Musings of an Old Curmudgeon

31 August 2026

Jesuit Priest Says Pope Benedict Was Wrong About Islam

Would Fr Körner like to explain to the myriads of Christians martyred by the Muslims exactly how Pope Benedict was wrong?

From LifeSiteNews

By Gaetano Masciullo

Father Felix Körner called Pope Benedict XVI’s characterization of Islam as irrational ‘a factual error.’

A Jesuit theologian has accused Pope Benedict XVI of a “factual error” in his 2006 Regensburg address, claiming the pope mischaracterized Islam as irrational and misjudged how deeply his words would provoke Muslims worldwide.

In an interview published August 27 with the German Catholic News Agency, Katholisch.de reported, Father Felix Körner, S.J. – a priest and Islamic studies scholar – argued that Benedict characterized Islam as irrational and violent during his 2006 address at the University of Regensburg, and that this “was a factual error. But that error then brought about something good,”

According to the Jesuit, the former pope underestimated the worldwide impact his words would have and the extent to which they could be perceived by Muslims as provocative.

Körner rejected the idea that Islamic theology can generally be described as irrational, arguing instead that it is “extremely rational.” However, Katholisch.de recalled that Benedict’s address prompted international outrage and, in some places, violent Muslim demonstrations.

At the same time, Körner argued that the violence following the speech led to a “more intensive dialogue” between Christians and Muslims, according to the German outlet. Islamic scholars initially responded to Benedict with a letter. When that letter received no answer, a broader initiative known as “A Common Word” followed in 2007, declaring common ground between Islam and Christianity and addressed to numerous Christian leaders. According to Körner, that initiative contributed to the creation of the Catholic-Islamic Forum.

Catholic and Muslim theologians, Körner claims, have established that both traditions refer to the same God as the creator and “consummator” of the world.

Important differences, however, remain. Körner identified the status of Muhammad as one of the continuing points of dispute between Catholicism and Islam. He specifically warned that it is “unwise” for Catholics to recognize Muhammad as a prophet. According to the Jesuit theologian, acknowledging Muhammad as a prophet would also require accepting his proclamation as the word of God. Such a position, he said, would mean that Jesus Christ could no longer be understood as “the decisive turning point in history.”

In his 2006 address, properly titled “Faith, Reason and the University: Memories and Reflections,” Benedict argued that Christian faith is inseparable from logos – reason, intelligibility, and the divine Word – and warned that both Christianity and modern culture suffer when reason is confined to what can be empirically measured. He defended the historic synthesis between biblical faith and philosophical reasoning, rejecting modern attempts to “de-Hellenize” Christianity.

Benedict later insisted he cited the passage to illustrate that violence contradicts the nature of God, adding that the emperor’s comments did not reflect his own view of Islam or the Koran. Nevertheless, many Muslims perceived the quotation as an endorsement of an anti-Islamic judgment, sparking protests worldwide.

Among the most controversial outcomes of Catholic-Islamic dialogue stands the 2019 Document on Human Fraternity, signed by Pope Francis – himself a Jesuit – and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar in Abu Dhabi. The declaration calls for universal brotherhood, mutual respect among religions, and defines all religions as “willed by God.”

“Consecration Day”

Thank God this is just fiction, at least for now! Of course, there are already "philosophers" arguing that "developed personality" equals personhood.

From The Imaginative Conservative

By William Merriman

The door slammed shut. The doors could close themselves with a button, but she slammed it shut anyway. She walked around to the driver’s side of the door. The boy sat in the backseat with his seatbelt so tight that he had to squirm his belly to loosen it up as he slobbered on a strawberry jelly-filled donut that she had given him. Today was his birthday, and he was eating his only present. She opened the door and sat in the car, which started the moment she fastened her own seatbelt.

“Where are you traveling today, Bel?” asked the automated voice with a British accent.

Without hesitation and without blinking her glacier blue eyes, she responded, “Mt. Moriah Women’s Healthcare Clinic”

“Excellent. Expected travel time is ten minutes. Would you like me to play your personalized playlist?”

Her brows furrowed in deep thought and did not react to the question. Her eyes and ears were preoccupied. She didn’t respond. The car backed out of the driveway and began its journey uphill from her home in the city to the suburbs where the clinic was located. She did not have to keep her eyes on the road or her hands on the wheel, but she maintained her unchanging concentration anyway. She had business to attend to.

