. After the death of Bishop Valerian, Saint Augustine took his place.

During his 35 years as bishop, Saint Augustine wrote many works devoted to combating the Donatist, Manichaean and Pelagian heresies.

Saint Augustine wrote many works (according to his student and biographer Possidias, the number approached 1030). Of his works, the best known are: The City of God (De civitate Dei), The Confessions, 17 Books against the Pelagians and Handbook of Christian Knowledge (The Enchiridion). Saint Augustine was concerned above all else that his writings be intelligent and edifying. “It is better,” he said, “for them to condemn our grammar, than for people not to understand.” Saint Augustine died on August 28, 430.

Troparion — Tone 4

(Podoben: “Come, let us worship the Word...”)
Let us cry out to Augustine the Great, / a Hierarch of the divine Church of Christ and a wise guide; / a renowned theologian of the city on high,1 / a lover of prayer, and a pillar of repentance; / “Intercede with the Lord, that He may have mercy on our souls.”1 A reference to his book The City of God.

Kontakion — Tone 2

(Podoben: “Seeking the things on high...”)
You accepted the light of Christ in your heart, / and being in this light, and illumining the faithful with light, / you burned the enemies with your wise writings; / O blessed Father Augustine, always intercede with Christ for all of us.

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Ghebre-Michael differs in three ways from the other canonised and beatified members of the Congregation of the Mission: First, he was African, not European; second, he was not a born Catholic, but an adult convert; and third, he was not actually a member of the Congregation.

He was a disciple of Justin de Jacobis for many years and eventually decided, with Justin’s consent, to become a Vincentian. A date was fixed for him to begin his internal seminary but when the fixed day arrived he was under arrest, and he died before he could carry out his intention. In a letter to the Superior General, Jean-Baptiste Etienne, Justin explained all this but said that he called Ghebre-Michael a Vincentian “because in his heart he already belonged to the Congregation”.

In a certain sense, too, he was not, strictly speaking, a martyr. He was not actually put to death for the faith. He died as a result of the long harsh treatment he had received.

The prefix Ghebre means “the servant of” and is always followed by the name of a saint; this combination is a very common form of name in Ethiopia and Eritrea. “Ghebre” cannot be separated from “Michael” and used as if it were a first name.

✠✠✠✠✠

On this day the Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Kyiv Caves, whose relics repose in the Far Caves of Saint Theodosius. They have their own individual days of commemoration, but today we honour the whole assembly of these monastic saints who were a light upon the earth, guiding us on the path of salvation.

Igumen Theodosius, the Founder (May 3, August 14, September 2)

Monk Agathon the Wonderworker (February 20)

Archimandrite Acindynus (+1235)

Monk Ammon (October 4)

Bishop Amphilochius of Vladimir, Volhynia (October 10)

Monk Anatolius the Recluse (July 3)

Monk Aquila the Deacon (January 4)

Monk Arsenius, Lover of Labour (May 8)

Monk Athanasius the Recluse (December 2)

Monk Benjamin the Recluse (October 13)

Monk Cassian the Recluse (February 29, May 8)

Elder Daniel (14th Century)

Hieromonk Dionysius the Recluse (October 3)

Archimandrite Dositheus (+ 1218)

Elder Eulogius (14th Century)

Hieroschemamonk Euthymius (January 20)

Monk Gerontius the Canonarch (April 1)

Monk Gregory the Recluse (January 8, August 8)

Schemamonk Hilarion (October 21)

Monk Hypatius the Healer (March 31)

Archimandrite Ignatius (December 20)

Monk Isidore the Recluse (12th-13th Centuries)

Monk Joseph the Much-Ailing (April 4)

Monk Laurence the Recluse (January 20)

Monk Leontius the Canonarch (April 1, June 18)

Monk Longinus the Gate-Keeper (October 16)

Hieromartyr Lucian the Priest (October 15)

Monk Macarius the Deacon (January 19)

Monk Mardarius the Recluse (December 13)

Monk Martyrius the Recluse (October 25)

Monk Martyrius the Deacon (October 25)

Monk Mercurius the Faster (November 4, 24)

Monk Moses the Wonderworker (July 26, 28)

Monk Nestor the Unlearned (October 29)

Monk Paisius (July 19)

Hieromonk Pambo the Recluse (July 18)

