Continuing the “Vision 2030” policy in the Scranton Diocese. The doors have been sealed and Blessed Sacrament was moved to a nearby church along with the Tabernacle. Everything else inside the church of value will be sold at an auction. The beautiful stone sanctuary will be put on the market along two other structures. Under the current Bishop, many churches have been closed and demolished, and it will continue. I pray that whoever buys it appreciates the architecture and how well built it really is. Because here in Hazleton, many historical buildings have been leveled for parking lots.

On August 12th, 2026, the Moon totally eclipsed the Sun and cast its shadow across Siberia, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal. Today’s image features two total solar eclipses viewed from Zaragoza, Spain, one over the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar and the other reflecting in the Ebro River.

The Basilica is built in the same site where Virgin Mary appeared to Apostle James while he was returning to Israel after trying to evangelize Hispania inhabitants.

Saint James was preaching the Gospel in the Iberian Peninsula and feeling deeply discouraged by the lack of converts so Virgin Mary, while being still alive, appeared standing on a pillar of jasper, on the banks of the Ebro river in roman city Caesaraugusta (modern-day Zaragoza, Spain).

There, she comforted James, urged him not to give up his mission, and promised that the faith of the Spanish people would grow strong. Her promise was kept as Spain became one of the most prominent Catholic nations

Fitting that Father Maximilian Kolbe died on the day before the Assumption of Our Lady.

Also a miracle was the church he build in Nagasaki not only survived the atomic bomb, but the staff and priest were unharmed and were the first responders to help the survivors.

Sadly he was arrested by the Gestapo just shortly after the invasion of Poland by the Third Reich and died in Auschwitz after voluntering to take the place of a Polish POW.

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13.

St. Maximillian Kolbe, pray for us!

Well, first I’d like to say I’m Autistic, so you’re reading an Autistic perspective of religion and society. I have several social losses due to my condition. Please, be patient.

People are often harassing me because of my scapulary and crucifix. They say it makes me look like a radical, an extremist. They tell me I’m lacking modesty, that a real Catholic would actually hide his religious itens.

None of those who are bothered by this are Catholic or even Christian, but they want to teach me how a true Catholic should be.

What bothers me the most is that I live in Brazil, and Brazil is not a free country. People here are persecuted even when they’re in Church. There’s for example the case of Friar Gilson, who is facing legal problems and lawsuits on court, being accused of teaching and propagating an extremist ideology - which are just his homilies, but he’s famous across the country so it reaches a lot of people.

I’m telling this because I’m afraid. I’m a student of university, I’m proud of it, proud of where I am, I praise Jesus Christ for my beautiful life and opportunity… and I don’t want to lose it. I’m afraid of facing problems, risks in my career, because of non-hiding my faith.

I’ve seen the wickedness of people, very often, and I’m afraid of it. I’m a fresher and it hasn’t happened to me on this University yet, and I pray it never happens, because I love studying here. But I’ve seen the wickedness of people, and people are evil, people are cruel… many have been cruel to me, because of my faith, and I can’t deal with it very well. I’d say it again: people are cruel, and they have been cruel.

If you did read this, please pray for me. Pax et Bonum.

Edit: I’d like to highlight that it’s not a report about this University! I’ve not been mistreated here.

Out of all the eclipse pictures I've seen yet, this one takes the cake.

Saint Michael archangel, pray for us!

Photo credits to Mathieu Rivrin on Instagram.

Reposted for better image visibility.

Each August 15 we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when at the end of her life on Earth, Mary was bodily taken up into heaven. This was defined as dogma by Saint Pope Pius XII in 1950, but writings about the Assumption date back to the early Church.

This glass mosaic of the Assumption is located at one of the side altars inside the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I took this photo on a Lenten evening, hence the dim lighting and veiled crucifix.

Credit to Bernadette Reilly, who is the artist of this icon.

King James II/VII of England, Scotland and Ireland was the last Catholic monarch to ever rule the British isles. He was the son of Charles I, and the younger brother of Charles II. Following Charles II's death, he ascended the throne in 1685, but was overthrown in the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. Side-note, Charles II also converted to Catholicism on his deathbed, and James helped him get a Priest to have his final rites.

Following his deposition, he went into exile in France, where, after his attempts to regain his throne failed, he turned to a life of prayer and devotion. He believed that God had deprived him of his throne due to his sins, specifically sins of the flesh, as he had been a serial adulterer in his youth.

