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"The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler" is a book that examines the controversial reign of Pope Pius XII during World War II. The author presents a detailed account of Pius XII's actions and decisions, suggesting that he prioritized the interests of the Roman Catholic Church over taking a strong stance against Nazi atrocities. The book discusses the pope's relationship with Hitler and Mussolini, his silence on the Holocaust, and instances of racism within the Vatican. It raises questions about Pius XII's missed opportunity to speak out against Nazi atrocities and the moral responsibility of the Roman Catholic Church. [Extracted from the article]

Why is there sometimes limited mobilization against autocratization, particularly when it involves major human rights violations? Some scholars emphasize the loss of political space through repression as the major cause while others emphasize strategic considerations such as divisions and abandonment of moderate tactics. A third view stresses popular support for strongman rule. Viewed in this light, the weakness of pushback against Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine president from 2016 to 2022, presents a challenge to existing theories. Despite the bloody "war on drugs" during his presidency, there was no violent government crackdown on peaceful demonstrators, and centrists eventually coalesced with left-wing activists around moderate strategies. But public backing for Duterte does not explain how he was able to defuse popular outrage over drug war killings, particularly after the high-profile police murders of several minors. This paper offers a relational explanation utilizing competing framing analysis. This better elucidates how, with Catholic bishops and community organizations politically weakened and international organizations denounced for interfering in domestic politics, Duterte was able to tactically outmaneuver his opponents and "frame" human rights advocates as coddling criminals while he protected law-abiding Filipinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the divisions between the Scottish and Irish clergy in the Western District of Scotland in the mid-nineteenth century. It focuses on the appointment of an Irishman, James Lynch, as Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic and his controversial actions, including his reluctance to sign a receipt for a significant bequest to the Catholic Church in Scotland. The article also discusses concerns about the mismanagement of trust funds by the bishops and the legal case brought by a priest, John Carmont, regarding the Mitchell Trust. The disputes between the Scottish and Irish clergy overshadowed the importance of properly managing trust funds. [Extracted from the article]

Can religious leaders who oppose state violence reduce its use? Communal elites, such as religious leaders, may oppose human rights violations. This article argues that these leaders, part of institutions embedded in local communities and with influence based on traditional power, reduce repression when they oppose dictatorships. The argument's main implication is tested in Argentina during the Dirty War of its 1976-1983 military dictatorship, using original archival data on the country's Catholic bishops. Opposed bishops are associated with reduced disappearances and killings. A variety of evidence is consistent with opposed bishops taking two types of actions to resist repression: assisting likeminded local agents and participating in human rights advocacy campaigns. The findings point to the importance of influential civil society actors in reducing state violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of suffering and its relationship to art and practical wisdom. It distinguishes between suffering as an art and suffering as a virtue, emphasizing the importance of practical reason in understanding and responding to suffering. The article also discusses the nature of suffering, stating that it is a response to the absence of good rather than inherently evil. The author suggests that knowledge, friendship, and beauty are three goods that play a role in how one should suffer. Additionally, the text discusses the role of beauty, virtues, and Jesus in the context of suffering. It argues that experiencing beauty can provide pleasure and remind individuals of the goodness of creation, even in times of sorrow. The virtues of hope, gratitude, and participation in Christ's suffering are presented as essential for suffering well. The author suggests that accepting suffering and cultivating these virtues can lead to a closer relationship with God and the eventual fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven. [Extracted from the article]