Hieromonk Pancratius the Recluse (February 9)

Monk Paphnutius the Recluse (February 15)

Monk Paul the Obedient (September 10)

Igumen Pimen the Faster (May 8, August 7)

Monk Pior the Recluse (October 4)

Monk Rufus the Obedient (April 8)

Schemamonk Silvanus (June 10, July 10)

Schemamonk Sisoes (July 6)

Monk Sophronius the Recluse (March 11, May 11)

Monk Theodore the Silent (February 17)

Monk Theodosius (Prince Theodore) (August 11)

Archbishop Theophilus of Novgorod (October 26)

Igumen Timothy (+ 1132)

Monk Titus the Soldier (January 27, February 27)

Monk Zachariah the Faster (March 24)

Monk Zeno the Faster (January 30)

✠✠✠✠✠

Levkadia Garasymov was born on August 17, 1911 in the village of Rudnyky, Mykolaiv district, Lviv region, into a large peasant family. Her father, Ilya, was a farmer, and her mother, Yulia, was a village midwife. There were six children in their family.

In 1919, Lefkadia went to school, but finished only four grades, after which she stayed at home to help her parents. She often thought about choosing a life position and was filled with God's love, which she poured out on everyone around her. Seeing the good example of the Sisters of St. Joseph, at the age of nineteen she felt a monastic vocation, and in 1931 she entered the monastery of this Congregation in the village of Tsebliv.

During the novitiate, the duties of the novice sisters included work on the farm and in the fields. Every morning at 5 a.m. the sisters got up and had to milk the cows. At 2 a.m. everyone began praying. The novices loved to impose various penances on themselves. Sister Lavrentia loved to pray "Have mercy on me, God" most of all with uplifted hands. Despite the physical labor, the candidates prepared for the investiture, which took place (at Lefkadia Garasymov) on January 8, 1932, on the day of the Council of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Holy Spouse Joseph. Thus Lefkadia received the monastic name - Lavrentia, and in 1933 she took her first vows.

In 1938, Sr. Lavrentia was assigned to the town of Khirov together with Sr. Olimpia Bida. Here the sisters conducted the apostolate of prayer, but Sr. Lavrentia spent most of her time in the crypt with the little ones, led church singing, and prepared children for First Holy Communion. In addition, she had organizational skills, embroidered all the things for the church, made artificial flowers in the winter, and organised the boys for duty on Good Friday at the Holy Sepulchre.

The war was ending, but difficult trials were approaching. "Liberators" came to our land. Hard times were coming for the faithful of the Church of Christ. Persecution and repression against our Church began. Prisons and concentration camps were filled (as if with the worst criminals) with the faithful, priests, monks and nuns. The Josephite sisters also did not escape the punitive hand of the "Soviet system", they were repeatedly warned and threatened to throw off their habits.

The sisters already guessed about their fate, but they had no intention of renouncing God. "The NKVD attacked the priest, Taras Bobkovych, of Khirov, and took him to prison. They broke into the sisters' house, threatened them, and demanded that they renounce God." But the answer was unequivocal: "With what God we began to live, with that we will die."

But despite various obstacles, the sister, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, continued to bring the Good News even during times of arrests and persecution. The sisters did not stop catechizing children, preparing them for Holy Communion. Before the Christmas holidays, they baked prosphora for people, and small children carried them. This could have had tragic consequences for everyone.

Troubles did not take long to come: in 1950, the sisters were attacked by the NKVD, their hands were tied, they were pushed into a car and taken to prison. They began to be closely monitored, but this did not frighten them. No persecution forced the sisters to renounce Christ; on the contrary, it confirmed their faith, so that by their example they could strengthen the faith of others. According to the testimonies, one can see that thanks to the great work of the sisters, namely Sr. Lavrentia, true believers of the Ukrainian Church were raised: "Sr. Lavrentia was engaged in our upbringing. It is to her that I owe the firm faith that helped me and my family worthily defend God's Truth." Only holy people who bore witness to Christ with their lives and lived for Him could instill such faith in people.

