A Moroccan man has been accused of killing one and wounding four others in a machete attack at two churches in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/spain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spain</a>. 
The suspect, a 25-year-old man <a href="https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2023/01/27/culprit-in-algeciras-church-massacre-in-spains-terror-attack-was-moroccan-national-under-surveillance-and-awaiting-deportation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> set to be deported, allegedly ran into two Catholic churches in Algeciras, Spain, on Wednesday evening, killing one and injuring three others. 
According to EFE, a Spanish international news agency, the suspect <a href="https://twitter.com/EFEnoticias/status/1618512903849578496">shouted</a> “death to Christians” and “Allah is great” during the attack. The attack is being investigated as an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/radical-islam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">act of terrorism</a>, according to Spanish authorities. The public prosecutor&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.laprensalatina.com/1-dead-4-wounded-in-attacks-on-churches-in-spain/">said</a> the attack was &#8220;presumably terrorist.&#8221;
The churches that were <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/1-dead-spanish-church-machete-attacks-terror-link-probed-rcna67581" target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted</a> were the church of Maria Auxiliadora y San Isidro and Nuestra Señora de La Palma. Diego Valencia, the sexton of the second church, was killed while attempting to escape the attack. 
One of the priests injured during the attack, Antonio Rodriguez, is expected to quickly recover. “If all goes well, he [Rodriguez] may even be released in the next few hours,” Algeciras Mayor Jose Ignacio Landaluce <a href="https://www.laprensalatina.com/1-dead-4-wounded-in-attacks-on-churches-in-spain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
“We are all stunned by these acts, which have filled us with pain,” Landaluce added. “Algeciras has always been a city where concord and tolerance reign, despite incidents like this that create an image that does not correspond to reality.”
According to <a href="https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2023/01/27/culprit-in-algeciras-church-massacre-in-spains-terror-attack-was-moroccan-national-under-surveillance-and-awaiting-deportation/">local media</a>, the suspect was in Spain illegally and set to be deported. He had also been monitored by Spanish counter-terrorism police over suspected ties to unspecified terrorist groups. 
Santiago Abascal, the leader of the national-conservative Spanish political party Vox, <a href="https://twitter.com/Santi_ABASCAL/status/1618539643745751040">took aim</a> at the country’s immigration policies in a statement on the attack. “He entered Spain illegally, he had an expulsion order, he was under surveillance for jihadism, he was a squatter. How many will there be like him in Spain? The human trafficking mafias and the politicians who open their borders and shower them with subsidies cannot hide their responsibility,” Abascal said. 
In another tweet, he <a href="https://twitter.com/Santi_ABASCAL/status/1618339837995782144">said</a> that Spain “cannot tolerate Islamism advancing on our soil.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also offered his condolence to those impacted by the attack. “I want to express my sincerest condolences for the families of the sexton slain in the terrible attack in Algeciras,” he wrote on Twitter. “I wish the injured a swift recovery.”
Algeciras, located on the Bay of Gibraltar, has a population of around 123,000.

SPAIN-INVESTIGATION-POLICE-HOMICIDE-RELIGION

Machete Attack On Spanish Churches Leaves One Dead; Suspect Shouted ‘Death To Christians’

Machete Attack On Spanish Churches Leaves One Dead; Suspect Shouted 'Death To Christians'

Catholicism

Christianity

Crime

Radical Islamic Terror

Spain

World

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VATICAN CITY — A week intended to promote international Christian unity took a hard Left turn into American politics when a group of Minnesota clergy with ties to Black Lives Matter called on the gathering to “confront oppression,” invoking the January 6 Capitol riot and the death of George Floyd.
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The annual <a href="http://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/settimana-di-preghiera-per-l-unita/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-20230/fr.html">Week of Prayer for Christian Unity</a>, a decades-old tradition, kicked off January 18 with a prayer from Pope Francis that God “faithfully and patiently guides His people towards [uniting] in full communion.” The event is led by the Vatican but coordinated with Christian denominations throughout the world, including a contingent from Minnesota this year.
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<div>
“The Week of Prayer is the perfect time for Christians to recognize that the divisions between our churches and confessions cannot be separated from the divisions within the wider human family,” stated an introductory document prepared in part by members of the Minnesota Council of Churches who described themselves as “leaders, activists and/or pastors.” The document called on attendees to “confront oppression and division amongst humanity.”
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The Minnesota group, which included former Minneapolis NAACP President <a href="https://www.instagram.com/leslieeredmond/?hl=en">Leslie Redmond</a>, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis-linked pastor <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BlackLivesMatterMinneapolis/posts/for-immediate-releasemarch-2-2015over-100-faith-leaders-sign-open-letter-to-bloo/885991118111349/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DeWayne Davis</a>, and activist <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/04/25/chauvin-minneapolis-activists-fight-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jia Starr Brown</a>, said sessions spent crafting the document “moved through the attack on the United States Capitol, the trial of former officer Derek Chauvin and the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.”
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“When Covid-19 shut down the world in March 2020,” they wrote, “the murder of a young African American man, George Floyd, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin drew people from all over the world out onto the streets in unity and righteous anger, to protest the injustice they witnessed on their television screens.”
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James Lindsay, founder and president of <a href="https://newdiscourses.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Discourses</a> and author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Race-Marxism-Critical-Theory-Praxis/dp/B09SJ1NHG7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Race Marxism: The Truth About Critical Race Theory and Praxis</a>,” said the Minnesota group appeared to be using the ideal of Christian unity to push a Marxist political agenda.
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“This builds the narrative and makes way for the demand: Unity, so long as it&#8217;s unity in agreement under their cultic interpretation of history,” said Lindsay, who studied the document. “Unity, so long as it&#8217;s under their cultic interpretation of society. Unity, within the church—not under God, but according to consenting to this narrow, damaging, and ultimately cultic misinterpretation of the world.”
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Lindsay noted the Minnesota-based group cited the World Council of Churches (WCC), which he called “one of the main centers of religious manipulation and destruction.”
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The WCC “is a huge Marxist front operating under the banner of ecumenicism but is, in fact, designed to water down different faiths and blend them in the fashion we&#8217;re discussing,” Lindsay said. “The overall objective is to break down the specific faiths so they&#8217;re essentially too weak to be distinguishable and then bind them back together under initiatives like equity, inclusion, and sustainability (that is, make them Woke).”
</div>
The Daily Wire reached out to Cardinal Kurt Koch, <a href="http://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/cardinal-koch/biografia-cardinale-kurt-koch.html">prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity</a>, for comment on the oversight and vetting of contributors to initiatives such as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, but did not receive a response by publishing time. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity concludes on January 25.