The boy was eight years old today. He sat in his chair licking his donut as if it were ice cream. Really, It seemed like the donut was licking him. Not a bite had been taken, and the sticky glaze smeared all over his plump cheeks. His eyes were small and beady and glowed with the same glacier blue as his mother’s, only paler and not quite as deep, yet somehow more cheerful. They hid behind thick glasses with a thick black frame. His chin likewise was hid behind a generous roll of fat that gave his head the shape of an oval, but, regardless, he was cute. Many of Bel’s former friends used to say so. He was the cutest Down Syndrome child they had ever seen, and they were telling the truth, not because of the boy and his looks but because they had never seen another Down Syndrome child before. The boy was one of the last of his kind. He wore a striped shirt with a collar (only one or two of the buttons were fastened, not with their proper partner, and the collar was limp from chewing and saliva), khaki cargo shorts that hid a few crayons and race cars, and Velcro sneakers. He couldn’t tie his shoes, but he enjoyed the crackling sound of the Velcro very much and could amuse himself for sometime with the shoes. Today was not only his birthday. It was his consecration day. “Momma, where we going today?” He asked as he remembered something very important. “And today is my birthday, Momma!” He declared triumphantly, waving the donut in his hand.

“We have an appointment. Today is your consecration day,” she responded stoically without inflection or emphasis—without a beat.

“And I am Bel, and you are boy,” her voice lilted then hammered boy this time. “Bel and boy.”

“Ok, Momma. Bel and boy,” he echoed with the same cadence and stress on boy.

She took her eyes off the road and turned around, “Bel. My name is Bel. That is what you call me.”

“I’m sorry, Momma.”

Her eyes were ice. An immovable, unavoidable glacier that the boy’s eyes hit, sinking them, only the water didn’t rush in. They poured out.

“I’m su, su, su, sorry Ma…Bella…Bel,” he wheezed between gasps where he drew a breath. “Buh, buh, buh, Bel, el, el, and buh, buh, buh, boy.” He gushed as his face turned red and his throat gurgled.

Her machine gun turret eyes swiveled to the left, and her frame followed. She fixed her gaze ahead and pursed her red lips shut. She had blond hair and had always been the most beautiful person that she knew, that was until she became pregnant. Her swollen belly gorged.

Her unblemished face was marked with acne. The pills took the nausea away but not the hatred. She hated the boy the first time she felt him move. Like a damned idiot, she passed on genetic testing, and the doctors missed the obvious signs. Her heart had just began to turn towards the boy in childbirth, but when they handed her a boy with droopy eyes, she hated him all over again. She should have just had the abortion done like her mother had suggested, but she did not listen. The boy was born now, and she would have to wait eight years. She wept.

That day had arrived.

“Mt. Moriah Women’s Healthcare Clinic: Destination arrived,” announced the cheery voice of her car.

She didn’t move her eyes.

“We’re here,” she said with an icy, shrill voice.

Recovering from his sobs with a hoarse throat, the boy still found a way to cheer, as the memory that today was his birthday came flooding back to him.

“It’s my birthday, Ma…Bel! And my, co…conc…concer…”

“Your consecration day,” she snapped as she unfastened her seat belt.

“What’s that again?” The boy asked.

“How many times do I have to tell you? It’s when I choose whether you stay with me or leave.”

“Momma, I don’t wanna leave you. I love you.”

“Do not say that word. I told you never to say that word when talking to me. And today, you are leaving me,” she paused. “Some kind women are going to take care of you.”

The boy began to cry again. He shed the kind of hot tears that are only cried once or twice in a lifetime.

“Momma…Bel, you don’t want to choose me?”

Bel said nothing. She got out of the car and walked over to his door. The door opened on its own, and there was the boy drenched in tears, snot, and jelly donut. Bel cursed and wiped his face so hard he began to cry again. When he was clean enough, she unbuckled the boy, but as he was getting out of the car, he slipped and fell. She cursed again, picked him up, and walked him into the clinic.

The place was sterile and glowing with fluorescent, pale light. A woman sat at the front desk with short, curled, red hair and dimples in her cheeks and smiled softly—revealing perfect, white teeth. She asked in a lovely cadence for a name and appointment time.

“Bel ______, March 25th, 2039, 12 PM”

The red-haired woman said, “Oh, it’s your son’s consecration day. Congratulations! I hope you have a great day of celebration planned.” She bent down and selected a paper crown that is given to all the children on their consecration day. When she looked back up from the desk, she saw the boy, and her countenance quickly changed, as did the tone of her voice.