In 2001, Catholic pilgrims, led by Māori priest Henare Tate, travelled to France to exhume the remains of Jean‐Baptiste François Pompallier (1821–1872), the first Catholic Bishop of Aotearoa New Zealand. Placed in a lead‐lined coffin, the remains were taken back to New Zealand and laid to rest in Motuti, Hokianga. The interment — 131 years after Pompallier's death — marked the end of an extraordinary renovation of the Bishop as a historical figure, shaped by the tides of Māori and non‐Māori Catholic life, and fulfilling, it seemed, a sentiment expressed in this memorial song which Pompallier himself had composed as a parting gift to his Katorika (Catholic) faithful: "Ano te mahara e reka/a ki nga motu o Nuitireni i/sweet is the memory I hold/for the islands of New Zealand." This article explores the shifting remembrance of Pompallier that underpinned the repatriation and its legacy for New Zealand Catholic communities, especially Hokianga Māori. Three interrelated themes emerge: locally, Hokianga as a foundational place of Māori Catholicism, and the institutional remembrance of Pompallier as the apostolic Bishop of Auckland; and, globally, the reshaping of collective memories in the theological and social changes of the Catholic Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the ethical and clinical complexities surrounding decisions about methods of assisted nutrition and hydration (ANH) for critically ill patients. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between the means of providing food and water and the mechanisms by which they are delivered. The article argues that Catholic moral teachings provide principles for making these decisions, including the assessment of proportionality from the patient's perspective. It suggests that a patient-centered analysis of benefits and burdens should be undertaken for each individual case. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for compassionate discussion and informed decision-making to determine the most acceptable and proportionate mechanism for delivering food and water to patients in need. [Extracted from the article]

Márton Áron, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Alba Iulia (1938-1980), came to the attention of the Securitate from the founding of this repressive institution until the autumn of 1980, when he passed away. The reasons for his surveillance were his popularity among the faithful, his outspoken anti-communism, his loyalty to the Vatican and the fact that he came from the country's largest national minority. The results of this extended surveillance are reflected today in the bishop's files in the Archive of the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives in Bucharest. One of the main methods used by the Securitate in the surveillance process was the use of microphones. They were installed in the bishop's office in 1956 and operated with short interruptions until the end of his life. The transcripts of the recorded conversations are today in the bishop's files and represent a „gold mine" for historians interested in the Catholic Church in Romania during the Communist regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented which discusses the article on several topics including the challenges faced by churches under communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the institutional control and political repression experienced by religious communities, and the rich historiographical insights.

The article explores the issue of disinformation in the Philippines and its impact on democracy. It discusses how disinformation has been used by the government and politicians to manipulate public opinion and consolidate power. Specific instances, such as the use of disinformation during elections and the role of social media, are highlighted. The article emphasizes the need for research and understanding of political disinformation, particularly during elections, and the diversification of disinformation actors. It also discusses the erosion of traditional media's gatekeeping role and the perpetuation of historical distortions. The text further discusses the prevalence of disinformation in the Philippines, including red-tagging and China's attempts to influence Philippine politics. It mentions the decline in trust in democratic institutions and the rise in polarization due to disinformation. Efforts to combat disinformation include media literacy programs, fact-checking, and legal action against those spreading false information. The article also provides an overview of actions taken against SMNI, a media organization, due to alleged violations of terms of service and peddling of false news. SMNI's operations were suspended for thirty days, and the organization has sought legal recourse to challenge the suspension. [Extracted from the article]

The article analyses the positive Catholic and more critical Lutheran German responses to the Finnish Catholic-Lutheran dialogue document Communion in Growth: Declaration on the Church, Eucharist, and Ministry (2017). The statement of the ecumenical commission of the German Catholic Bishops' Conference sees that individual doctrinal questions to the church's sacramentality, eucharistic communion, and the ministry of bishop and ordination are analysed thoroughly using the method of a differentiated consensus. The statement challenges the Finnish dialogue partners to continue their dialogue regarding the ordination of women from the perspective of mutual recognition and an ecumenically acceptable renewed Petrine Ministry. The ecumenical study committee of the LWF German National Committee (GNC) likewise prepared a statement. The GNC statement acknowledges that 'Communion in Growth' is an expression of high ecumenical engagement. The obvious differences in the interpretation of the Lutheran doctrinal heritage make it clear that an internal Lutheran clarification concerning these issues and questions is necessary. Many of the perceptions seem to follow a certain tendency which makes the conclusions misleading. The ultimate wish to formulate the conclusions using a more inclusive language is worth reflecting on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a collection of articles on contemplative prayer and meditation. It explores various aspects of the Christian contemplative tradition, including its historical roots, different forms of practice, and its relevance in contemporary culture. The articles also discuss the benefits of meditation from a neurological and psychological perspective, as well as its potential for personal transformation. Additionally, the document includes interviews with individuals involved in the World Community for Christian Meditation and other spiritual communities. The articles aim to provide readers with a deeper understanding of contemplative prayer and its impact on individuals and communities. [Extracted from the article]