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-MASS

Minnesota Group Steers Vatican-Led ‘Christian Unity’ Week Into U.S. Politics

Minnesota Group Steers Vatican-Led 'Christian Unity' Week Into U.S. Politics

Activists

Black Lives Matter

Minnesota

The Vatican

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/madonna" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madonna</a> is making headlines for her decision to interpret traditional <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/religion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian</a> imagery in her latest photo shoot.
The “Material Girl” singer caused controversy yet again with the religious-themed photos depicting traditional Christian art. The 64-year-old pop singer posed on the cover of a European edition of Vanity Fair for its Icon Issue dressed to look like Our Lady of Sorrows, a popular <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/catholicism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Catholic</a> devotional depicting Mary with her heart pierced by seven swords.
Inside the photo spread, Madonna can also be seen reenacting the famous portrayal of the Last Supper, but in her version, she’s surrounded by scantily clad women and holding up bread in an apparent mimicry of the Christian tradition of the holy Eucharist. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
New Madonna Vanity Fair photo shoot. These people and that whole industry is utterly demonic. <a href="https://t.co/GrLnpP8gqG">pic.twitter.com/GrLnpP8gqG</a>
&mdash; Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1616371852959531008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The singer was raised Catholic and has been openly critical of the church before. In the new Vanity Fair interview, she defended her overall perception of religious doctrine.
“I was fiercely criticized by the Catholic Church,” she asserted, per <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2023/01/23/madonna-mocks-christs-last-supper-in-vanity-fair-photo-shoot/">Breitbart</a>. “I quickly realized that they were the problem, not me. They were the problem because they did not understand that my work as an artist united people, gave them freedom of expression, unity. It was the mirror of Jesus’ teachings.”
Photographers Luigi Murenu and Iango Henzi directed Madonna’s two-day Vanity Fair photo shoot.
“In this very special issue, Madonna becomes Madonna again: an icon. Not just the embodiment of a musical trend or a style of dress, but a figure as disturbing as she is sacred,” said Olivier Bouchara, Head of Editorial Content for Vanity Fair France.
Other photos garnering reactions online include Madonna wearing a low-cut white dress covered in severed body parts from baby dolls. 
In another snapshot, Madonna can be seen wearing a skull mask that covers the bottom half of her face. “These people and that whole industry is utterly demonic,” one Twitter reaction to the photos <a href="https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1616371852959531008" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a>. 
Despite her relationship with the Catholic church, the “Like a Prayer” singer has reached out to church officials in the past. In May, she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/madonna-tweets-at-pope-asks-for-meeting-im-a-good-catholic-i-swear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a> at the pope and requested a meeting.
“Hello @Pontifex Francis —I’m a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don’t Swear! Its been a few decades since my last confession,” she wrote at the time. “Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters? I’ve been ex communicated (sic) 3 times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely Madonna.”

Madonna Plays Wembley Arena

Madonna Poses For Controversial Last Supper-Themed Photo Shoot, Calls Her Work ‘The Mirror Of Jesus’ Teachings’

Madonna Poses For Controversial Last Supper-Themed Photo Shoot

Celebrities

Madonna

U.S.