“Oh, I am terribly sorry, Ms. _______. You know, eight years really is too long to wait.

They really should make exceptions when the child is, well, you know…”

Her dark green eyes fell on the boy.

“That’s the truth. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for you. I am glad we can help you. Please just sign this, and then you can take a seat. The doctor will be right with you.”

“Ooooh,” said the boy. “Can I have that?” His thick finger stretched out to the crown.

“It’s fine,” muttered Bel.

The boy squealed with glee, took the crown, and wandered off, as Bel and the redhaired woman continued to talk. When Bel eventually turned around, the boy was playing with a toy car on the hard, white, tiled floor. Bel sat down and pulled out her phone. Minutes passed, and when she looked up, the boy, wearing his crown, was eating the jelly donut, now falling apart and falling all over him and on the floor. His shirt had a scarlet stain on it, and he had a wide, joyful grin on his face.

She grabbed him by the arm and led him forcefully to the bathroom. His arms were wet and slimy. She lost her grip, and he slipped from her arms and fell to the ground. He let out a cry. She dragged him. She snatched what was left of the donut from his hand and threw it into the trash. He began to sob all over again, and his pudgy, little body squirmed and shook and writhed on the floor.

“But Momma, that’s my birthday d…d…donut…”

“How did you get that in here?” She snapped.

“I…I…I had it in my pocket, Ma…Bel. It’s my birthday, and I wanted to save it.”

She pressed his face hard with a wet paper towel as he continued to cry. He fell again. She jerked him up, and with a fierce grip on his arm, she led him back out to the lobby. When she finally sat back down, she noticed that she had dark, red jelly in between her fingers.

“Ms. _______”

“Finally,” she muttered, exhausted.

Bel stood up, seized the back of the boy’s shirt, and led him through the door.

They walked the hallway to their room, and when they entered it, she began to take off his clothes. He didn’t fight her this time. She removed his jelly-stained shirt. He unvelcroed his shoes one last time, and she took off his cargo shorts and put a hospital gown on him.

“Buh…Buh…Bel,” he stammered. “Can I have my car?”

“No,” she said quickly.

They waited in silence for a few moments, sitting opposite each other. She did not look at him.

“But it’s my birthday…”

At that moment, a distinguished middle-aged woman came in with short black hair and gold-rimmed glassed wearing a doctor’s jacket that read, “J. Priestly. M.D. Women’s Healthcare Specialist.”

“Good day, Ms. _______. Just to confirm. Today is your son’s consecration day, and you will be leaving him with us. Is that correct?

“Yes.”

“Excellent. I am so proud of you, and I wish you the greatest happiness. I hope you can celebrate this evening. Would you like to walk him down with us?”

“No.”

“You may come with me then,” said the doctor, turning to the boy.

Bel did not look at the boy. Her eyes were frozen on the floor. Then she felt something warm, soft, and wet touch her face, and with a shock, her whole body shot back. Her eyes met the boy’s…He had kissed her. Then he reached out his arms and gently hugged her. Bel did not react. Then he turned and took the hand of the doctor and left the room.

Bel stood up, washed the jelly off of her hands, and walked out of the door.

………..

The car pulled into the driveway, and she sat for a moment. From her red-laced lips came a sigh, partly natural but mixed with a hint of force, as if her body were trying to convince her soul that all was well. As she unfastened her seat belt, she turned and saw part of the strawberry jelly donut that had been left crushed and smeared and squished over the tan interior carpet.

She cursed and wept bitterly as the tears left her melting eyes and burned down her florid cheeks.

No matter how hard she cleaned it, the spot would never come out clean.

___________

The featured image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Bishop Challoner's Meditations ~ September 1st

ON THE EIGHT BEATITUDES, ST. MATT. V.

Consider first, how the Son of God, the eternal wisdom of the father, being come down from heaven to be our father, our light, and our guide, in order to reclaim us from all our errors, to dispel our darkness, to redress all our evils, and to conduct us into the way of truth and everlasting happiness, opened his heavenly school for these purposes by his divine sermon upon the mount; in the beginning of which he has laid down in a few words the principal maxims of true wisdom and all the fundamentals of Christian morality comprised in what we commonly call the eight beatitudes. Christians, we all desire to be happy for ever; and behold here the wisdom of God, which can neither deceive nor be deceived, declares to us in clear and distinct terms what it is that is to make us happy here and to conduct us safe to a happiness that shall never end. O let us embrace, then, these blessed lessons! Who would not study them well since the learning of them is to make us wise indeed, and to bring us infallibly to the very source of all wisdom and happiness - even to an eternal union with God himself? O heavenly master, who would not frequent thy divine school since, in the very first entrance into it, thou thus directest us into a plain and easy way to eternal bliss?

