John B. Manos

Tall modern skyscraper with reflective glass windows, blue sky and clouds in the background. Surrounded by other high-rise buildings.

A Different Take on Laudato Si: The Church Could Change a Lot Directly

It shouldn’t surprise Bellarmine Forum readers that I’ll have an opinion posted here regarding Pope Francis’s Laudato Si encyclical forthcoming. Readers may not be aware of my background as a chemical engineer, environmental work (even worked for the Army Corps of Engineers on water quality), and that I was an Assistant Attorney General in Michigan for…

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A heart with flames and a cross, surrounded by flowers and wheat. Text reads: "Behold this Heart which has loved men so much, that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, to testify to them Its love." Catholic religious art."

Do Something to Honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus Today on the Feast

Today, the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi, is the feast of the Sacred Heart. Sometimes, the feast is held on this following Sunday. The short story of the feast is explained in my trusty old catechism: A single word of Christ would have fully sufficed to redeem us, but it was not enough to…

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A person in white and blue liturgical vestments stands at a wooden pulpit inside an ornate church, holding onto the side. The background features candles and religious decor, suggesting a Catholic setting.

Calling Jesus a Liar: Anglican Style (which is twenty years behind AmChurch fashion trends)

It was over twenty years ago, at a daily Mass in Cincinnati (the head of the AmChurch hydra), when I first heard someone try to pray the “Our Mother” prayer. They also liked to say the Suscipe with the fantasy option, ending it with the “her Church.” [that was the older english form at the time, so naturally it…

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A green circular emblem featuring a golden Orthodox church dome with text in Russian: "Всемирный Русский Народный Собор" and "ВРНС"."

The Fix is in:  World Russian Council calls to remove abortions from the system of mandatory medical insurance

One of the earliest things the Bolsheviks did after destroying churches in an ISIS fashion was legalize abortion. In 1920, they cried that women were procuring back street illegal abortions and all they wanted to do was make it safe. They made a law permitting it to be performed in hospitals. Note the logic, the incremental approach. The initial…

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Text reads: "Tales of Tomorrow." White chalk text on a black background, reminiscent of a classic television title card."

Pentecost and the Church of Tommorrow

One thing I notice that’s different today from when I was a kid is that there doesn’t seem to be anymore fiction geared towards tomorrow that isn’t dystopian. Sure, I was still a tyke when the movie Logan’s Run came out about a world in the future where people that hit thirty were euthanized, yet others ran…

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A statue of a figure holding a round object with rays emanating from it, set against red and beige background. Text reads "COMMUNION IN THE HAND," suggesting a Catholic theme related to the Eucharist."

Father Hardon: Stop Communion in the Hand Now!

  I often forget that the things that were common knowledge in the 90s are forgotten or ignored today. It becomes apparent when discussing communion in the hand, as I did the other day in the neopaganism article, or as I have in other contexts over the past few years, that people generally believe now that…

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A young girl with blonde hair in a pink shirt stands indoors, looking up and touching her head. She appears to be curious or thoughtful in a casual setting.

Four Year Old Lily Gets it, Do You?

There’s just some things that you come across and you know it’s something really special. I was glad that the Wold family let me share with you here a special story from their four year old daughter, Lily. Debra, Lily’s mom, shared on Facebook that last night after dinner, Lily got up from the table, walked…

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A vintage-style illustration of a boy flexing his arms, standing on a box labeled "I AM GOD." The background features Catholic text and imagery. The word "NEOPAGANISM" is prominently displayed in red, bold letters."

New Lies For Old: Fr. Hardon Explains Neopaganism as Our Dechristianized Reality

Get you coffee, tea, or favorite beverage, and plan to spend a while learning one of Father Hardon’s master points on the state of modern man and the anti-religion we face, even within the Church. A massive post, it has analysis of the new religion we face today and why so many are unhappy following it but cannot escape.

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A man in military uniform with medals salutes while drinking from a cup, standing next to a car. The text "ПРЯМОЙ ЭФИР" is visible in the bottom left corner."

What this Russian Defense Minister did Shames American Catholics

I was tickled yesterday when someone sent me a link to this article and highlighted that us Catholics used to do this. In Russia, however, it seems that Catholic practices are proudly public again (unlike here). Reports Russian media:  Before beginning the Victory Day Parade in Moscow’s Red Square, Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoygu crossed himself. The journalists…

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A detailed statue of a robed figure in gold and orange, holding an infant Jesus. Both figures are adorned with intricate crowns and jewelry, symbolizing Catholic themes of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. The figures are surrounded by ornate decorations, including a sunburst halo.

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Bellarmine, and Fatima

There is always a little magic it seems in the feast days of Mother church. It’s not really magic, not in the sense of Simon Magis, but magic in the sense of little special things and connections — some might call it serendipity. I think it’s more to do with the actual intercession of the saints honored…

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