Divine justice came swiftly for a would-be thief who broke into a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/catholic-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Catholic Church</a> earlier this week.
According to local news sources, the man, reportedly drunk, broke into the Cristo Rey Parish in the city of Monterrey, Mexico, near the border with Texas. While trying to steal a statue of St. Michael the Archangel in the early morning hours on Saturday, he reportedly tripped and fell, injuring himself on the angel’s sword.
According to a report from the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253368/thief-steals-st-michael-statue-from-church-trips-and-is-injured-by-the-angel-s-sword" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Catholic News Agency</a>, the man hopped the fence, smashed through a glass door, and entered the Church in the wee hours Saturday. While trying to make off with a statue of the angel, he tripped and fell on top of the angel’s sword, sustaining serious injuries to his neck. Fortunately, passersby saw the man and called for paramedics. Monterrey Civil Protection personnel arrived on scene and rendered medical aid before police escorted him to a local hospital. The statue, however, was unharmed.
Local news sources added some details about the incident. According to local newspaper <a href="https://amp.milenio.com/estados/hombre-robar-iglesia-monterrey-resulta-lesionado" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Milenio</a>, the thief broke into the Church looking for valuables to steal — but his vision was blurred due to his intoxication, and he stumbled and fell on the statue; he landed on the sword, which ran through his neck. Passersby saw the man walking out of the Church, clutching his neck and with blood on his hands. Paramedics arrived and managed to control the bleeding. Despite difficulty speaking and eventually losing consciousness, the man reportedly refused to be taken to a hospital, but Monterrey Police eventually escorted him anyway.
Locals told news outlet <a href="https://abcnoticias.mx/local/2023/1/16/estocada-de-san-miguel-ladron-fue-justicia-divina-vecinos-de-iglesia-cristo-rey-179970.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC Noticias</a> that the man smashed through the glass door while trying to escape the Church after being wounded by the statue. Local residents said that the incident was “a matter of divine justice.”
&#8220;That happened to him for doing bad things,” said Lupita, the owner of a store that sells religious items located across from the Church. “Saint Michael is for protection, to combat evil, I think that&#8217;s why that happened to him.&#8221;
“He is the great protector. He is included in the articles that we sell here, and he is a protector of homes, and that is why people say that maybe that is why he saved the Parish,” she added.
Residents further told the outlet that the neighborhood, and the Church in particular, have been the target of robberies and other incidents in recent years. In October, a man broke into the Church and stole a statue of an altar boy and the alms tray, ABC Noticias noted. He was arrested by police after traveling only a few blocks when police spotted him carrying the statue.
Catholic News Agency reported that once the robber has recovered from his injuries, he will be handed over to the public prosecutor’s office, where he will likely be charged for the burglary and for damages to the Church.
Michael is the general of God’s heavenly army, mentioned by name in both the Epistle of Jude and the book of Revelation. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, protecting the Church, guiding souls to their final resting place after death, and judging their deeds. He is the patron saint of grocers, paramedics, mariners, paratroopers, police officers, and military personnel. His feast day is September 29 in the Roman Calendar.

Mosaic of Saint Michael

‘Divine Justice’: Man Trying To Steal St. Michael Statue From Catholic Church Impales Himself On Angel’s Sword

Man Tries To Steal St. Michael Statue From Catholic Church, Impales Himself On Angel's Sword

Catholic Church

Medical

Mexico

VATICAN CITY — Cardinal George Pell of Australia died at 20:50 CET today after complications from hip replacement surgery, The Daily Wire has independently confirmed.
The 81-year-old Cardinal was best known for having been chosen by Pope Francis to head investigations into Vatican Finances, including a deep-diving external audit of the Vatican Bank by Price Waterhouse Coopers. His investigations preceded current reforms being <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-07/pope-francis-interview-pullella-reforms-scandals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">implemented</a> by Pope Francis.
In 2018, the Australian Cardinal left his position as Prefect of the Secretariat for Economy to face allegations of sexual abuse in Victorian court after an investigation — later known as “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-28/george-pell-committal-detectives-single-mindedly-pursued-charge/9597312" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Operation Tethering</a>,” where police admitted to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-abuse-pell-idUSKBN1H40J6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigating Pell without cause</a>. Pell faced overwhelming <a href="https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/archbishop-fisher-launches-gerard-henderson-book-on-pell-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anti-Catholic media</a> bias, but maintained his innocence. He was nevertheless convicted and incarcerated in solitary confinement for over two years until overturned on appeal by the Australian Supreme Court. Pell later published a <a href="https://www.pellprisonjournal.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">series of journals</a> he wrote during this time in prison.
Prior to his convictions, Pell was known for setting up one of the first commissions for investigating clerical sexual abuse, along with reforming the main seminary of Australia during his time as <a href="https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2015/03/the-indomitable-and-effective-cardinal-pell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archbishop of Melbourne</a>.
Cardinal Pell was residing near the Vatican, a close friend to the late Pope Benedict XVI, as seen in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqjda3FT5vo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lengthy interview</a>, given just a week ago.
<div>The Daily Wire confirmed with Pell’s Secretary that the funeral for the Australian Cardinal will take place at St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday.</div>
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<div>The Vatican also announced that Cardinal Battisa Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the funeral mass. Pope Francis will attend, and will preside over the rite of “Ultimo Commendatio and Valedictio” at the end of the funeral.</div>

