21 July 2026
Breaking News: Marko Rupnik Acquitted
Since the election of Pope Leo XIV, an old adage has proven itself to be true time and again: meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Marko Rupnik, a former Jesuit, was expelled from the order for heinous offences involving impurity with nuns and grotesque misuses of his office. The case against him was ironclad. Yet a panel of judges just handwaved the charges away.
Traditional Catholic Morning Prayers in English | July
Former Protestant Pastor: My Arguments for Catholicism
What are the best arguments for Catholicism?
I am often accused of making circular arguments for the Catholic Church. This has caused me to present my short case for the four reasons Catholicism is true. I hope this video brings you clarity (even if you disagree.)
God bless you all!
Archeologists Investigate Upton Castle: Medieval Stronghold or Victorian Fake?
From Chronicle – Medieval History Documentaries
Is Upton Castle a genuine 700-year-old medieval fortress or a clever Victorian fake? Tucked away in South Wales, this mysterious property has baffled historians and its own residents for generations. Join the team as they dig through centuries of landscaping to uncover the truth. From hidden 14th-century Great Halls to a forgotten Norman chapel predating the castle itself, ground-penetrating radar and professional archaeology reveal a stunning defense network and a lost medieval community.
Why is St Lawrence of Brindisi a Doctor of the Church?
Today is the Feast of St Lawrence of Brindisi, a Capuchin Friar who was canonised in 1881 and declared Doctor of the Church in 1959 by Pope John XXIII.
From Aleteia
By Philip Kosloski
Pope John XXIII declared St. Lawrence of Brindisi a Doctor of the Church in 1959 to highlight his apostolic zeal and mastery of doctrine.
St. Lawrence of Brindisi was a holy Franciscan friar during the 17th century, and his example of holiness inspired St. John XXIII to declare him a Doctor of the Church in 1959.
Why did Pope John XXIII declare St. Lawrence of Brindisi a Doctor of the Church?
In his apostolic letter, Celsitudo ex humilitate, Pope John gives two primary reasons why he chose Lawrence of Brindisi as a Doctor of the Church.
In this high and excellent man these two things are most important: apostolic zeal and mastery of doctrine: He taught with his word, he instructed with his pen, he fought with both.
He extolled his apostolic activity that was born from his contemplative life.
Deciding that it was not enough for him to withdraw into himself, to give himself up to prayers and letters in the shadow of the monastery, and so much to devote himself to domestic exercises, he sprang outside, as if he could not contain the impulse of his mind, emboldened by the love of Christ and his brethren. From the platform of pulpits he spoke on the Christian dogma, speaking of morals, of divine letters, and of the virtues of the Saints, he stimulated Catholics to piety, and admitted those who were mired in the mire of sins to be washed away, and moved them to adopt a more reformed way of life; that is to say, he kindled the hearts of his hearers with the fire of his wit and mind, with which he was kindled, and shook their sluggishness by the force of his tears.
In particular, Pope John XXIII thought his many writings provided a perfect example to anyone who desires to defend the Catholic faith.
Therefore, those who treat divine disciplines, especially those who work to expound or defend Catholic dogma, have the means to nourish their minds, to train themselves to defend and persuade the truth, and to provide for the salvation of others. If they follow this author, who pulls out the errors, clarified the dark and cleared up doubts, let them know with certainty that they are on the right path.
St. Lawrence of Brindisi remains a powerful intercessor for all catechists and apologists in the modern world.
6 Upcoming Appointments That Will Reveal the True Mind of Pope Leo XIV
From Purely Catholic
Pope Leo XIV has made some major appointments after one year as the Bishop of Rome. From the Archbishop of New York, to a personal secretary, each pick has given us a little insight into who Leo XIV is as a person. However, there are still some major selections that he needs to make that will help us to fully understand the popes vision for the Catholic Church. Let’s take a look at six of these positions and try to anticipate who the Pope will want to appoint.
The Third Part of the Secret of Fátima: What about 1960?
Mr Symonds continues his series on the Third Secret of Fátima, discussing why the year 1960 was such a big deal in the history of the Secret.
From One Peter Five
By Kevin J. Symonds, MA
"We see that things were not as black and white as was previously discussed."
Part I: On the Third Part of the Secret of Fátima: Introduction to Recent Scholarship
Part II: A History of the Third Part of the Secret of Fátima: Composition
On the Third Part of the Secret of Fatima, part 3
In the lead-up to the year 1960, various people—including Fátima authorities—made statements that were published in different languages. Within the English-speaking world, one of the more notable publications that discussed this matter was the 1954 book Fátima: Pilgrimage to Peace by April and Martin Armstrong.[1] The book recounts a pilgrimage they made to Fátima in 1954 along with some friends. They had the support of various church officials, and this support opened some doors for them—including meeting with Bishop José and Sr. Lúcia herself.
