Oppressed Monks Defend The Honor Of The Virgin Mary Against The Pope's Attacks

The Transalpine Redemptorists issue a blistering defence of the suppressed titles of the Virgin Mary, while a ban on altar rails is announced in the diocese of Charlotte.

St Jerome's Hidden Mary Letter Protestants Ignore

From Totus Catholica

Protestant Seminary BANNED This 1,600-Year-Old Letter About Mary (Here's Why) Most people think the debate over Mary's perpetual virginity is modern—but 1,600 years ago, St. Jerome wrote one of the most powerful biblical defences of this doctrine, dismantling every argument still used today to deny it.​ The letter is called "Against Helvidius: On the Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary", and it systematically refutes the claim that Mary had other children after Jesus. Jerome—one of the greatest biblical scholars in church history—analysed every verse in Greek, examined kinship terminology, and cited the church fathers to prove that "the brothers of Jesus" were cousins, not biological siblings.​ Yet Protestant seminaries rarely assign this text, even though they frequently quote Jerome and other church fathers on other topics. Why? 📌 In this video, we walk through Jerome's letter verse by verse, showing what the Greek text actually says, how the church fathers understood it, and why this doctrine isn't a small detail—it's tied to who Jesus is.​ ✨ What You'll Discover: 📖 Mark 6:3 & Matthew 27:56 – Why "brothers of Jesus" doesn't mean biological siblings, and how Jerome proves it using Greek and Old Testament usage 🕊️ Genesis 13:8 – Abraham and Lot are called "brothers" even though Lot is Abraham's nephew—showing the broader meaning of adelphos ✝️ Matthew 1:25 – Jerome's surgical response to "Joseph knew her not until"—using 2 Samuel 6:23 to show the word doesn't imply a change afterwards 📜 John 19:25 & Matthew 27:56 – How the Gospels identify James and Joseph as sons of "another Mary," not the Blessed Virgin 🔥 St. Athanasius, St. Augustine & the Protoevangelium of James – Why the entire early church affirmed Mary's perpetual virginity 🛡️ CCC 499-501 – The church's clear teaching on Mary's virginity before, during, and after Christ's birth 💬 How to Respond to Objections – "Doesn't this dishonor marriage?" "Why does it matter?" "Isn't this just Catholic tradition?" ⏳ Chapters: 0:00 – The Letter Protestant Seminaries Won't Assign 1:38 – Mark 6:3: The "Brothers of Jesus" Problem 3:04 – Who Was Helvidius? And Why Did Jerome Respond? 4:36 – Jerome's Biblical Defence: Greek, Hebrew, and Cross-References 5:37 – The Early Church Consensus: Athanasius, Augustine, and More 6:12 – Why This Doctrine Protects Christ's Identity 7:40 – Answering Common Objections 8:29 – Three Key Takeaways for Your Faith 📖 Key Teaching & References: Mark 6:3 – "Is not this… the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon?" Matthew 27:56 – Identifies James and Joseph as sons of "Mary the wife of Clopas" John 19:25 – "Standing by the cross… Mary the wife of Clopas, his mother's sister" Genesis 13:8 – Abraham and Lot called "brothers" though Lot was Abraham's nephew Matthew 1:25 – "Joseph knew her not until she had borne a son" 2 Samuel 6:23 – "Michal… had no child until the day of her death" (showing "until" doesn't imply change afterwards) Luke 1:34 – "How shall this be, since I know not man?" (Mary's question reveals a vow of virginity) CCC 499 – "The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity" CCC 500 – "Mary remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin" CCC 501 – "The 'brothers and sisters of Jesus' are close relations of Jesus" Lumen Gentium 57 – Vatican II affirms Mary's virginity is tied to the mystery of salvation St. Jerome, Against Helvidius (383 AD) – "Helvidius's arguments are of novel impiety" St. Athanasius (4th century) – "Mary was ever-virgin" St. Augustine, Sermon 186 – "Mary remained a virgin in conceiving… a virgin in giving birth… always a virgin" Protoevangelium of James (2nd century) – Reflects early Christian belief in Mary's perpetual virginity Second Council of Constantinople (553 AD) – Dogmatically affirmed Mary as "ever-virgin"

From Scammer to Saint: Hope for Con Artists Like Anna Delvey and 'The Tinder Swindler'

And, one of those scammers who became a Saint was St Andrew Avellino, whose Feast is today, a canonist who lied in court and repented.

From Aleteia

By Catherine Hadro

When we binge watch true crime tales about con artists, it's good to remember that redemption is in reach of even people who seem hopelessly amoral.