This article reflects on the ongoing impact of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) on the Catholic Church. It emphasizes the council's shift towards a more collaborative and inclusive style, rooted in the acceptance of contemporary historical consciousness. The author discusses the concept of synodality and highlights the importance of ongoing interpretation and implementation of Vatican II. The article also explores the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding the church and emphasizes the need to place the Holy Spirit at the center of the Church's life. [Extracted from the article]

The Balsha principality emerged as a state formation with significant political influence in the northern Arbëria territories in the early 1360s and became a weighty factor in economic, political, and military life. The Balsha's possessions included a vast territory of Arbëria lands that stretched from the borders of Budva in the north to those of Himara in the south, from the Adriatic in the west to Kriva Rijeka and Kostur in the east. Their possessions also extended to the city of Peja, Prizren, and Kriva Rreka, near Novoberda. During the Balsha's rule, religious objects were built in the areas around Lake Shkodra, in the region of Krajina, in Ulcinj, Tivar, and Budva. In present-day Kosovo, the influence of the Balsha principality also extended to the Christian organization. Thus, members of this family during the years 1375 to 1385 led the church councils in the Patriarchate of Peja. Also, during their time, the city of Prizren gained a Catholic bishop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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"Playing God: American Catholic Bishops and The Far Right" by Mary Jo McConahay is a book that examines the shift of the U.S. Catholic bishops towards the right since the 1970s. It explores the bishops' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, their anti-abortion stances, and their alliances with conservative Catholic networks and media platforms. The book also discusses the influence of conservative Catholic organizations and individuals on the bishops' ideology. However, it does not fully connect the actions of these individuals and organizations to the bishops themselves. Overall, the book provides valuable insights into understanding U.S. Catholicism and the role of the bishops in the country. It discusses the connections between conservative Catholic organizations and the bishops, their opposition to Pope Francis's teachings, and their treatment of women and disregard for climate change. The text offers a comprehensive analysis of the sociopolitical and theological conservatism within the U.S. Catholic Church. [Extracted from the article]

The Journal of Social Encounters pays tribute to Bishop Paride Taban, a beloved figure known for his tireless work in promoting peace, justice, and freedom in Sudan and South Sudan. He played a crucial role in peace agreements and founded the Holy Trinity Peace Village Kuron. Bishop Taban's legacy lives on as he continues to inspire generations to promote nonviolence and just peace in South Sudan and beyond. He received several prestigious awards for his lifelong efforts. Additionally, Bishop Taban is remembered for his compassionate work and authored a powerful story called "No Food for Her Children." He saved lives, including that of William O'Keefe, during a bombing incident. Bishop Taban's legacy is one of hope and positivity in the face of adversity. [Extracted from the article]