Regarding the meeting with Bishop José, the conversation was conducted between the Armstrongs speaking in English, a friend translating it into Italian, and a priest would then translate from the Italian into Portuguese. Still another priest spoke directly to Bishop da Silva in Latin. Later in the meeting, Canon Galamba de Oliveira entered the room. He spoke English and Portuguese fluently and was a well-known Fátima authority. The conversation (now with Canon Galamba) turned to the year 1960 and went as follows: “‘You have heard,’ asked Canon Galamba, ‘that the secret cannot be opened till 1960?’ We nodded. On that one date every report had agreed. [But then Canon Galamba said,] ‘That is not quite true. The Bishop could open it at any time he wishes. Now. Yesterday. Even years ago. But he will not.’” After a minor remark by the Armstrongs, they quoted Canon Galamba:
I was with him visiting Lucy one day years ago. Lucy said that now she could reveal the last part of the secret if the Bishop wanted her to. He did not want to hear it. He asked her finally to write it down and seal it. He could have read it then, but he would not. So Lucy agreed. But she made him promise that it would definitely be opened and released to the world at her death, or in 1960, whichever came first.[2]
After a little further conversation, Canon Galamba answered a question about whether Bishop da Silva was shirking his responsibility by not opening the text. Galamba replied “No. He believes that if God wanted it revealed right now, He would have said so specifically. Lucy only said she could reveal it now if the Bishop asked. She did not say it must be now. The dates were set after a discussion between the Bishop and Lucy.”[3]
From these texts, we see that things were not as black and white as was previously discussed. Canon Galamba is one of the earliest authorities on Fátima, one who worked closely with Bishop da Silva. For him to relay the above story to the Armstrongs and their friends creates some difficulty for the history of the third part of the Secret. Let us pause and look at this matter a little more in depth through the lens of three observations.
The first observation concerns the accuracy of the Armstrongs’ relaying of Canon Galamba’s words. There appears to have been no transcript or audio recording. However, the Armstrongs were writers who were attentive to details. I spoke with one of their surviving children and he mentioned how Martin Armstrong was a lawyer and very exacting of his children when they were recounting information to him. April, according to the same child, was a professional writer and careful with details. From their son’s description, I am compelled to conclude the strong likelihood that April and Martin were providing the ipsissima verba (or close to it) of Canon Galamba.
A second observation concerns the timing of the events recounted by Canon Galamba. The Armstrongs wrote that he said the conversation between Bishop José and Lúcia (for which Galamba was present) happened “years ago.” This claim is not specific to establish its placement on a timeline. Some indication of the time might be divined from Canon Galamba’s point about Bishop da Silva ordering Lúcia to write down the text. It is presumed that the order came after Lúcia said she could reveal the third part to Bishop da Silva. An additional note about the timing comes in the statement attributed to Canon Galamba “He asked her finally to write it down.” If we take this statement at face value, the “years ago” conversation likely took place sometime before Bishop José gave the official order. This order came in 1943, before the apparition of January 1944.
If the above accounting of time is accurate, why would Lúcia offer the third part to Bishop José before she had permission from heaven? We saw how much she struggled just to fulfill the bishop’s order and yet there seems to have been no struggle within Lúcia before the order. The picture painted by the Armstrongs of Canon Galamba’s discourse was Lúcia willing and without reservation or constraint to reveal the third part to Bishop José verbally. If we take careful note of the Armstrongs’ characterization, they say that Canon Galamba stated that Bishop da Silva “did not want to hear it.” Was Lúcia willing to relay the third part of the Secret orally to Bishop da Silva? This possibility is likely because she had known the bishop for many years and enjoyed a close relationship with him. It could have been that Lúcia believed it possible for her to relay the third part of the Secret verbally to Bishop José, just not in writing without heaven’s permission.
There is much room for discussion on this second observation, and it remains the subject of some scrutiny. What we can take away from it for our purposes here is that there is a larger picture, a context, that is easily neglected. Knowing that picture and the background is imperative to have a proper understanding of events, people, and the actions they chose.