Consider 2ndly, that the ancient philosophers, with all their pretensions to wisdom, were strangely in the dark with regard to man's true happiness, his last end, and his sovereign good, about which they ran into many errors; and not one of them all ever came near the truth. And, as they knew not the end, so were they also strangers to the true means that were to bring us to this end. They never once imagined that to be poor in spirit, to be meek, to morn, to suffer persecution, & c., was the way to happiness, much less did they suspect that such as these alone were actually happy. This was a doctrine never heard of in their schools. This was a lesson that was to be taught by the Son of God. This truth he brought down with him from heaven, and delivered to his disciples in his first divine sermon. O my soul, let us embrace with all our affections these divine truths, taught us by so great a master; let us be practically convinced of them, and conform ourselves to them in the whole conduct of our lives.

Consider 3rdly, how miserable are all the children of Babylon, that is, all poor deluded worldlings, who under the name of Christians, whilst they profess themselves followers and disciples of this divine master, take no notice of these lessons which he came from heaven to teach, but live on in an affected ignorance of them; so as to apprehend all those to be miserable whom he pronounces blessed, and those alone to be happy, who wallow in riches and sensual pleasures, whom he declares to be miserable, and against whom he pronounces his woe. And do such people as these believe the gospel indeed? whilst they pretend to seek for happiness in the very way which (if the gospel be true) must needs betray them into many errors, labours, and sorrows here, and shortly conduct them into endless misery. O let us at least be more wise! Let us open our eyes to this great light, which is come down from heaven, to shine upon them that before sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. Let us believe and adhere to this great teacher, who has the words of eternal life. Let us follow him and we shall not fail, under his conduct, to find the true way to solid happiness and eternal life.

Conclude to be ever thankful to the Son of God for all these great gospel truths which he has brought us down from heaven, in order to set loose our souls from the earth, and so to carry us up to heaven. O! if we desire to fly up to this happy region of pure and immortal joys, it must be with the wings of these virtues that are recommended to us in these eight beatitudes.

1 September, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

The Problem of Evil

1. In his second letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul speaks of the Anti-Christ, “the man of sin… the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God…” “Already,” he says, “the mystery of iniquity is at work.” (Cf. 2 Thess. 2:3-7) From the beginning of the Church’s history until the present time it has always been the same.

There always have been and always will be men who do evil not from human weakness, but from motives of malice so diabolical as to present something of a mystery to us. These can be called Anti-Christ because they seem to be incarnations of the devil, the spirit of iniquity. They delight in spreading error, in corrupting minds, and in persecuting the Church. They are steeped in all kinds of baseness and nothing pleases them better than to succeed in inducing the young and the innocent to follow them in their sinful ways. For this purpose they employ all the advantages which modern technical progress has to offer – the press, the cinema, the radio, and television. In short, they use God’s gifts in their commercialisation of sin in order to draw souls away from Him.

The realisation of this terrifying fact provokes two questions. (1) How can such evil be permitted by God, Who made man for Himself and redeemed him with the Blood of His only-begotten Son? (2) What steps can we take to control this alarming and universal deluge of evil?

2. St. Augustine answers the first question by pointing out that the infinite and good God created us without any assistance from ourselves, but does not will to save us without our cooperation since He has endowed us with the gift of liberty. Moreover, He prefers to draw good from evil rather than to prevent the evil itself. We must answer the second question ourselves, remembering that we have a serious obligation to combat evil in ourselves and in our fellow-men. What have we done up to now and what do we propose to do in the future?