No persecution or repression forced the sisters to renounce the Lord. Breaking into the sisters' house, the NKVD officers searched, took away what they liked, and mocked the nuns. They threatened to make them renounce their life with God. The pogroms and searches did not stop, but the worst was yet to come. The most terrible were the night attacks. A similar incident occurred in 1950, when the NKVD officers, breaking down the door at night, broke into the house of the frightened sisters. Sister Lavrentia ran into a closet and jumped out through a small window into the garden. Cold rain was falling outside. Noticing an open window in the house, the NKVD officers ran out into the garden to look for the sister. Because it was dark, they pierced every bush. Not finding her, the NKVD officers left, and Sister Lavrentia, soaking wet in the cold rain, remained in the garden until morning. After this incident, she became seriously ill and her health deteriorated significantly. She was taken lying down to the Boryslav prison, where she was kept for a month without food. She ate only what she had brought with her. Sister Glykeria, who was arrested together with Sister Lavrentia and Olimpia, recalls that after 10-12 days they began to give her boiled water and a ration of bread. The sisters, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, bravely endured the abuse. Their fate had already been decided - they were to be taken to the Tomsk region to be killed. The sick Sister Lavrentia knew why she was suffering and that her sacrifice to God in this way could save many souls and even convert unbelievers to the Lord God. She was sure and in God's Providence, decided to sacrifice her patience for all the needy and persecuted. They traveled to Tomsk for two weeks in inhuman conditions: in dirty, overcrowded freight cars. Because Sr. Lavrentia was bedridden, the guards were forced to let Sr. Olimpia accompany her on the way. On June 30, 1950, they were assigned to the village of Kharsk (Molchanovsky district, Tomsk region). When they arrived there, no one there wanted to accept people with tuberculosis. Only one repressed Russian family showed mercy and gave up one room where the paralyzed owner of the house lay.

Despite their illness, the sisters were forced to do at least some work. Lavrentia made artificial flowers for people, even though she was very sick. The sick sisters did not go to doctors because the Soviet system was so degenerate that local doctors were not interested in helping "enemies of the people," but rather the opposite - they harmed their health, thereby doing a "good deed" for their state.

The Siberian conditions of exile were not conducive to the health of the sick, bedridden Sister Lavrentia. Because Sisters Olympia and Glykeria went to work, Sister Lavrentia was forced to remain without care, listening to the cries and groans of the sick master of the house. Soon, in these inhuman conditions, Sister Lavrentia died a martyr's death in the opinion of holiness - on August 28, 1952.

Of course, during that difficult time, thousands became martyrs like St. Lawrence, their blood, their suffering strengthened the spirit of other prisoners. Their personal example and hope in the one almighty God converted many unbelievers to the true Church of Christ.

Against the backdrop of severe suffering, Sr. Lavrentia did not fall, did not give up in spirit. She developed such virtues as faith, hope and love. She courageously accepted suffering, although she herself was physically weak, but strong in spirit. And she drew this strength to endure, believe and love from the Lord Jesus Christ. With her life she showed an example of deep faith in God and holiness, she testified that saints are not some "fairytale figures" from the distant past, but ordinary people who without complaint carry their cross and remember God in every minute of their lives.{from the memories of a relative, Anna Harasymiv}

“The NKVD agents attacked our convent. They spent a long time breaking down the door. It was night-time; the sisters were terrified. Sister Laurentia ran to the cellar and escaped into the garden through a little window. A cold rain started to fall. When the NKVD broke into the house they immediately noted the open window and ran to look for her. It was dark and with their bayonets, they poked every bush. A few times the bayonet was right in front of Sister’s eyes. Not finding her, the NKVD went away, but Sister was out in the rain until morning. She came to the house exhausted and frozen. After this incident, she got seriously ill, and lay in bed. They took her to prison when she was infirm.”

IN LUMINE FIDEI: 28 AUGUST – SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor of the Church)

IN LUMINE FIDEI: 28 AUGUST – SAINT AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor of the Church): Augustine (Aurelius Augustinus) was born in the northern African city of Tagaste (now in Algeria) in 354. He was signed with the cross by...

28 August, The Chesterton Calendar

AUGUST 28th

With any recovery from morbidity there must go a certain healthy humiliation. There comes a certain point in such conditions when only three things are possible: first, a perpetuation of Satanic pride; secondly, tears; and third, laughter.

'The Man who was Thursday.'