Moving along, the third observation concerns Canon Galamba’s point that the text would “definitely be opened and released to the world at her death, or in 1960, whichever came first.” It is entirely possible that there was some arrangement between Sr. Lúcia and Bishop José regarding the publication of the third part of the Secret. In the light of what Our Lady’s words were to Lúcia in 1944, we must note that such an arrangement would be separate from the Virgin’s command that it be opened in 1960. The matter of what to do with the text after opening it was left entirely to the discretion of the pastors of the Church.
As things go, the issue here is not whether there was some kind of arrangement between Bishop José and Lúcia. One could very well have been made and with the background of the January 1944 command of Our Lady somewhere behind the arrangement. For our purposes though, there is no need to focus upon the existence of an arrangement. An unexpected development took place after the visit of the Armstrongs to Bishop José: a turn in the fate of the famous text and its envelopes. We will discuss this development in the next article.
[1] April Oursler Armstrong and Martin F. Armstrong, Fátima: Pilgrimage to Peace (Garden City, New York: Hanover House, 1954).
[2] Armstrong and Armstrong, Fátima: Pilgrimage to Peace, 104.
[3] Ibid., 105. See also António María Martins. “A Proposito del Secreto de Fatima.” Ephemerides Mariologicae Vol. XXXVI, Fasc. III-IV (1986): 348.
St Praxedes, Virgin
From Dom Prosper Guéranger's Liturgical Year:
On this day Pudentiana’s angelic sister at length obtained from her Spouse release from bondage, and from the burden of exile that weighed so heavily on this last scion of a holy and illustrious stock. New races, unknown to her fathers when they laid the world at the feet of Rome, now governed the Eternal City. Nero and Domitian had been actuated by a tyrannical spirit; but the philosophical Cæsars showed how absolutely they misconceived the destinies of the great city. The salvation of Rome lay in the hands of a different dynasty: a century back, Praxedes’ grandfather, more legitimate inheritor of the traditions of the Capitol than all the Emperors present or to come, hailed in his guest, Simon Bar-Jona, the ruler of the future. Host of the Prince of the Apostles was a title handed down by Pudens to his posterity: for in the time of Pius I, as in that of St. Peter, his house was still the shelter of the Vicar of Christ. Left the sole heiress of such traditions, Praxedes, after the death of her beloved sister, converted her palaces into Churches, which resounded day and night with divine praises, and where pagans hastened in crowds to be baptized. The policy of Antoninus respected the dwelling of a descendant of the Cornelii; but his adopted son, Marcus Aurelius, would make no such exception. An assault was made upon the title of Praxedes, and many Christians were taken and put to the sword. The virgin, overpowered with grief at seeing all slain around her, and herself untouched, turned to God and besought him that she might die. Her body was laid with those of her relatives in the cemetery of her grandmother, Priscilla. The following is the short notice given by the Church:
Praxedes was a Roman virgin and sister of the virgin Pudentiana. When the Emperor Marcus Antoninus persecuted the Christians, she devoted both her time and her wealth to consoling them, and doing them every charitable service in her power. Some she concealed in her house: others she encouraged to firmness of faith. She buried the dead, and saw that those who were imprisoned wanted for nothing. But at length being unable to bear the grief caused by such a wholesale butchery of the Christians, she prayed God, that if it were expedient for her to die he would take her away from so much evil. Her prayer was heard, and on the 12th of the Calends of August, she was called to heaven, to receive the reward of her charity. Her body was buried by the priest Pastor in the tomb where lay her father and her sister Pudentiana, in the cemetery of Priscilla, on the Salarian Way.
Mother Church is ever grateful to thee, O Praxedes! Thou hast long been in the enjoyment of thy divine spouse, and still thou continuest the traditions of thy noble family, for the benefit of the Saints on earth. When, in the eighth and ninth centuries, the martyrs, exposed to the profanations of the Lombards, were raised from their tombs and brought within the walls of the eternal City, Paschal I sought hospitality for them, where Peter had found it in the first century. What a day was that 20th of July 817, when, leaving the Catacombs, 2300 of these heroes of Christ came to seek in the title of Praxedes the repose which the barbarians had disturbed! What a tribute Rome offered thee, O Virgin, on that day! Can we do better than unite our homage with that of this glorious band, coming on the day of thy blessed feast, thus to acknowledge thy benefits? Descendant of Pudens and Priscilla, give us thy love of Peter, thy devotedness to the Church, thy zeal for the Saints of God, whether militant still on earth or already reigning in glory.
St Lawrence Brindisi: One of those Perfect Saints
A sermon for today. Please remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the Priest.