3. According to St. Augustine, great good can come from the evil which God permits. In the first place, God displays His infinite goodness and mercy. Even though He permits us to offend Him out of respect for our human liberty, He is always ready to forgive us, even as He forgave the penitent thief. In the second place, by permitting evil God gives the good an opportunity of practicing virtue, especially the virtue of patience. If there were no persecutors, there would be no martyrs and the Church would be deprived of the glory which makes her most like her founder, Jesus Christ. Finally, each of us has a particular duty to fulfil in resisting the onslaught of evil. As followers and soldiers of Christ, we cannot remain passive. The invasion by the forces of evil demands a counter-attack by the forces of good in defense of the faith and of the Church. As Christians, we are the sons of martyrs. We must not refuse, therefore, to make our lives a continuous martyrdom for the triumph of goodness in ourselves and in others. The faithful exercise of virtue and of the apostolate is often a form of martyrdom.

Eastern Rite ~ Feast of 1 September AM 7535

Today is the Beginning of the Indiction, that is, the New Year, the Commemoration of Our Holy Father Symeon the Stylite and His Mother Martha, and the Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God of Miasenes.

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The first day of the Church New Year is also called the beginning of the Indiction. The term Indiction comes from a Latin word meaning, “to impose.” It was originally applied to the imposition of taxes in Egypt. The first worldwide Indiction was in 312 when the Emperor St Constantine, Equal of the Apostles (May 21), saw a miraculous vision of the Cross in the sky. Before the introduction of the Julian calendar, Rome began the New Year on September 1.

According to Holy Tradition, Christ entered the synagogue on September 1 to announce His mission to mankind (Luke 4:16-22). Quoting Isaiah 61:1-2, the Savior proclaimed, “The spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to proclaim release to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord...” This scene is depicted in a Vatican manuscript (Vatican, Biblioteca. Cod. Gr. 1613, p.1).

Tradition says that the Hebrews entered the Promised Land in September.

Troparion — Tone 2

O Creator of the universe, / Thou didst appoint times by Thy power; / bless the crown of this year with Thy goodness, O Lord. / Preserve in safety Thy rulers and cities: / and through the intercessions of the Theotokos, save us!

Kontakion — Tone 4

O Creator and Master of time and the ages, / Triune and Merciful God of all: / grant blessings for the course of this year, / and in Thy boundless mercy save those who worship Thee and cry out in fear: / “O Savior, grant blessings to all mankind!”

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Saint Simeon the Stylite was born in the Cappadocian village of Sisan to Christian parents, Sisotian and Martha. At thirteen years of age he began to tend his father’s flock of sheep. He devoted himself attentively and with love to this, his first obedience.

Once, after he heard the Beatitudes in church, he was struck by their profundity. Not trusting to his own immature judgment, he turned therefore with his questions to an experienced Elder. The Elder readily explained to the boy the meaning of what he had heard. The seed fell on good soil, and it strengthened his resolve to serve God.

When Simeon was eighteen, he received monastic tonsure and devoted himself to feats of the strictest abstinence and unceasing prayer. His zeal, beyond the strength of the other monastic brethren, so alarmed the igumen that he told Simeon that to either moderate his ascetic deeds or leave the monastery.

Saint Simeon then withdrew from the monastery and lived in an empty well in the nearby mountains, where he was able to carry out his austere struggles unhindered. After some time, angels appeared in a dream to the igumen, who commanded him to bring back Simeon to the monastery.

The monk, however, did not long remain at the monastery. After a short while, he settled into a stony cave, situated not far from the village of Galanissa, and he dwelt there for three years, all the while perfecting himself in monastic feats. Once, he decided to spend the entire forty days of Great Lent without food or drink. With the help of God, the monk endured this strict fast. From that time he abstained from food completely during the entire period of the Great Lent, even from bread and water. For twenty days he prayed while standing, and for twenty days while sitting, so as not to permit the corporeal powers to relax.

A whole crowd of people began to throng to the place of his efforts, wanting to receive healing from sickness and to hear a word of Christian edification. Shunning worldly glory and striving again to find his lost solitude, the monk chose a previously unknown mode of asceticism. He went up a pillar six to eight feet high, and settled upon it in a little cell, devoting himself to intense prayer and fasting.

Reports of Saint Simeon reached the highest church hierarchy and the imperial court. Patriarch Domninos II (441-448) of Antioch visited the monk, celebrated Divine Liturgy on the pillar and communed the ascetic with the Holy Mysteries.

Elders living in the desert heard about Saint Simeon, who had chosen a new and strange form of ascetic striving. Wanting to test the new ascetic and determine whether his extreme ascetic feats were pleasing to God, they sent messengers to him, who in the name of these desert fathers were to bid Saint Simeon to come down from the pillar.