George Pell

Australian Cardinal George Pell Dies At Age 81

Australia

Religion

VATICAN CITY — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-dead-at-95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">laid to rest</a> Thursday after tens of thousands attended his funeral, officiated by his successor, Pope Francis.
Shortly before his death, in early December, German historian, archeologist, and prolific author Michael Hesemann met with the late Pope Emeritus on what would be his last annual visit with his friend.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Wire, Hesemann recounted — through email — intimate moments of friendship and brotherhood he shared with the Ratzinger brothers, and how the loss of both men in a span of a few years has impacted his life.
<h3>DW: Michael, how (and when) did you become acquainted with the Ratzinger brothers?</h3>
Hesemann: My uncle, who was one of the leading ophthalmologists in our country, Prof. Siegfried Niedermeier, knew and treated Cardinal Ratzinger since the mid-1990’s. They met several times during their vacations in Tyrolia, so my aunt is in possession of dozens of letters, handwritten by him during that time.
In 1998, I met Cardinal Ratzinger for the first time and presented him with my book &#8220;The Title of The Cross&#8221;, on the venerated relic in Rome&#8217;s Basilica di Santa Croce, which he seemed to like. In the year 2000, I met Archbishop Gänswein (Secretary to then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) for the first time, who translated my interview with Cardinal Bertone for the publication of “The Third Secret of Fatima.” In 2005, after Ratzinger’s election, I was commissioned to write a portrait of (now) Pope Benedict XVI for young readers who came to the World Youth Day in Cologne. From this moment on, I became an ardent supporter of his Pontificate.
As one of the founding members of &#8220;Germany Pro Papa&#8221;, a Catholic initiative defending him against unfair media campaigns, I began preparing for his visit in 2011. Just prior to this visit, in December 2010, I met his brother Georg the first time. Georg agreed to write a book with me, &#8220;My Brother, The Pope&#8221;, to be published for the Papal visit. We became friends and so I visited him every other month until his death in July 2020. He was the kindest, most gentle, most wonderful fatherly friend you could ever imagine. Through him I learned to understand Joseph, his younger brother, so much better.
Also, I met Pope Benedict XVI once a year, with exemption of the COVID-years, and always enjoyed his warmth and wisdom. After this personal experience with both Ratzinger brothers I can attest what a great loss the world has just experienced.
<h3>DW: What did you observe in the relationship between Georg and Joseph?</h3>
Hesemann: First of all, how close the two brothers were. The Ratzingers always were family people and indeed, until his death in July 2020, Georg was not only the brother, but also the closest confidant of Pope Benedict. No wonder he was the first who ever learned about Benedict&#8217;s planned abdication, even before Archbishop Gänswein, his personal secretary. 
<div id="attachment_485191" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-485191" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-485191" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DSC_0611-1.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="428" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/DSC_0611-1.jpg 640w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/DSC_0611-1-300x201.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />Georg Ratzinger and Michael Hesemann</div>
When I wrote the book &#8220;My Brother, The Pope&#8221; with him, I understood the reason for it. In the turbulent times of his childhood, during the Nazi dictatorship, the family was a kind of Noah&#8217;s Ark in the flood of this anti-christian ideology. Their parents managed to educate them to distrust the Nazis and to withstand their ideology plus all the temptations of the Zeitgeist and stand together for each other. Their focus became their deep Christian faith. They were the best example for the American saying &#8220;a family that prays together stays together&#8221; and indeed they prayed the rosary every day, kneeling on the stone-paved kitchen floor. 
You might still wonder, how from a rather poor and simple family background — the father a village policeman, the mother a cook — two geniuses arose, Georg, the composer and world-famous Choir master and Joseph, the greatest theologian of our times and 264th successor of St. Peter. The answer is: It was the richness and beauty of their Catholic faith and its culture.
<h3>DW: Tell me about their personalities — what details might most people not know about the Ratzinger brothers, aside from friends and family?</h3>
Hesemann: Well, they had completely different personalities. Georg was extroverted, he liked to be amongst people, he liked a “Schnapserl” — a glass of sweet liquor with his many guests — he was direct and outspoken and his great love and talent, besides God and the Catholic Church, was classical music.
Joseph (Pope Benedict XVI) was introverted and shy, a &#8220;book worm” — an intellectual who became the “Mozart of Theology”. Like his brother, he loved music, too, and even played the piano when he was Pope. But his real talent was theology, the description of the heavenly realities with earthly words. He never liked many people around him, he preferred solitude. And if he was really persuaded to take a glass of Prosecco or even beer, he’d say he felt tipsy after drinking just half of it. He preferred Fanta, a German soda.
Both brothers shared a common dream to spend the rest of their life together in Regensburg, Germany. Instead, after the death of John Paul II, when Joseph was elected Pope, Georg was so depressed that he did not answer the phone for a whole day. And Joseph, in his first audience for the German pilgrims, compared his election with an execution: &#8220;When the guillotine fell down on me&#8230;&#8221; He accepted the will of God, but he certainly did not desire to become Pope.
<h3>DW: Would you provide some memories of Joseph — experiences that you’re willing to share with people to give them a more “personal” feeling of him?</h3>
Hesemann: It would be my pleasure. One time, in the summer of 2015, I was invited to join the Morning Mass of the Papa emerito in the chapel of his monastery Mater Ecclesiae. Afterwards, Archbishop Gänswein invited me to meet Benedict in the sacristy. We had a nice conversation and at the end, I asked him: “Holy Father, would you mind if Archbishop Gänswein would take a picture of us?” “Not at all,” he replied. So I opened my bag, grabbed my Nikon and handed it over to to him. “Finally someone with a real camera!”, Benedict exclaimed with an emotional release. “Imagine, Mr. Hesemann, people take pictures of me with their telephones!” I smiled, not being part of the “Instagram Generation,” and nodded in agreement. “Well, Holy Father, they always want a kind of” – and then I used a typical Bavarian expression – “egg-laying-wool-milk-pig, a device that does everything but make decent phone calls.” He started to laugh — he had a wonderful sense of humor — and replied: “You are so right!” “But I am old-fashioned”, I told him, “for me a phone is a phone and a camera is a camera!” I admit that we were both dinosaurs of the 20th century, but to see the Pope laughing about my simple joke was just wonderful. Although being a great intellectual and spiritual giant, he was always so down to earth.
