Some recent news highlights...
* Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, noted that "no one is exempt" from wordily influences which could "impoverish the faith, but especially the very behavior of Christians." He recommended the "spiritual weapons" of prayer, the liturgy, spiritual reading / scripture, and other "practices of piety" and said that "We need to truly believe that God loves us: which holds the power to change our life." [Related: Catholic Devotions, Sacramentals & Pious Practices | Tips to Increase Holiness | Our Father's Love (Reflections)]
* LifeSiteNews reports that even music industry leaders are now expressing concern that "popular culture" is "s*xualizing" children. One record producer claimed that "Ninety-nine per cent of the charts is R 'n' B and 99 per cent of that is soft p*rn*graphy." According to LSN, HLI's research director noted that "Many of the singers target pre-teen girls with their messages, and then these girls follow the advice and lyrics they hear and wind up ruining their lives."
* Repairs to an Illinois food pantry are expected to cost the Archdiocese of Chicago thousands of dollars. Copper thieves stole wire which fed electricity to the building, leaving the pantry "operating in the dark." Thefts of copper "tend to become more common as the value of the metal increases."
* Archbishop Alberto Suarez Inda has lamented the recent court ruling in Mexico allowing homosexual 'couples' to adopt children, noting that "It's one thing to tolerate conduct contrary to what is commonly accepted; it's another to want to legitimize that which goes against nature itself." [Related: Scripture On Homosexuality]
* Bishop Joseph P. McFadden was recently installed as the 10th bishop of Harrisburg (PA). He succeeds Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades. The new bishop said the challenges he must confront include the "diminished appreciation" of Catholics for the Holy Eucharist. He also spoke on the right to life, true marriage, abuse scandals in the Church, and the need for Confession (the disuse of which is a "tragedy that needs to be corrected").
* The monks who produce "Mystic Monk Coffee" are undertaking to build a "classical gothic monastery" in Wyoming. They hope to "build a monastery to accommodate the great number of young novices the community is attracting, [and also] to found a New Mount Carmel for America from which graces and blessings flow." [Coffee drinkers: Wouldn't this be a great alternative to Starbucks?!]
* During the Holy Father's visit to the U.K., Pope Benedict will reportedly use some text from the new "more accurate" (Novus Ordo) Mass translation which is to be implemented in the U.S. towards the end of 2011.
* Fans of the TLM may appreciate a recently released "iMass" app produced in association with a FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter) parish in Florida. The app permits the viewing of a daily TLM on one's iPhone. While the app is not a means of fulfilling the Sunday obligation, it provides another way to "unite yourself to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, at any time of the day or night." [Related: The Traditional Latin ('Tridentine') Mass vs. the New (Novus Ordo) Mass]
* An audit commissioned by the Archdiocese of Seattle concluded that a Seattle Catholic school misused $200K. The teacher who "blew the whistle" concerning the misuse of funds was reportedly fired for his actions ("his teaching contract was not renewed") and he is still out of work.
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