Born into a pieds-noir family in Algeria in the first part of the 20th century, Pierre Claverie (1938–1996) realizes that he lived in a colonial bubble, completely ignoring the Algerian and Muslim realities. This "prise de conscience" will constitute the beginning of a deep mystical experience, a true process of "spiritual enlightenment" through which Claverie will try to re-establish himself in the lost meeting of his youth when he used to live in his "Western and Catholic bubble". His theological path will also be an institutional one: he will become a Dominican monk and Catholic bishop of Orano. Inevitably, his desire to spiritually encounter the Algerian reality in its Muslim identity will make Pierre Claverie reflect on the tension present in the paradox of the concept of religious truth (absolutely unique and/or multiple?). His reflection on the uniqueness/pluralism of religious truth represents a model of post-conciliar theological understanding that is worth examining and that supports a very current approach in today's religious and social world: understanding/accepting the truth of the other without the impression of betraying one's own truth. This study aims to deepen the mystical theological reflection of Bishop Pierre Claverie, considered a martyr in the Catholic Church, with regards to the concept of religious truth. It also to tries to understand how this reflection fits into the Catholic theological line inaugurated by the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented study deals with the personality of the Greek Catholic bishop of Prešov Štefan Novák, especially with his resignation from office after the establishment of Czechoslovakia in the autumn of 1918. In the context of changed political and religious conditions, it analyzes his personality in the reflection of Church dignitaries and Czechoslovak-Vatican relations which it interprets as unacceptable for the Slovak environment Catholicism after the fall of the Habsburg Monarchy. In the completely new socio-political conditions after 1918, Štefan Novák was criticized not only for his numerous absences and moral life but also for not being accepted by the priests and Christians of the diocese. When he offered to resign from his post after leaving the country in 1919, he understood this step primarily as an expression of loyalty in relation to the Holy See. In a broader context, his resignation contributed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Czechoslovakia and the Holy See and made it possible to replace him in Prešov with a bishop who was able to address his diocese a better pastoral care with an emphasis on the Slovak Catholic element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay presents a kind of lens or technique for obtaining information on the founding years of the American Catholic Historical Society. Most historians of the Society have relied on its printed literature, especially this journal, but much can be gleaned from contemporary scrapbooks assembled by early members. Through their pages, a more accurate picture of the Society's first decade emerges, and with it, a new method for documentation of its history. The author explores the utility of scrapbooks as such but posits that the ACHS scrapbooks relate important aspects of late nineteenth century collecting habits, the role of lay people in the local church, and the impact of ethnic Catholicism in what counts as vital markers for one generation's heritage and the legacy they wish to bequeath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the book "Vessel of Honor: The Virgin Birth and the Ecclesiology of Vatican II" by Brian A. Graebe. The book argues that the bodily dimensions of the virgin birth, including the physical "seal" of virginity, are essential to the doctrine of Mary's undiminished virginity in giving birth. It explores the historical and theological aspects of this doctrine, as well as its significance for Catholic ecclesiology. The book provides a theological reflection and in-depth research on the topic, drawing on archival and antepreparatory sources of Vatican II. [Extracted from the article]

The article examines whether the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has become "dark green." It explores CBCP's pastoral letters on environmental issues from 1988 to 2019. Using the framework outlined by Bron Taylor in Dark Green Religion: Nature, Spirituality, and the Planetary Future, I argue that there are shifts in the environmental consciousness of the Catholic Bishops, as evident in the pastoral letters. Since 1988, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has exhibited a reliable commitment to environmentalism and its prophetic mission amidst various environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is the analysis of several key themes in selected representatives of the New Bulgarian sermon and the corresponding means of influence as a manifestation of the socio-cultural dynamics between creator and user and of the social needs in which stable attitudes and notions of the Christian religious paradigm are encoded. The specific content and linguistic-textual parameters are considered in direct relation to the historical moment in the following oppositions: Christian norms-real social phenomena; moral norms-their antipodes; cultural-religious tradition-innovation. The sources have been deliberately limited because of the volume of the potentially significant material: 1.The original sermon of the Catholic missionary and Bishop of Nicopolis, Philip Stanislavov, from his Abagar, printed in Rome on the 6th of May, 1651; 2. A selection from the sermons against the superstitious beliefs of Josif Bradati (c. 1714-after 1758). The study proves the existence of a continuity between the “abagar” tradition and the works of Joseph Bradati and his followers. Although the sermon is essentially a struggle against magical healing practices, it is an attempt to create or restore dialogue and religious communication. In other words, it defends the role of Christian institutions, which had been weakened under Ottoman rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This DVD shows parts of an actual infant circumcision, and also discusses the anatomy and protective and sexual functions of the foreskin, including how circumcision adversely affects the sexual experience for both men and women. If U.S. doctors respected the bodily integrity rights of baby boys and wanted to eliminate needless suffering, they would end circumcision in hospitals. Infant circumcisions are non-therapeutic foreskin amputations, and no Catholic hospital should be performing them in violation of Catholic Catechism teaching, Catholic hospital Ethical and Religious Directives, and New Testament teachings. On October 2, 1981, I sat down to watch "NBC Magazine" on television, with a segment about infant circumcision called "The Casual Cut", by Douglas Kiker. [Extracted from the article]

Objective The article explores stakeholders' engagement before the implementation of the pooled procurement program (PPP) and the challenges encountered by the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS). Method The article used a qualitative research approach and a multiple case study design to solicit the views of healthcare service providers and policymakers within the NCHS. Key findings The article revealed that the National Catholic Health Secretariat (the secretariat) advocated through the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference through the bishop responsible for health. Subsequently, the Diocesan Directors, managers, accountants, suppliers and storekeepers of all health facilities were engaged to understand their respective roles before implementing the PPP. The challenges faced came from all institutions that played a crucial role in the smooth running of the PPP. These institutions were the hospitals, suppliers, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the secretariat. The findings indicated that some managers in the hospitals were not committed to the program. Whereas, some suppliers purposely weakened the position of some other suppliers after awarding tenders by carrying their commodities directly to the hospitals and reducing the price marginally. The challenge from the NHIS perspective was the payment delays. The FDA was not proactive with post-market surveillance to check substandard commodities in the hospitals. However, in the secretariat, the deficiency was the weak systems to monitor real-time activities of the PPP at the hospitals. Conclusion The article suggests that to ensure the right synergies to meet organizational objectives, the NCHS is advised to increasingly focus on identifying and sustaining the PPP by communicating with other stakeholders to achieve their mutual needs. Such a process would allow the more knowledgeable design of resource needs and allocation of scarce resources to their areas of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the ecumenical conception of public life praxis in postcolonial Zimbabwe as well as the church's actions to salvage the deteriorating national crisis including the leveling of the political field in the early 2000s. The views of the church are derived from the experiences of the union of ecumenical church organizations formed in 2007 called the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD). The ZHOCD, composes of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, and the Union for the Development of Apostolic (and Zionist) Churches in Zimbabwe, Africa. The study uses literature, augmented by informal discussions that focused on how the church sought the protection of people's lives. The study found that the ZHOCD intervened at various critical periods when public life began to degenerate due to state-induced corruption, election violence, and crime. In fact, the church built up specialist organizations to provide required humanitarian services as well as provision of advocacy and protection of human lives by confronting political oppression in Zimbabwe. This forced the ruling party to engage in a palace coup to retain political power in 2017. The article recommends that churches use their power to intervene when accountability institutions have failed because their impartiality to the exercise of political power allows them to perceive public life praxis with a neutral eye. It is further recommended that the ZHOCD needs to engage far and wide groups of Christian organizations of all persuasions if a comprehensive Christian and religious response to a good life can be achieved. The study concluded that it is only the church and other religious organizations that can understand and provide solace to people living in difficult conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For French theatre history, the seventeenth century paradoxically stands out as both the Grand Siècle, or golden age, in which Pierre Corneille, Molière, and Jean Racine produced their masterpieces, and as a period of intense antitheatrical sentiment in which Jansenist theologians like Pierre Nicole and Catholic bishops like Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet composed treatises against the stage and its players. French historiographers have given the name la querelle de la moralité du théâtre, or the quarrel over the theatre's morality, to the diverse episodes that called into question the theatre's place in public life in prerevolutionary France. This quarrel merits a performance analysis. Whereas theatre scholarship has devoted careful attention to the material features of early modern theatre practice, antitheatrical sentiment's story has largely been told as a progression of ideas. In works that remain essential reading, scholars such as Moses Barras, Marc Fumaroli, Jonas Barish, Simone de Reyff, Jean Dubu, Sylviane Léoni, and Laurent Thirouin have examined the rise and development of French arguments against the stage, reconstructing French antitheatrical sentiment's intellectual history from antiquity through the French Revolution. As demonstrated by titles such as Dubu's Les Églises chrétiennes et le théâtre [Christian churches and the theatre] and de Reyff's L'Église et le théâtre [the church and the theatre], enough of the period's antitheatrical fervor had religious roots that French theatre polemics are often also conceptualized as a conflict between the church and the theatre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]