<div id="attachment_485192" style="width: 853px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-485192" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-485192" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/57164015_10157087858542270_1583924547957030912_n-843x576.jpg" alt="" width="843" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/57164015_10157087858542270_1583924547957030912_n-843x576.jpg 843w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/57164015_10157087858542270_1583924547957030912_n-300x205.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/57164015_10157087858542270_1583924547957030912_n-768x525.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/57164015_10157087858542270_1583924547957030912_n-1536x1050.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/01/57164015_10157087858542270_1583924547957030912_n.jpg 2005w" sizes="(max-width: 843px) 100vw, 843px" />Author Michael Hesemann with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI</div>
The other anecdote I have shows his profound wisdom and holiness. After he turned 90, in 2017, I had an appointment with him in the Vatican Gardens, at the Lourdes Grotto, to congratulate him: “Holy Father, I wish you many more years in good health, strength and spirits, blessed by God!” He looked at me with a serious expression, rising his right index finger, and admonished me: “Mr. Hesemann, please don’t wish me that!” I was shocked. “But, Holy Father, you have such a good life here in the beautiful Vatican Gardens” was the only thing I could say, before his index finger went even higher: “Heaven is much more beautiful!” And yes, he indeed lived with one foot in the heavenly kingdom already, when he was still here on earth.
<h3>DW: When was the last time you spoke with Pope Benedict — what did you speak of, do you recall some of his words?</h3>
Hesemann: It was on December 10, so I might have been one of his last visitors. I was invited both, to present him my new book and to congratulate him on the occasion of his 95th birthday. We spoke on a wide variety of subjects: The situation of the Church in Germany, my new book, my research on Pius XII, the death of the great Jesuit historian Fr. Peter Gumpel in October, but also on personal matters like the death of my beloved dog just ten days before — and, of course, Christmas, which he still celebrated in the Bavarian style.
I had brought him some typical German Christmas sweets, which he appreciated, and a portrait of St. Augustine, his favorite teacher of the Church. He was warm and affectionate like always, although it was obvious that it was difficult for him to speak and often enough he was difficult to understand so that Archbishop Gänswein had to repeat his words.
Still, I was impressed by his great memory. For example, he clearly remembered a discussion between Fr. Gumpel and Hans Küng during the Second Vatican Council some 60 years ago. He also tried to remember his encounter with Conchita, one of the seers of Garabandal, in the 1980’s. I felt it would be our last meeting so I thanked him for everything, for the great inspiration his pontificate was for me and that without him I would not be who I am today. I asked him to pray for me and he promised to do so.
<h3>DW: Was he ill when you saw him?</h3>
Hesemann: He was already sitting in his armchair when I was brought into his room on the first floor. It was obvious that he was physically weak and had problems with his respiratory system. I knew it would be our last encounter on earth. But, of course, I am not a physician, so any attempt at a diagnosis would be irresponsible.
<h3>DW: Much of our readership may not be Catholic — what do you consider his legacies, and what would you like the world to remember about Pope Benedict?</h3>
Hesemann: First of all, he was the greatest theologian of our times. Anybody who wants to understand the Gospel, wants to understand what Christianity and Catholicism is all about, finds reliable and profound answers in his books. He has been called &#8220;the Mozart of Theology&#8221;, because he writes in a simple, most beautiful style, so everyone without any theological background can enjoy his books. To define the teachings of the Church for the modern world with such brilliance and enlightenment makes him a true Teacher of the Church. 
In his Pontificate, he revealed the beauty of Christ&#8217;s teachings, indeed the beauty of heaven to the world, to all of us.
But he was not only a teacher, but also a man of prayer and profound saintliness. He lived and deeply believed what he taught. For him, there was no difference between theory and life. To follow his example and his teachings can make all of us not only better Christians, but better men and women — and open the gates of heaven!
<h3>DW: Many of those who have responded negatively to Pope Benedict have criticized his orthodoxy. Others have claimed he covered up for sex abusers. Still others blame him for the current state of the Church, having resigned. As a historian, you have defended Pope Pius XII. How will you answer Benedict’s critics?</h3>
Hesemann: All these claims are absurd. He did not cover up for sex abusers, he laicized about 800 priests who were found guilty of sexual abuse and met their victims on nearly every Papal trip. Despite doing more than anyone in the Vatican — including Pope St. John Paul II — to end the child abuse crisis, the world tries to lay it at his doorstep.
His orthodoxy was right, because his job as Pope was to preserve the faith and the teachings of Christ, not to water them down. Isn&#8217;t it absurd? He was the gentlest of souls and the world sees him as a terrifying Inquisitor, a Rottweiler. &#8220;There are also gentle Rottweilers,&#8221; was his reply.
His resignation was difficult for me to accept, too, but it only shows his great love for the Church. Benedict XVI had a minor stroke during his trip to the Caribbean and his physicians told him that he might have another, major stroke at any time. He was afraid that he would be paralyzed and unable to guide the Church, a situation even worse than the last years of John Paul II. So he acted out of his profound feeling of responsibility and love for the Church, and we have to respect this decision.
When I met him in October 2013, just half a year after his resignation, he was sure he would only have a few more months to live, so weak he felt at that time. It was a miracle that he recovered and spent another ten years in prayer for the Church, but nobody could have predicted this before. Still, he sacrificed the rest of his life, his plans, everything to fulfill what he considered to be God&#8217;s will. To give priority to the will of God and the fate of the Church, to step behind, to recognize his limits and accept it in humbleness and humility, characterizes him as a true saint, indeed.
He stands in front of His Eternal Judge right now and will recognize that He is his best friend. At the same time, I am sure he will experience God&#8217;s love and enjoy heaven, his ultimate goal, the eternal peace, the infinite beauty and ultimate bliss he truly deserves.
We&#8217;re not great at recognizing holiness. But from my Christian heart I&#8217;ll give the world a hint: I suspect a very holy man just passed away and the world will be poorer for it. Soon, I expect we will miss him, but hopefully then we will also recognize what a spiritual giant we had and how blessed we were when he lived among us.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Italy – Religion – Pope Benedict XVI