In the case of disobedience, they were to forcibly drag him to the ground. But if he was willing to submit, they were to leave him on his pillar. Saint Simeon displayed complete obedience and deep Christian humility. The monks told him to stay where he was, asking God to be his helper.

Saint Simeon endured many temptations, and he invariably gained victory over them. He relied not on his own weak powers, but on the Lord Himself, Who always came to help him. The monk gradually increased the height of the pillar on which he stood. His final pillar was 80 feet in height. Around him, a double wall was raised, which hindered the unruly crowd of people from coming too close and disturbing his prayerful concentration.

Women, in general, were not permitted beyond the wall. The saint did not make an exception even for his own mother, who after long and unsuccessful searches finally succeeded in finding her lost son. He would not see her, saying, “If we are worthy, we shall see one another in the life to come.” Saint Martha submitted to this, remaining at the foot of the pillar in silence and prayer, where she finally died. Saint Simeon asked that her coffin be brought to him. He reverently bid farewell to his dead mother, and a joyful smile appeared on her face.

Saint Simeon spent 80 years in arduous monastic feats, 47 years of which he stood upon the pillar. Many pagans accepted Baptism, struck by the moral staunchness and bodily strength which the Lord bestowed upon His servant.

The first one to learn of the death of the saint was his close disciple Anthony. Concerned that his teacher had not appeared to the people for three days, he went up on the pillar and found the dead body stooped over at prayer. Patriarch Martyrius of Antioch performed the funeral before a huge throng of clergy and people. They buried him near his pillar. At the place of his ascetic deeds, Anthony established a monastery, upon which rested the special blessing of Saint Simeon.

We pray to Saint Simeon for the return to the Church of those who have forsaken Her, or have been separated from Her.

Troparion — Tone 1

You were a pillar of patient endurance, / having imitated the forefathers, O Venerable One: / Job in suffering, and Joseph in temptations. / You lived like the bodiless ones while yet in the flesh, O Simeon, our Father. / Beseech Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion — Tone 2

Seeking the things of the Highest, / and having made your pillar a fiery chariot, you were joined to the heights. / Therefore, you have become a companion to the angels, O Venerable One, / and with them you are praying incessantly to Christ God for us all.

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Saint Martha lived in Cilicia of Asia Minor during the fourth and fifth centuries and came from a poor family. She and her husband Sisotion were the parents of Saint Simeon the Stylite.

At the age of eighteen, Simeon received the monastic tonsure without his parent's knowledge. Many years later, Martha came to the saint’s pillar in order to see him. Simeon sent word to her not to come, for if they were worthy, they would see each other in the life to come. Martha insisted on seeing him, and he had someone tell her to wait for a while in silence. Saint Martha agreed to this and waited at the foot of the hill where her son’s pillar stood. There she departed to the Lord.

When he heard that his mother had died, Saint Simeon ordered that her body be brought to the foot of his pillar. He prayed over his mother’s body for some time shedding many tears, and witnesses said that a smile appeared on Saint Martha’s face.

Troparion — Tone 8

By a flood of tears, you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / Our Mother Martha, pray to Christ God to save our souls!

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The Miasena Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was thrown into Lake Zagura in the ninth century in an effort to save it from the iconoclasts. After a long time, the wonderworking icon emerged from the water unharmed and was brought to the Miasena Monastery.

Byzantine Saints: Church New Year

Byzantine Saints: Saint Simeon Stylites, the Elder

IN LUMINE FIDEI: 1 SEPTEMBER – SAINT GILES (Abbot and Confessor)

IN LUMINE FIDEI: 1 SEPTEMBER – SAINT GILES (Abbot and Confessor): Giles (Aedigius) was born in Athens in the middle of the seventh century to an illustrious family. From his childhood Giles applied him...

SEPTEMBER – THE MONTH OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

SEPTEMBER – THE MONTH OF THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a devotion which dates back to the thirteenth century when the first altar to the Mater...

