by A. Joseph Lynch
THE WEEKLY BRIEF
THIRTEEN NEW CARDINALS
I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
SEATTLE ARCHBISHOP RESIGNS: A homosexual man received his last sacraments during a First parish Communion, receives a gay marriage, and commits suicide - with coverage from the Associated Press and - it appears - with the full blessing of a priest and Seattle's own Archbishop. That archbishop has no resigned. Church Militant and The Catholic Thing provide coverage.
CARDINAL NEWMAN ON NATURE AND GRACE: "It is the very character and definition of 'the heavens and the earth,' as contrasted with the void or chaos which preceded them, that everything is now subjected to fixed laws; and every motion, and influence, and effect can be accounted for, and, were our knowledge sufficient, could be anticipated." Yet Newman reminds that the movements of the world are not merely driven by the work of nature, but also at work is the movement of divine grace - and we must recognize it. "Men of the world know the power of nature; they know not, experience not, believe not, the power of God's grace; and since they are not themselves acquainted with any power that can overcome nature, they think that none exists, and therefore, consistently, they believe that every one, Priest or not, remains to the end such as nature made him, and they will not believe it possible that any one can lead a supernatural life." In some ways, this is a difference not only between believers and non-believers, but also between Protestants and Catholics. This is why Catholics love and have devotions to the saints - men and women who have been transformed by grace into something supernatural. Every saint is a miracle. Catholics are sometimes blind to this, but at least they're in contact with it.
THE WEEKLY BRIEF
THIRTEEN NEW CARDINALS
Pope Francis has named thirteen new cardinals to be officially installed at a consistory in Rome on October 5, the eve of the Amazon Synod. Conservatives and liberals have either rolled their eyes or cheered the selections. But neither see the whole picture of Francis' "peripheral" and global approach to his cardinal appointments.
Among the new cardinals are the Archbishop of Jakarta, Indonesia (the world's most populous Muslim nation), the Archbishop of Kinshasa in the Congo (currently the 8th largest Christian nation in the world and projected to break into the top five by 2050), and the Archbishop of Rabat, Morocco. Francis, whose selections now come to 52% of the total College of Cardinals (Benedict XVI's appointments stand at 33% and St. John Paul II 's appointments have dropped to 15%), has broadened the global representation of the college. Europe may still be over-represented, but it is heartening to see the rising numbers of cardinals from Africa and Asia (now tied or above North America).
Conservatives lament the appointment of men like Zuppi and Höllerich (a Jesuit), but they often fail to mention that it was the "conservative" Benedict XVI that made Zuppi an auxiliary bishop of Rome (there's certainly no mention of it in this article from Church Militant) and that it was again, our man Benedict, who made Höllerich the Archbishop of Luxembourg in 2011. Truth be told, the rise of the current crop of cardinals couldn't have take place without the guiding hand of previous pontificates. The Church certainly has her share of bad bishops and cardinals, but the languishing parts of the Church took decades to reach its current point. Continuing to blame Francis for all the Church's ills is not the path forward - which is why Francis calls the criticism an honor.
I. POPE FRANCIS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
SEATTLE ARCHBISHOP RESIGNS: A homosexual man received his last sacraments during a First parish Communion, receives a gay marriage, and commits suicide - with coverage from the Associated Press and - it appears - with the full blessing of a priest and Seattle's own Archbishop. That archbishop has no resigned. Church Militant and The Catholic Thing provide coverage.
CARDINAL NEWMAN ON NATURE AND GRACE: "It is the very character and definition of 'the heavens and the earth,' as contrasted with the void or chaos which preceded them, that everything is now subjected to fixed laws; and every motion, and influence, and effect can be accounted for, and, were our knowledge sufficient, could be anticipated." Yet Newman reminds that the movements of the world are not merely driven by the work of nature, but also at work is the movement of divine grace - and we must recognize it. "Men of the world know the power of nature; they know not, experience not, believe not, the power of God's grace; and since they are not themselves acquainted with any power that can overcome nature, they think that none exists, and therefore, consistently, they believe that every one, Priest or not, remains to the end such as nature made him, and they will not believe it possible that any one can lead a supernatural life." In some ways, this is a difference not only between believers and non-believers, but also between Protestants and Catholics. This is why Catholics love and have devotions to the saints - men and women who have been transformed by grace into something supernatural. Every saint is a miracle. Catholics are sometimes blind to this, but at least they're in contact with it.
II. PRESIDENT TRUMP AND AMERICA
BAHAMAS HURRICANE: The 29-island nation was hit by category five Hurricane Dorian, the strongest hurricane to ever strike the northwestern islands of the Bahamas. Prime Minister Hubert Minnis called it the nation's greatest national crisis and may cost the nation upwards of $7 billion. Another article about the destruction reminds us of the importance of authority and security as militias form to stop the looting and shooting now taking place amidst the chaos. Learn more about the Bahamas from Geography Now.
CAN BIDEN MAKE IT? Pat Buchanan ponders his stamina for the race ahead. His blood-filled eye was certainly not a good sign.
III. THE NATIONS
WWII TURNS 80: Pat Buchanan offers a sobering reflection on who won and who lost.
POLITICAL SWINGS IN EUROPE: It's been a crazy week in European politics. While nationalists have had their best showings yet in parts of Germany, Brexit is at a sudden standstill and Salvini's Lega (League) Party has been betrayed by their coalition partner, thus returning the Left to power in Italy. As Dr. Steve Turley notes, both setbacks in the UK and Italy, however, came not from voters but from the machinations of globalist-elites - the "swamp monsters" - within the political machinery itself. Elections should prove the setback impermanent.
EX-HONDURAS FIRST LADY SENTENCED: "'The former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla was sentenced to 58 years in jail for the crimes of undue appropriation of funds and fraud,' said Supreme Court spokesman Carlos Silva." We at AoA are not surprised.
EPSTEIN THE SPY?: An older article, but worth reading.
IV. CULTURE OF LIFE, CULTURE OF PROTECTION
WOMEN ARE PASSING: Looks aren't everything; money counts, too. And it turns out when men do the proposing and women are asked to "yes," they weigh their consent on how "economically attractive" their man is. Given this, a new study unsurprisingly shows that the decline in marriage is connected to men falling behind women. There's little space here to list the host of problems that come with the decline of marriage, but we can say that few have considered the long term implications of feminism on society - the problems are legion.
INTERVIEW WITH A SHERIFF: Candice Owens interviews Sheriff David Clarke.
INTERVIEW WITH A SHERIFF: Candice Owens interviews Sheriff David Clarke.
DR. PENCE ON NEW EMANGELIZATION: Dr. Pence may not be with us in the flesh, but we continue to bring you his words on a regular basis. Here is an audio interview he did with the New Emangelization Project. Listen and learn from the master.
PATRIOTIC PUNISHMENT: An American flag steeling young man avoids charges by handing out 150 flags at a local business - a very patriotic second chance.
PATRIOTIC PUNISHMENT: An American flag steeling young man avoids charges by handing out 150 flags at a local business - a very patriotic second chance.
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