Exclusive Interview With Friend Of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, One Of The Last To Meet With Him

Pope Benedict

Readers Pass

Pope Emeritus <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-dead-at-95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benedict XVI</a> told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/catholic-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Catholics</a> to &#8220;stand firm in the faith&#8221; in his final message to the faithful.
The Vatican published the late pope&#8217;s <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2022-12/the-spiritual-testament-of-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spiritual testament</a> shortly after his death on Saturday. In it, Benedict thanked his family, friends, and God for the blessings of his life, and asked forgiveness from anyone whom he had wronged. He then urged believers to stand strong in the faith, even in the face of philosophical and scientific opposition.
&#8220;If in this late hour of my life I look back at the decades I have been through, first I see how many reasons I have to give thanks,&#8221; Benedict wrote. &#8220;First and foremost I thank God himself, the giver of every good gift, who gave me life and guided me through various confusing times; always picking me up whenever I began to slip and always giving me again the light of his face. In retrospect I see and understand that even the dark and tiring stretches of this journey were for my salvation and that it was in them that He guided me well.&#8221;
He went on to thank his parents for providing him with a loving home and role models for his faith; he also thanked his brother and sister for caring for and guiding him through his life. He also thanked his friends, colleagues, and former students. He thanked God for the beauty of his home under the Bavarian Alps, and all the beauty he experienced on his travels and in Rome and Italy. He then asked for forgiveness from any people he had wronged during his life.
Benedict then instructed Catholics to remain true to the faith in the face of opposition from science and philosophy. &#8220;Stand firm in the faith!&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Do not let yourselves be confused! It often seems that science — the natural sciences on the one hand and historical research (especially exegesis of Sacred Scripture) on the other — are able to offer irrefutable results at odds with the Catholic faith. I have experienced the transformations of the natural sciences since long ago and have been able to see how, on the contrary, apparent certainties against the faith have vanished, proving to be not science, but philosophical interpretations only apparently pertaining to science.&#8221; He also noted that the sciences help to better define the parameters of faith.
&#8220;It is now sixty years that I have been accompanying the journey of Theology, particularly of the Biblical Sciences, and with the succession of different generations I have seen theses that seemed unshakable collapse, proving to be mere hypotheses,&#8221; the pope added, using liberalism, existentialism, and Marxism as examples of philosophies that have come and gone.
&#8220;I saw and see how out of the tangle of assumptions the reasonableness of faith emerged and emerges again. Jesus Christ is truly the way, the truth and the life — and the Church, with all its insufficiencies, is truly His body,&#8221; he said.
A spiritual testament is a document that is written for the faithful by the pope — and is only to be published after his death. The late Pope Emeritus&#8217;s spiritual testament was written in 2006, just over a year after he was elected to the papacy.
Also on Saturday, Benedict&#8217;s secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, revealed that the Pope&#8217;s <a href="https://aleteia.org/2022/12/31/benedicts-last-words-jesus-i-love-you/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final words</a> were &#8220;Lord, I love you,&#8221; a phrase reminiscent of St. Peter&#8217;s confession to Jesus in the Bible.