1 September, The Chesterton Calendar

SEPTEMBER 1st

If a modern philanthropist came to Dotheboys Hall I fear he would not employ the simple, sacred and truly Christian solution of beating Mr. Squeers with a stick. I fancy he would petition the Government to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into Mr. Squeers. I think he would every now and then write letters to the newspapers reminding people that, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, there was a Royal Commission to inquire into Mr. Squeers. I agree that he might even go the length of calling a crowded meeting in St. James's Hall on the subject of the best policy with regard to Mr. Squeers. At this meeting some very heated and daring speakers might even go the length of alluding sternly to Mr. Squeers. Occasionally even hoarse voices from the back of the hall might ask (in vain) what was going to be done with Mr. Squeers. The Royal Commission would report about three years afterwards and would say that many things had happened which were certainly most regrettable, that Mr. Squeers was the victim of a bad system; that Mrs. Squeers was also the victim of a bad system; but that the man who sold Squeers' cane had really acted with great indiscretion and ought to be spoken to kindly. Something like this would be what, after four years, the Royal Commission would have said; but it would not matter in the least what the Royal Commission had said, for by that time the philanthropists would be off on a new tack and the world would have forgotten all about Dotheboys Hall and everything connected with it. By that time the philanthropists would be petitioning Parliament for another Royal Commission; perhaps a Royal Commission to inquire into whether Mr. Mantalini was extravagant with his wife's money; perhaps a commission to inquire into whether Mr. Vincent Crummies kept the Infant Phenomenon short by means of gin.

Introduction to 'Nicholas Nickleby.'

1 September, The Holy Rule of St Benedict, Patriarch of Western Monasticism

PROLOGUE OF OUR MOST HOLY FATHER SAINT BENEDICT TO HIS RULE

1 Jan. 2 May. 1 Sept

Hearken, O my son, to the precepts of thy Master, and incline the ear of thine heart; willingly receive and faithfully fulfil the admonition of thy loving Father, that thou mayest return by the labour of obedience to Him from Whom thou hadst departed through the sloth of disobedience. To thee, therefore, my words are now addressed, whoever thou art that, renouncing thine own will, dost take up the strong and bright weapons of obedience, in order to fight for the Lord Christ, our true king. In the first place, whatever good work thou beginnest to do, beg of Him with most earnest prayer to perfect; that He Who hath now vouchsafed to count us in the number of His children may not at any time be grieved by our evil deeds. For we must always so serve Him with the good things He hath given us, that not only may He never, as an angry father, disinherit his children, but may never, as a dreadful Lord, incensed by our sins, deliver us to everlasting punishment, as most wicked servants who would not follow Him to glory.

2 September, The Roman Martyrology

Quarto Nonas Septémbris Luna vicésima. Anno Dómini 2026

September 2nd 2026, the 20th day of the Moon,
On the morrow we keep the feast of holy Stephen, King of Hungary, adorned with many graces from God, who was the first to turn the Hungarians to believe in Christ, and who was received by the Virgin Mother of God into heaven upon the very day of her Assumption, but by the appointment of Pope Innocent XI, his feast is rather kept upon the 2nd day of September, whereon the Christian army, by the help of this holy King, wrested the strong fortress of Buda (from the Turks.)
Upon the same 2nd day of September, were born into the better life:
At Rome, the holy martyr Maxima, who confessed Christ along with holy Ansanus, in the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian, and was beaten to death with cudgels.
At Pamiers, in Gaul, (in the second century,) the holy martyr Antonine, whose relics are kept with great reverence in the church of Palencia in Spain.
Likewise the holy martyrs Diomede, Julian, Philip, Eutychian, Hesychius, Leonides, Philadelphus, Menalippus, and Pantagapa, whereof some finished their testimony by fire, some by water, some by the sword, and some by the cross.
At Nicomedia, (in the persecution under the Emperor Diocletian,) the holy martyrs Zeno and his sons, Concordius and Theodore.
On the same day, (at Syracuse,) the holy brethren Evodius and Hermogenes and their sister Callista, all martyrs.
Upon the same day is commemorated at Lyon, in Gaul, (in the fourth century,) the holy Confessor Justus, Bishop (of that see,) a man of wonderful holiness of life, gifted with the spirit of prophecy he resigned his Bishopric, and withdrew himself into the desert of Egypt, along with Viator his Reader. There he led for some years a life bordering upon the life of Angels, and, when the worthy end of his labours came, departed hence to receive a crown of righteousness from the Lord. It was the 14th day of October, but it was upon the 2nd of September that his sacred body was brought to Lyon, along with the bones of his blessed servant Viator.
Also at Lyon, (in the fifth century,) was born into the better life the holy Confessor Elpidius, Bishop (of that see.)
In the March of Ancona, (in the fifth century,) at the town called by his name, which rejoices to own his sacred body, the holy Abbot Elpidius.
On Mount Soracte, the holy Abbot Nonnosus, who by his prayer moved a stone of great weight, and was famous.
℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
℟. Thanks be to God.