St Praxedes, Virgin
From Fr Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints:
SHE was daughter of Pudens, a Roman senator, and sister to St. Pudentiana, and in the days of pope Pius I. and the emperor Antoninus Pius, edified the church of Rome by the bright lustre of her virtues. All her great riches she employed in relieving the poor and the necessities of the Church. By the comfort and succors which she afforded the martyrs she endeavored to make herself partaker of their crowns, and she lived in the assiduous exercise of prayer, watching, and fasting. She died in peace and was buried near her sister on the Salarian road. Bede and other martyrologists style her a virgin. An old title or parish church in Rome bearing her name is mentioned in the life of pope Symmachus. It was repaired by Adrian I. and Paschal I., and lastly by St. Charles Borromeo, who took from it his title of cardinal.
The primitive Christians lived only for heaven, and in every step looked up to God, regardless of all lower pursuits or meaner advantages that could interfere with their great design of knowing and loving him. This constant attention to God awed them in their retirements; this gave life and wings to their devotion, and animated them to fervor in all their actions; this carried them through the greatest difficulties and temptations, and supported them under all troubles and afflictions.
St Lawrence of Brindisi, Confessor & Doctor of the Church
From the Catholic Encyclopedia
(Also: Lawrence, or Laurence, of Brindisi.)
Born at Brindisi in 1559; died at Lisbon on 22 July, 1619. In baptism he received the names of Julius Caesar. Guglielmo de Rossi — or Guglielmo Russi, according to a contemporary writer — was his father's name; his mother was Elisabetta Masella. Both were excellent Christians. Of a precocious piety, Lorenzo gave early evidence of a religious vocation. The Conventuals of Brindisi were entrusted with his education. His progress in his studies was very rapid, and, when barely six, he had already given indication of his future success in oratory. Consequently, he was always the one chosen to address, in accordance with the Italian custom, a short sermon to his compatriots on the Infant Jesus during the Christmas festivities. When he was twelve years of age his father died. He then pursued his studies at Venice with the clerics of St. Mark's and under the supervision of one of his uncles. In 1575 he was received into the Order of Capuchins under the name of Brother Lorenzo, and, after his profession, made his philosophical and theological studies at the University of Padua. Owing to his wonderful memory he mastered not only the principal European languages, but also most of the Semitic tongues. It was said he knew the entire original text of the Bible. Such a knowledge, in the eyes of many, could be accounted for only by supernatural assistance, and, during the process of beatification, the examiners of the saint's writings rendered the following judgment: "Vere inter sanctos Ecclesiae doctores adnumerari potest."
Such unusual talents, added to a rare virtue, fitted Brother Lorenzo for the most diverse missions. When still a deacon he preached the Lenten sermons in Venice, and his success was so great that he was called successively to all the principal cities of the peninsula. Subsequently, thanks to his numerous journeys, he was enabled to evangelize at different periods most of the countries of Europe. The sermons he left fill no less than eight folio volumes. He adopted the method of preaching in favour with the great Franciscan missionaries, or rather with apostolic workers of all times, who, aiming primarily to reach men's hearts and convert them, always adapt their style of discourse to the spiritual needs of their hearers. Brother Lorenzo held successively all the offices of his order. From 1596 to 1602 he had, as general definitor, to fix his residence in Rome. Clement VIII assigned him the task of instructing the Jews; thanks to his knowledge of Hebrew and his powerful reasoning, he brought a great number of them to recognize the truth of the Christian religion. His saintliness, combined with his great kindliness, completed the preparing of the way for the grace of conversion. His success in Rome caused him to be called to several other cities, where he also baptized numerous Jews. At the same time he was commissioned to establish houses of his order in Germany and Austria. Amid the great difficulties created by the heretics he founded the convents of Vienna, Prague, and Graz, the nuclei of three provinces. At the chapter of 1602 he was elected vicar-general. (At that time the Order of Capuchins, which had broken away from the Observants in 1528 and had an independent constitution, gave its first superior the title of vicar-general only. It was not until 1618 that Pope Paul V changed it to that of minister general). The very year of his election the new superior began the visitation of the provinces. Milan, Paris, Marseilles, Spain, received him in turn. As his coming was preceded by a great reputation for holiness, the people flocked to hear him preach and to receive his blessing. His administration, characterized by wise firmness and fatherly tenderness, was of great benefit to the order. At the Chapter of 1605 he refused to undertake for a second term the government of his brethren, but until his death he was the best adviser of his successors.