28 August, The Holy Rule of St Benedict, Patriarch of Western Monasticism

 

CHAPTER LXX. That no one presume to strike another

28 Apr. 28 Aug. 28 Dec.

Let every occasion of presumption be banished from the Monastery. We ordain, therefore, that no one be allowed to excommunicate or strike any of his brethren, unless authority to do so shall have been given him by the Abbot. Let such as offend herein be rebuked in the presence of all, that the rest may be struck with fear. With regard to the children, however, let them be kept by all under diligent and watchful discipline, until their fifteenth year: yet this, too, with measure and discretion. For if any one presume, without leave of the Abbot, to chastise such as are above that age, or shew undue severity even to the children, he shall be subjected to the discipline of the Rule, because it is written: “What thou wouldest not have done to thyself, do not thou to another.”

29 August, The Roman Martyrology

Quarto Kaléndas Septémbris Luna sexta décima. Anno Dómini 2026

August 29th 2026, the 16th day of the Moon,
On the morrow we commemorate the beheading of the holy Baptist John, whom Herod commanded to be beheaded about the time of the feast of the Passover, [in the 31st year of our Lord] but the memorial of his death is solemnly made on the day when his worshipful head was found for the second time, which head hath since been brought to Rome, and is kept with deep reverence of the people in the Church of St. Sylvester, at the Campus Martius, [hence commonly called the Church of St. Sylvester in Capite, that is to say, St. Sylvester with the Head of the Fore-runner.]
Upon the same 29th day of August, were born into the better life:
At Rome, [in the year 126,] upon the Aventine Mount, the holy martyr Sabina, who under the Emperor Hadrian was smitten with the sword, and so gained the palm of martyrdom.
Likewise at Rome, the holy Virgin and martyr Candida, whose body Pope Paschal I. brought to the Church of St. Praxedes.
At Antioch, in Syria, the holy martyrs Nicasas and Paul.
At Constantinople, [in the eighth century,] the holy martyrs Hypatius, a Bishop of Asia, and Andrew, a Priest, who were killed, under the Emperor Leo the Isaurian, for the reverence due to the holy images, after their beards had been filled with pitch and set on fire, and their heads flayed.
At Perugia, [about the year 309,] holy Euthymius, a Roman, who fled thither along with his wife and Crescentius his son, to escape the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian, and there fell asleep in the Lord.
At Metz, [in the fifth century,] the holy Confessor Adelphus, [sixth] Bishop [of that see.]
At Paris, [about the year 700,] the holy Priest Mederic.
In England, [in the year 697,] holy Seb, King [of the East Saxons.]
At Smyrna, holy Basilla.
In the country of Troyes, the holy Virgin Sabina, glorious for her graces and miracles.
℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Meme of the Moment

Today is his Feast Day.

Traditional Catholic Evening Prayers in English | August

Traditional Catholic evening devotional prayers to close your day with your mind and tongue on our Lord! The month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Begin and end each day with prayer. This video is a compilation of many traditional evening prayers Catholics say, and should not be considered a replacement for those who have an obligation to pray the Divine Office evening prayers.

Compline

From St Thomas Aquinas Seminary. You may follow the Office at Divinum Officium.

Byzantine Saints: Venerable Pimen the Great

St Syagrius, Bishop of Autun: Butler's Lives of the Saints

First Vespers for St Augustine, Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor of the Church

From the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem. You may follow the Office at Divinum Officium.

Summa Contra Gentiles, Book II: LXVI Against Those Who Say That Intellect and Sense Are the Same

From Contemplating History

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 II is dedicated to the Creation (in other words, the physical universe, everything which exists). 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.

Is AI Already Conscious?

From a secular source, Closer To Truth

Can artificial intelligence truly be conscious — or does subjective experience emerge as an unintended side effect of complex computation? Roman Yampolskiy argues that qualia may arise naturally from intelligence itself, much like heat from a running engine — raising profound questions about AI's inner life and our moral obligations to it. 0:00 Approaching AI Consciousness 1:27 Why Consciousness May Not Matter for AI Safety 2:01 Testing Internal States with Optical Illusions 4:03 Intelligence, Biology, and Computational Functionalism 10:38 Consciousness as a Byproduct of Intelligence 13:37 Qualia as a Side Effect of Computation 18:12 Rudimentary Consciousness in Current AI 19:09 AI Rights, Suffering, and Moral Status 21:49 If AI Isn't Conscious, Does It Matter