John B. Manos

A religious fresco depicting Jesus ascending into heaven, surrounded by angels and saints in vibrant colors. The scene includes a figure being pulled downwards by demons, with the text "ANASTASIS" at the top."

What Does Easter mean TO YOU?

Do you believe in the resurrection, in Easter? I mean it, have you considered that because Jesus destroyed death from the inside out, that everything is different now? If you’ve kept a fast for lent, you have some natural feeling of this. Today, you’ve had your restraints unchained and you’ve tasted (literally) a new freedom. That is…

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Three copies of Bellarmine Forum magazine with cover art depicting "The Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo. The text reads: Bellarmine Forum, Spring 2014 Vol. 7 No. 1, Life: In The Beginning... Articles include "Think with the Church," "Marriage and Family," and more."

Life: In the Beginning. Bellarmine Forum Magazine Volume iv Issue 1

Volume IV of the new Bellarmine Forum Magazine focuses on LIFE! Issue one is a bang up! Articles include: Marriage and the Hotline to God, Dr. Reginald Gallup Contraception — The Folly of Freedom, Dr. Monica M. Miller A Clear and Present Danger, Dr. Charles Rice Campaign for Humanae Vitae, Christopher Manion Contraception & Persecution,…

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A diagram of a head with labeled sections: "The Body/Appearance," "Emotions/Relations," "Mind/Intellect," and "Soul." Arrows point to different areas with notes: "The West focuses here," "People talk about these but not here," and "God talks to us here. Grace happens here." The diagram uses pastel colors: green, yellow, orange, and pink."

So you want to Re-evangelize? Catch Abbot Nicholas on EWTN Live tonight

Tonight, on EWTN Live, abbot Nicholas of the Holy Resurrection Monastery in Wisconsin will be the guest. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak at my parish this past weekend. His topics were on Christian mysticism, re-evangelization, ethnic and church traditions, and similar topics. I was particularly interested in the re-evangelization topic as I…

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A dark room with smoke and a white statue of Jesus, featuring text discussing fair use of copyrighted material. The text mentions Fr. Vander Lugt and a painting in his house, referencing US Copyright Laws for educational purposes.  The text reads: "There was an image here of Fr. Vander Lugt in his house by a painting. It was Fair Use under April 8, 2014, nine years later, linked to the source. Fair Use is being killed. The US Copyright Laws allow uses of copyrighted material for parody, news commentary, criticism discussion, and extending to the public interest. No commercial use of the photo existed; it did not compete with their photo service—this isn't even their market... if anything, it increased their sales by sending more people to the sources who then realized advertising impressions and made money."

Jesuit Priest Van der Lugt dragged outside and shot in Syria

News is circulating today about a Jesuit priest, Fr. Frans van der Lugt, S.J. is confirmed by his Dutch province to have been killed. The news reports make it a little unclear who killed him, though — the insurgents sent in by the West, or the other insurgents. I don’t think we should say it…

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Statue of Saint Joseph holding baby Jesus in sepia tones, with a blurred background figure. ©1998, 2013 John B. Manos"

Father Hardon on St. Joseph: the Secret of True Love

On this solemn feast of St. Joseph, it is good to have a reminder of just who the saint really is. What follows is a short snippet from a lecture by Fr. John Hardon: Saint Joseph deserves our admiration for his other virtues, but, he is to be especially imitated in his love for Jesus and…

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Lent preparation scene with a small box labeled "My Lenten Gift" for almsgiving. The box features religious artwork with a church and figures, set on stone steps. Text reads: "Lent Preparation: Mite Boxes & Almsgiving"."

Lent Preparation: Mite Boxes and Almsgiving

Yesterday, I received in the mail a very simple little device:  a mite box. Meant to be like a little donations box in the church, the mite box is perfect to be placed in the home during lent in an area where it will be seen as a way to remind us during lent that we…

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Pope Francis to Bishops: “we do not need a manager, a CEO of a company”

Just today, Pope Francis spoke to the Congregation of Bishops (reported in Italian here). Yesterday, I asked “if the pope will take care of the Vatican, and I will take care of cleaning myself up, who takes care of the middle?” It appears Pope Francis answered that question today! Speaking to the Bishops, he declared:…

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PBS Frontline: Secrets of the Vatican – a secular review of the symptoms of error

Yesterday, PBS Frontline ran a show titled, “Secrets of the Vatican” – an hour and a half show. PBS’s own description of the show is as follows: In Secrets of the Vatican, FRONTLINE tells the epic, inside story of the collapse of the Benedict papacy and illuminates the extraordinary challenges facing Pope Francis as he tries…

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A religious icon depicting Moses holding stone tablets with text in an ancient script and a burning bush, featuring gold background. Text reads: "АЗЪ ЕСМЬ СУЩИЙ МОИСЕЙ" and "МОНЕЙ"."

Lent Preparation: Earn an eternal merit badge this year

I’ve written before on the notion of lent being a time to fast and on the power of fasting to cast demons away. Today, people have totally shifted their concept and consider a fast “too much.”  Those who say that have that luxury only today because the Church has mitigated the impact of the second law. Consider…

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A screenshot of a Catholic website with text from the Gospel of Mark 9:14-29. The text discusses Jesus healing a boy possessed by an evil spirit, with the question "WHERE'S THE FASTING??" highlighted in red. The background includes a map and website elements, with green and white colors prominent."

Do the American Bishops hate fasting?

I was shell shocked today by an omission I can hardly believe. At Mass, I heard the Gospel about the possessed boy out of whom the Apostles could not drive the demon. We all know the tale:  Our Lord drives the demon out, and the Apostles ask, “Why could we not drive out the demon?”  And Our…

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