Our culture has an obsession with con artists, evident across the streaming platforms. Today, if you turn on Hulu, you’d see the series The Dropout about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes; she now faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years after being found guilty of four counts of fraud in a federal fraud trial. On Apple TV+, actors Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway star in the series WeCrashed about the dramatic rise and fall of the WeWork founders’ alleged shaky business dealings and questionable judgment. And then there’s Netflix, a streaming service swimming in scammer stories. Inventing Anna deals with Anna Delvey, who convinced the New York elite she was a German heiress; The Tinder Swindler tells the crushing story of a jet-setting mogul who woos and then cons women out of millions of dollars; and now Bad Vegan documents how a successful restaurateur was scammed into handing over tens of thousands of dollars to her ex-husband and then caught up in a litany of other crimes.

The program algorithms must be demanding these stories of lies, crime, and scandal -- and it’s no wonder why. The Tinder Swindler, for example, amassed 45.8 million hours viewed globally in one week alone -- becoming the first documentary to lead Netflix’s film chart. If you are one of these millions of people who finds yourself binging on these shows, consider how you can bring your lens of faith to these true tales of crime. 

Scripture is filled with stories of people who went from committing scandals to becoming saints. We’re a Church built on converts, and we as Catholics have a special grasp of every person’s  potential for redemption no matter their past; even a past resembling Anna Delvey’s. Here is a list of some holy people who went from scammer to saint, so they can be an inspiration to us all. 

Jacob

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we learn of twin brothers Jacob and Esau -- sons to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau is the older twin and, therefore, the birthright -- which is essentially an inheritance and more prestigious position --- is justly his. But Jacob, who is his mother’s favorite, tricks Esau into giving him this birthright of the firstborn. And in what’s considered Jacob’s great deceit, he then dupes his father Isaac into giving him the sacred blessing. It’s a striking and strange Scripture story that involves Jacob tricking Isaac into thinking he’s his hairy brother Esau by wearing goatskins. It’s heart-wrenching as well, as Esau has a devastating realization of this betrayal: “As he heard his father’s words, Esau burst into loud, bitter sobbing and said, ‘Father, bless me too!’” (Gen. 27:34). Jacob would go on to be a patriarch of the faith, the traditional ancestor of the people of Israel. 

St. Matthew

We don’t know much about St. Matthew’s life as a publican, or tax collector, prior to becoming an Apostle to Christ; but that job during that time period reveals a lot on its own. Venerable Fulton Sheen writes, “A publican was one who sold out his own people and collected taxes for the invader, retaining for himself a fairly large percentage.” St, Bede, a Doctor of the Church, writes this about St. Matthew’s conversion, “... he who used to rob his neighbor’s wealth, now leaves his own.” There is an understanding in Church history that Matthew probably robbed his neighbors and extorted others of as much money as possible. This makes Matthew’s decision to follow Christ all the more remarkable, as he left all things for the Lord. 

Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus is a well-known example of a deceiver-turned-believer in the Bible. He was a chief tax collector and wealthy man who sought out Jesus in Jericho, even climbing up a sycamore tree. When face-to-face with Christ, Zacchaeus said, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over (Luke 19:8).” Those who witnessed this were shocked to see Jesus embrace a well-known sinner -- but conversions can be quick and, as Jesus says after this exchange, “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10).”

St. Dismas

Also known as “the good thief,” St. Dismas, according to Church tradition, is the penitent thief hanging next to Christ on the Cross. We know he’s a criminal sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate alongside Jesus. While Jesus was unjustly sentenced to death, Dismas himself says he was “condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes (Luke 23:41).” He recognized Christ’s identity in the Crucifixion and in his most vulnerable moment, hanging on the cross, Dismas uttered, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom (Luke 23:42).” We then hear Jesus’ promise to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43).” Venerable Fulton Sheen writes in Life of Christ, “It was the thief’s last prayer, perhaps even his first. He knocked once, sought once, asked once, dared everything, and found everything.” St. Dismas reveals the power of contrition and reminds us how close Christ is to criminals. 

St. Andrew Avellino

St. Andrew is a 16th-century Italian saint who is known, in part, for being a repentant liar. Andrew was a canon lawyer and priest for the diocese of Naples who lied in court. His conscience then got the best of him when, tradition holds, his eyes came across the Scripture verse “a lying mouth destroys the soul (Wisdom 1:11).” He felt deep remorse and renounced his position, giving up the practice of law. St. Andrew Avellino would go on to reform a convent, become a sought-out preacher, and serve as a trusted adviser to then-Bishop of Milan, St. Charles Borromeo.

While the trending television shows reveal how money and power can corrupt and create con-artists, Scripture and these saints are great reminders of Christ’s mercy and love -- no matter the extent of someone’s lies, thefts, and deceits. 

Pictured (top): Anna Delvey