It was on the occasion of the foundation of the convent of Prague (1601) that St. Lorenzo was named chaplain of the Imperial army, then about to march against the Turks. The victory of Lepanto (1571) had only temporarily checked the Moslem invasion, and several battles were still necessary to secure the final triumph of the Christian armies. Mohammed III had, since his accession (1595), conquered a large part of Hungary. The emperor, determined to prevent a further advance, sent Lorenzo of Brindisi as deputy to the German princes to obtain their cooperation. They responded to his appeal, and moreover the Duke of Mercœur, Governor of Brittany, joined the imperial army, of which he received the effective command. The attack on Albe-Royal (now Stulweissenburg) was then contemplated. To pit 18,000 men against 80,000 Turks was a daring undertaking and the generals, hesitating to attempt it, appealed to Lorenzo for advice. Holding himself responsible for victory, he communicated to the entire army in a glowing speech the ardour and confidence with which he was himself animated. As his feebleness prevented him from marching, he mounted on horseback and, crucifix in hand, took the lead of the army, which he drew irresistibly after him. Three other Capuchins were also in the ranks of the army. Although the most exposed to danger, Lorenzo was not wounded, which was universally regarded as due to a miraculous protection. The city was finally taken, and the Turks lost 30,000 men. As however they still exceeded in numbers the Christian army, they formed their lines anew, and a few days later another battle was fought. It always the chaplain who was at the head of the army. "Forward!" he cried, showing them the crucifix, "Victory is ours." The Turks were again defeated, and the honour of this double victory was attributed by the general and the entire army to Lorenzo.
Having resigned his office of vicar-general in 1605, he was sent by the pope to evangelize Germany. He here confirmed the faith of the Catholics, brought back a great number to the practice of virtue, and converted many heretics. In controversies his vast learning always gave him the advantage, and, once he had won the minds of his hearers, his saintliness and numerous miracles completed their conversion. To protect the Faith more efficaciously in their states, the Catholic princes of Germany formed the alliance called the "Catholic League". Emperor Rudolph sent Lorenzo to Philip III of Spain to persuade him to join the League. Having discharged this mission successfully, the saintly ambassador received a double mandate by virtue of which he was to represent the interests of the pope and of Madrid at the court of Maximilian of Bavaria, head of the League. He was thus, much against his wishes, compelled to settle in Munich near Maximilian. Besides being nuncio and ambassador, Lorenzo was also commissary general of his order for the provinces of Tyrol and Bavaria, and spiritual director of the Bavarian army. He was also chosen as arbitrator in the dispute which arose between the princes, and it was in fulfillment of this role that, at the request of the emperor, he restored harmony between the Duke of Mantua and a German nobleman. In addition to all these occupations he undertook, with the assistance of several Capuchins, a missionary campaign throughout Germany, and for eight months travelled in Bavaria, Saxony, and the Palatinate.
Amid so many various undertakings Lorenzo found time for the practices of personal sanctification. And it is perhaps the greatest marvel of his life to have combined with duties so manifold an unusually intense inner life. In the practice of the religious virtues St. Lorenzo equals the greatest saints. He had to a high degree the gift of contemplation, and very rarely celebrated Holy Mass without falling into ecstasies. After the Holy Sacrifice, his great devotion was the Rosary and the Office of the Blessed Virgin. As in the case of St. Francis of Assisi, there was something poetical about his piety, which often burst forth into canticles to the Blessed Virgin. It was in Mary's name that he worked his miracles, and his favourite blessing was: "Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria." Having withdrawn to the monastery of Caserta in 1618, Lorenzo was hoping to enjoy a few days of seclusion, when he was requested by the leading men of Naples to go to Spain and apprise Philip III of the conduct of Viceroy Ossuna. In spite of many obstacles raised by the latter, the saint sailed from Genoa and carried out his mission successfully. But the fatigues of the journey exhausted his feeble strength. He was unable to travel homeward, and after a few days of great suffering died at Lisbon in the native land of St. Anthony (22 July, 1619), as he had predicted when he set out on his journey. He was buried in the cemetery of the Poor Clares of Villafranca.
The process of beatification, several times interrupted by various circumstances, was concluded in 1783. The canonisation took place on 8 December, 1881. With St. Anthony, St. Bonaventure, and Blessed John Duns Scotus, he is a Doctor of the Franciscan Order.
The known writings of St. Lorenzo of Brindisi comprise eight volumes of sermons, two didactic treatises on oratory, a commentary on Genesis, another on Ezechiel, and three volumes of religious polemics. Most of his sermons are written in Italian, the other works being in Latin. The three volumes of controversies have notes in Greek and Hebrew.
Note: In 1959 Pope John XXIII proclaimed St. Lorenzo da Brindisi a Doctor of the Universal Church. His feast is kept on 21 July.
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