FRIDAY EDITION

Live Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Salvation for Non-Catholics & the Need for Evangelization

When getting into conversations about salvation, especially with non-Christians, it’s typically difficult to navigate all the nuances that come with such a weighty subject. ☩ Nicholas LaBanca of Catholic Stand

30 Transgender Regretters Come Out Of The Closet

Trans Life Survivors’ is a godsend for people struggling with trans regret, no matter what stage of transition or de-transition they are in. ☩ Stella Morabito of the Federalist

How To Bless Your Home For The Feast Of The Epiphany

Traditionally, Catholics bless their home and those who live in their household on the Feast of the Epiphany each year. It’s not difficult to do and we highly recommend you give it a try! Here’s how. . . ☩ Becky Roach of Catholic Link

The Real Lesson of the Dust Bowl: Communities as Bulwarks Against Atomism & Statism

The alternative to the ideology of radical self-sufficiency is not reliance on the state, but the kind of community-based brotherly love and mutual aid that could be found even during midwestern American farmers’ darkest days. ☩ Jason Morgan, Ph.D., of Public Discourse

Two losses drain just a bit of color from the Vatican scene

Although the Vatican may be a major global institution, the lived experience is everyone involved in the day-to-day life of the place pretty much knows everybody else, so that the absence of one or two of those personalities is always keenly felt. ☩ John L. Allen, Jr., of Crux

The Readings for Epiphany Explained

☩ John Bergsma, Ph.D., of The Sacred Page

The 17 Most Anticipated Catholic Books of 2019

☩ Chloe Langr of epicPew

Fr. Carlos Martins Could Not Have Said It Better

☩ Fr. Richard Heilman of Roman Catholic Man

Synthetic hormone injections for transgender Children Worry Some Doctors

☩ CNA/EWTN News via The Catholic World Report

Vatican’s doctrine Czar Approves Hysterectomies in ‘Extreme Cases’

The Vatican updated a ruling on the morality of hysterectomies today. ☩ Fr. Matthew P. Schneider, L.C., of Through Catholic Lenses

Earthquake in the Vatican Media. The Winter Campaign of Pope Francis’ Stalwarts

What never went right in three years for the flighty monsignor Dario Viganò, head of the Vatican dicastery for communication from 2015 to 2018, has come off in a few days, around Christmas, for his methodical successor, Paolo Ruffini. ☩ Sandro Magister, Settimo Cielo via L'Espresso

Sex Scandal & Cover-Up

Giving Due Process Its Due

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is looking into developing national guidelines for releasing names of clerics facing “substantiated claims of abuse.” ☩ Stephen P. White of The Catholic Thing

In Letter to US Bishops, Pope Calls for ‘Change of Mindset’

Unity and conversion are required to restore credibility and trust in the context of the sexual abuse, the Holy Father told the bishops. ☩ Catholic News Agency via NC Register

Religion, Violence, & ‘Apocalpyto’

Mexican archaeologists have discovered what they say is the first temple of a pre-Hispanic fertility god known as the Flayed Lord who is depicted as a skinned human corpse. . .Priests worshipped Xipe Totec by skinning human victims and then donning their skins. ☩ Rod Dreher of The American Conservative

The problem with Pope Francis’ letter to the U.S. bishops

The framework and assumption that what’s most at stake here is institutional credibility is exactly what led to cover-ups and protection of clerical perpetrators. . . Exactly. ☩ Amy Welborn of The Catholic World Report