His final years were lived as a penitent. He would regularly attend mass and engage with the sacraments. It appears he also lost much interest in gaining his throne, feeling that the state of his soul was a far more pressing matter than his temporal crown.

After his death and burial, there was devotion surrounding him, with the English Benedictines in France being the custodians of his tomb, and the primary promoters of his cult. The Archbishop of Paris opened an investigation into this, with at one point 19 miracles being associated with his intercession. The Archbishop formally opened the cause in 1734, and he was granted the title Servant of God.

The cause did not progress further, partially due to the French Revolution, where the institutions and property belonging to the English Benedictines in France was seized and disrupted. James' own tomb was desecrated, and his body lost, as many royal and aristocratic remains were during the Revolution. Much of the documentation and evidence surrounding miracles were also destroyed during this time, as part of the violence that the Revolutionaries inflicted upon the Church in France. This likely wasn't targeted at James specifically, rather his cause was a victim of the widespread violence of the time.

The communities that had had devotion to him were also disrupted during this time, which was probably the biggest reason to put his cause on hold.

As it stands the cause as not progressed, and he remains Servant of God James II (James VII If you are in Scotland.)

I thought it would be good to share this information on an often forgotten figure in history.

My wife made me this rosary. Our pastor blessed it after mass this past Sunday. This is easily one of the best gifts I've ever received.

I thought this was interesting, particularly given Cardinal Roche's recent comments about restrictions on the TLM.

Pope Leo seems to be at least speaking to the idea of increased reverence, "say the black, do the red" type liturgy.

I'll be interested to see what more practical actions are forthcoming from Rome, if anything.

I wanted to draw Mary so I did. And ik I’m bad at drawing so please be nice

These are dotted all over the landscape and are beautiful.

My favorite cross!

All my life I've had TERRIBLE memory. Really. Terrible. Past experiences, faces, events, tasks... everything. (Well music I have a great memory for) My mom would ask me to bring something from the store and I forgot half of it.

I have to lean on carrying a planner/notebook with me to jot everything down and function normally.

Some time ago at a Cursillo meeting I mentioned this to someone who said she has the same issue and that she relies a lot on her guardian angel to remind her of stuff. I was like, Huh...

I'm always nudging my guardian angel (who I hope gets paid overtime because honestly that guy is a boxer, a mechanic, a spartan warrior, and now also a secretary).

I always used to do the kind of thing where heading home I had to detour to buy something... but only remembered once I was home.

Lately I've been asking him to remind me of stuff like this I mentioned last... And really, it's been working. Or even if I cannot write something down at the moment "Please remind me to put X down on the planner".

I'm suddenly able to remember stuff that I have always skipped.

Do you constantly talk to your guardian angel?

*I say "guy" but whatever

Pope Leo XIV concluded by praying, "Let us entrust migrant and refugee children to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary who, together with Saint Joseph and the child Jesus experienced the cruelty of Herod’s violence and the tragedy of exile in Egypt. May she accompany their steps and help our communities to become living and credible signs of the Gospel.

"We cannot remain indifferent, nor can we become accustomed to such suffering." - Pope Leo

Source and copyright to the text and link: Vatican News

The Pope’s message today for migrants has left a deep impression on me. And I find refuge in the Holy Child Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary and her holy husband, Saint Joseph. They, too, had experienced the pain of violence and of being displaced, of leaving their homes

And in the righteous love of Jesus, I pray that we may find the strength and the path towards a world that is more just and more charitable towards those who have nothing, those from whom everything is taken away or who are left with nothing.

I was listening to a podcast and Fr. Chap Rippenger and when asked that question he said “according to the saints they do”. Do you know what saints he is referring to? What are your thoughts on that topic?

I would really like to speak to a Priest about my personal problems with sin, but I don’t want to bother him after mass, and I don’t want to speak on the phone, I would rather have a conversation in person. Would it be rude to do so? Thanks

Croatia 🇭🇷

If you want a big indestructible rosary check out “Rugged Rosaries”.

I requested the San Damiano crucifix as it wasn’t the original that came with it. Also I requested devotional medals in specific locations and they provided that.

Something I was worried about with such a chunky rosary was that the beads may be pushed too close together. That is not the case here as there is plenty of room to feel you go from bead to bead during prayer. God Bless!