‘Stand Firm In The Faith!’ Pope Benedict XVI’s Final Message To The Faithful

'Stand Firm In The Faith!' Pope Benedict XVI's Final Message To The Faithful

Faith

Fr. Frank Pavone, one of the most prominent U.S. Catholic priests organizing to defend life, has reportedly been defrocked by the Vatican with no possibility of appeal over social media posts deemed &#8220;blasphemous.&#8221;
A letter <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/253106/vatican-dismisses-father-frank-pavone-from-priesthood">obtained</a> over the weekend by Catholic News Agency said Fr. Pavone was dismissed for his social media activity and “persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.&#8221;
“Father Pavone was given ample opportunity to defend himself in the canonical proceedings, and he was also given multiple opportunities to submit himself to the authority of his diocesan bishop,” said a statement attached to a letter from Archbishop Christophe Pierre to U.S. bishops, dated December 13. “It was determined that Father Pavone had no reasonable justification for his actions.”
The statement notably refers to Fr. Pavone as a &#8220;lay person&#8221; and adds that his organization, Priests for Life, &#8220;is not a Catholic organization.&#8221;
Fr. Pavone learned about his apparent removal via Catholic News Agency reporting. “How did CNA learn about this before I did?” the priest responded to the organization via email.
In a note posted to Priests For Life&#8217;s website, Fr. Pavone blasted some American bishops he claims have had it out for him for some time.
&#8220;What took so long?&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;This has been the plan of some of the bishops for many years, and what has unfolded has not been dialog, but a one-sided narrative of abuse.&#8221;
&#8220;My request remains the same: let me serve the Church with a full-time ministry on behalf of the unborn,&#8221; Fr. Pavone pleaded. &#8220;Some call my refusal to turn away from that work &#8216;disobedience.&#8217; I call it faithfulness.&#8221;
&#8220;Is it my advocacy of the Church’s teaching on political responsibility?&#8221; the father questioned. &#8220;Have there been too many pro-life candidates elected, or one too many Justices on the Supreme Court willing to reverse Roe v. Wade and also restore religious liberty?&#8221;
&#8220;Exactly what do the opponents of my work want me to stop doing?&#8221; he continued. &#8220;My work is carried out as part of a team of pro-life professionals who have decades of experience, professionalism and integrity. The 50 people we employ at Priests for Life are solidly united in this mission and will remain so.&#8221;
In an open letter to Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Fr. Pavone said Pierre&#8217;s letter to U.S. bishops &#8220;contains serious errors and omissions&#8221; and promised, &#8220;those errors will be addressed separately and thoroughly.&#8221;
&#8220;When you say there is &#8216;no possibility of appeal&#8217; to this decision, you speak only in a very narrow legal sense, and completely ignore the appeal that is being made to the People of God themselves,&#8221; the father wrote. &#8220;This is not just about me; it’s about the millions of supporters of the movement I help to lead and will continue to lead, and of the work that the People of God have already evaluated and judged worthy of their ongoing support.&#8221;
Fr. Pavone has received support from Catholics in the pro-life community. Former Planned Parenthood executive-turned-pro-life activist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/abbyjohnsonprolife/posts/pfbid0WsaRgEZEUSPAiq71tAqwnRLEugQTSK4bLtADKPogAh24r2kgaFTMVsCTD8qnMR9nl">Abby Johnson</a> called Pavone &#8220;one of the most dedicated pro-life warriors&#8221; and questioned why he&#8217;d been defrocked.
Johnson has credited Fr. Pavone with assisting her conversion to Catholicism.
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&#8220;The enemy is in our churches, friends,&#8221; she wrote in a Facebook post addressing the defrocking. &#8220;Every faith tradition. All different congregations. All ages. All cultures. He is sly, charming, unassuming and incredibly convincing. Good will indeed look like evil and vise (sic) versa. Stay in the word. Pray constantly. Use discernment.&#8221;
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Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jane-roe-of-roe-v-wade-said-she-was-paid-to-lie-about-being-pro-life-in-deathbed-confession-new-doc-claims-pro-lifers-who-knew-her-push-back">‘Jane Roe’ Of ‘Roe V. Wade’ Said She Was Paid To Lie About Being Pro-Life In ‘Deathbed Confession,’ New Doc Claims. Pro-Lifers Who Knew Her Push Back.</a>
</div>

Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life (

Report: Pro-Life Fr. Frank Pavone Removed From Priesthood By Vatican; Responds With Defiant Message