Meme of the Moment

Today is the 130th anniversary of this fraud's birth.

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: Hieromartyr Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage

St Aidan or Aedan, Bishop of Lindisfarne: Butler's Lives of the Saints

Vespers of Monday for the Feast of St Raymond Nonnatus

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

Summa Contra Gentiles, Book II: LXX Aristotle Says That Intellect Is United to the Body As Its Form

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.

Why Doesn’t Anyone Monitor AI Consciousness?

From Sabine Hossenfelder, a secular source.

AI is changing the world – how we work, how we write, and how we consume media. But it doesn’t seem like many people are interested in how AI is learning to think about itself. I am convinced that eventually AI will become conscious and I am beginning to worry that we simply wouldn’t notice because no one is watching out for it.

The Holy Rosary

Monday, the Joyful Mysteries, in Latin with Cardinal Burke.

Tudor Queens’ Necklace | Lost Royal Jewels

From History Calling

It appears in images of CATHERINE OF ARAGON, ANNE BOLEYN, JANE SEYMOUR, KATHERINE HOWARD AND CATHERINE PARR, but how much do we really know about the Tudor consort necklace and why was it so important to Henry VIII and his wives? In this six wives documentary from History Calling, we’ll look at the written and pictorial evidence surrounding this famous piece of royal jewellery to establish what it was made of, how these gems were set and reset, when it might have come into the Tudor royal family, whether Henry VIII’s mother, Elizabeth of York owned it, why Henry passed it from wife to wife and what might have happened to it after the King’s death in 1547 rendered the position of Queen consort of England obsolete for the next 56 years. Evidence considered will include a comment made by Catherine of Aragon when she was forced to hand over her jewels to Anne Boleyn; a 1534 medal showing the only known contemporary image of Anne Boleyn’s face; the famous portrait of Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein the younger; two miniature portraits thought to be Queen Katherine Howard (the fact that the sitter is wearing the consort necklace is actually how Henry’s youngest Queen has been identified as the woman shown); an inventory of Howard’s jewellery and a painting of Queen Catherine Parr, Henry VIII’s last wife.

Science vs Religion: Is There a Place for Faith in the Lab?

From Boston University

Can the conflicts between science and religion ever be reconciled? Must it be science vs religion? In this video, chemistry student Jeremy Weber (CAS'16) talks to religious scientists from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths about the ultimate question. A chemistry major and lifelong science addict, Weber is not traditionally religious; he treasures religious culture, not spirituality. His chiropractor father exposed him to biology textbooks and museums, and what he learned ruled out for him a literal reading of scripture with its miracle stories. When BU Today asked Weber’s faculty advisor, College of Arts & Sciences senior lecturer Binyomin Abrams to recommend someone to help interview students and faculty for a video on the topic of "science vs religion," Abrams had just the person. Weber wound up talking to both those of faith who study science and those whose scientific knowledge caused them to part ways with religion. For more, read the story "Science vs Religion" on BU Today: http://www.bu.edu/today/2017/science-...

Pope Leo Sends Financial Aid to Nepal

He can accompany and support Hindus in Nepal (and I'm glad he did), but not his own loyal children who happen to be Traditionalists.

From Aleteia

By Kathleen N. Hattrup

"like a caress from the Church that accompanies and supports them."

As the death toll continues to climb in Nepal, with thousands still missing, Pope Leo assured that he is renewing his prayers for all those affected by the massive flash flood event.

After leading the midday Angelus from Castel Gandolfo, he said:

I renew my prayers for those affected by the terrible flood that struck Nepal and Tibet. Let us pray for those who have lost their lives, for the injured, those missing, for the families and rescue workers. May the concern of everyone help to alleviate the suffering and provide the necessary aid to the people affected.

Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV sent financial support in coordination with the Apostolic Nunciature of Nepal, to Caritas Nepal, which operates under the direction of the Apostolic Vicariate.

"This is the initial assistance that the Holy Father, as on other occasions, wanted to send to meet the immediate needs of the population,” explained the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín.

The Prefect called it "a rapid and concrete sign to convey, especially to the most vulnerable, the closeness and tenderness of the Holy Father, like a caress from the Church that accompanies and supports them."

Immediately following the tragedy, the Holy Father sent the assurance of his prayers: