Five women who allege abuse by former Jesuit Marko Rupnik have appealed directly to Pope Leo XIV over his trial, saying its lengthy and secretive handling is denying them justice. In an open letter, they say they have received no updates on the proceedings and have not been able to give testimony. This sends a devastating message, they argue: that reporting abuse to Church authorities is “useless” because “nothing happens anyway and no one will be held accountable.” They urge Leo XIV to ensure a fair trial so that its judgment and outcome, whatever they may be, remain “free of any shadow of doubt.”
Leo XIV claims that Christ founded a “religious movement” - in direct contradiction to Church teaching and the Gospel. The recently published document The Path of Hope was signed by the heads of three Vatican dicasteries and approved by Leo XIV on 22 June. It states in §10: “Early Christianity developed from the movement initiated by Jesus and his disciples, distinguishing itself from the various forms of Judaism over time.” That’s the liberal Protestant view associated with figures such as Albert Schweitzer. It clashes with propositions explicitly condemned by St Pius X in Lamentabili sane. Condemned sentences are: §59: Christ “inaugurated a religious movement adapted to, or to be adapted to, different times and places.” §60: “Christian doctrine was originally Judaic. Through successive evolutions, it first became Pauline, then Joannine and finally Hellenic and universal.” Catholic teaching states: Christ did not merely initiate a movement that gradually became Christianity. He …More
Padre Pio and Maximilian Kolbe, Patron Saints behind Fr Gordon MacRae’s blog, have an obscure thread of connection that magnifies witness, sacrifice, and fatherhood.
A 2026 study found an interesting link between siblings and teen mental health. Researchers looked at data from 16,725 teenagers in rural China from 2010 to 2022. Teens with more siblings were less likely to show signs of depression, with an even stronger effect among younger teens. Each additional sibling was linked to a 1.7–1.8 percentage-point lower probability of depression.
Restructuring in Spain Along the Lines of the German Synod: Example of the Diocese of León. The Diocese of León has announced major changes for the 2026–27 year. Bishop Luis Ángel de las Heras has appointed two women as episcopal delegates to increase female participation in diocesan governance. The diocesan seminary will close, and its seven seminarians will move to Salamanca as plans advance for an interdiocesan seminary. New pastoral areas will focus on sport, women’s participation, bereavement and work. The Claretian Missionaries will close their residence in León after 57 years. A diocesan synodal assembly is planned for April 2027.
La vida religiosa en España puede darse por perdida: quedan pocos, y son mayores.
Cardinal Müller called for a return to true masculinity based on courage, sacrifice and responsibility. Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller joined the Pilgrimage of Men with Families to the Shrine of the First Martyrs of Poland in Międzyrzecz on September 12, blessing plaques marking the 1,060th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland. Speaking about male fidelity, Müller said: “The world today is trying to redefine masculinity.” He pointed to the Międzyrzecz martyrs as men willing to defend what is sacred to the end, defining a “true man” as one “who builds on a firm foundation and is capable of suffering for higher values.” The martyrs, robbed and murdered at night († 1003) in their monastery, were ordinary flesh-and-blood men, not legendary heroes, Müller said. He added that masculine victory often arises through steadfast responsibility for those entrusted to one’s care.
Kard. Gerhard Müller zaapelował o powrót do „prawdziwej męskości”, odrzucając utożsamianie jej z dominacją i stanem konta. Prawdziwy mężczyzna „buduje na mocnym fundamencie, potrafi cierpieć dla wyższych wartości i dogląda granic swojego królestwa”.
A Mexican diocese and the country’s bishops’ conference have called on authorities to carry out a thorough investigation after a Catholic priest was found dead this week in a region known for organized crime.
Morning Minute Retreat (September 23, 2026)