Pro-Life Father Frank Pavone Defrocked Over Social Media Posts

Vatican

Sony is re-releasing a PG-13 version of the Mark Wahlberg movie &#8220;Father Stu&#8221; in an effort to appeal to more families.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mark-wahlberg">51-year-old</a> actor shared the news on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClTyblFL69a/">Instagram</a> in a recent post celebrating that the film — based on the true story of a boxer who came a Catholic priest — would be re-released in theaters with a PG-13 rating December 9. The movie was originally rated R.
&#8220;Based on the inspiring true story,&#8221; Wahlberg wrote. &#8220;&#8216;Father Stu: Reborn&#8217; will be back in theaters December 9 and rated PG-13. Get tickets now at www.fatherstumovie.com #FatherStuMovie @fatherstumovie.&#8221;
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The star of the faith-based film spoke recently about the recut version of the movie and promised its message is just as important.
&#8220;We took out all 200 and some odd swears,&#8221; Wahlberg said during his recent appearance on <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/mark-wahlberg-highlights-powerful-message-father-stu-reborn-nobody-beyond-redemption">Fox News</a>. &#8220;And the film is still as powerful.&#8221;
&#8220;Given the nature of the R-rated movie, lots of families didn&#8217;t feel comfortable with their children seeing it, but they really wanted them to get the message,&#8221; he added in another Fox News interview. &#8220;To see Stu&#8217;s journey and the struggle that he went through to find his calling, we felt, was really important for people of all ages to see.&#8221;
&#8220;I really wanted young people as a whole to see it, but especially young boys,&#8221; Wahlberg continued. &#8220;We want to prevent kids from making a lot of the same mistakes that we made – certainly mistakes that I made. So anything that we can do to kind of show them an easier path to serving God and just being positive, productive members of society.&#8221;
The superstar actor, who is a devout Catholic himself, previously talked about the film and said it was &#8220;his calling,&#8221; his &#8220;mission,&#8221; to get this movie made, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-was-my-calling-mark-wahlberg-explains-why-father-stu-was-a-turning-point-for-him">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
&#8220;The reason why [Father Stu] was so effective was because he was authentic,&#8221; Wahlberg shared about the inspiration for the film. &#8220;He was speaking the truth from experience, and that&#8217;s invaluable … He&#8217;s such a remarkable man. It was an honor for me to portray him in the film and to tell his story.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mark-wahlberg-congratulates-son-and-other-young-people-who-have-chosen-to-commit-to-the-lord">Mark Wahlberg Congratulates Son And Other Young People Who Have Chosen To Commit To The Lord</a>

Boston Special Screening Of Father Stu With Mark Wahlberg And Rosalind Ross

Mark Wahlberg, Sony Re-Releasing PG-13 Version Of ‘Father Stu’ In Theaters

Entertainment

Hollywood

Mark Wahlberg

A former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/catholicism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Catholic</a> priest plead guilty to obscenity charges Monday after desecrating his church altar with two dominatrices.
Travis Clark, formerly the pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Pearl River, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/catholicism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisiana</a>, plead guilty to a single count of felony obscenity during his arraignment Monday, <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/northshore/ex-priest-pleads-guilty-in-pearl-river-altar-tryst/article_b85860b6-69c5-11ed-9461-7bb77407e433.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOLA.com</a> reported. Clark and two women were charged with obscenity and institutional vandalism in 2020 after they were found engaging in sexual activity on the church altar. The two women plead guilty to the vandalism charges earlier this year.
The plea was part of a bargain filed under seal at the request of defense lawyers, the outlet reported. Judge Ellen Creel of Louisiana&#8217;s 22nd Judicial District sentenced Clark to a suspended prison term of three years; he will instead serve three years of supervised probation and pay a $1,000 fine. After the criminal charges have concluded, Clark will have to appear again in January for a civil trial, which seeks a permanent injunction against him and the two women to stop them from ever profiting off the crime. Clark&#8217;s attorneys said that he already paid $8,000 in restitution to the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
One of Clark&#8217;s defense lawyers argued that the defendant should not have to serve active probation. &#8220;In this situation it&#8217;s an incredibly specific set of facts and conditions that seem very unlikely to ever happen again,&#8221; the lawyer said, adding that the purpose of supervised probation is to prevent a repeat offense. The lawyers argued that the two women were more likely than Clark to repeat the same offense. But the judge ordered supervised probation for the two women co-defendants and said she was not inclined to treat one defendant differently than the others.
The two women plead guilty in July of this year to charges of misdemeanor institutional vandalism. They were each sentenced to two years of supervised probation.
The charges stemmed from <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/courts/article_86bb52f6-165c-11ec-bd20-d3507e09ce69.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a>. On September 30, 2020, police were called to the Church after a passerby saw the two women dressed in corsets performing sex acts on a partially-naked Clark, while a cell phone and camera were recording them, NOLA.com reported at the time. Police arrived on the scene and arrested Clark and the two women, both professional dominatrices; they also seized sex toys, stage lights, the cell phone, and a tripod-mounted camera recording the affair.
The institutional vandalism charge relates to &#8220;knowingly vandalizing, defacing, or otherwise damaging property and causing damage valued at over $500 and under $50,000.&#8221; The obscenity charge relates to engaging in sex acts in any place &#8220;open to the public view.” The altar could reportedly be seen through the windows and glass doors of the church.
Clark was laicized by the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans one day after his arrest. <a href="https://www.wdsu.com/article/archbishop-gregory-aymond-releases-video-addressing-recent-priests-removed-from-ministry/34331666" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archbishop Gregory Aymond</a> declared the altar desecrated, and ordered it to be removed, burned, and replaced.
“It is a very tough time right now to be a Catholic in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to say the least. Many people feel anger, betrayal, and disappointment,&#8221; Aymond said in a video statement to the faithful in October 2020. &#8220;I feel the same way … as do my brother priests. What has happened &#8230; is unacceptable, sinful, and cannot be tolerated. Let me be clear: [Clark was] removed from ministry immediately and will NEVER serve again in Catholic ministry.&#8221;
&#8220;His obscene behavior was deplorable,&#8221; Aymond added. &#8220;His desecration of the altar in Church was demonic. I am infuriated by his actions.&#8221;

Priest

De-Frocked Catholic Priest Pleads Guilty To Obscenity After Recording Sex Acts On Church Altar

De-Frocked Catholic Priest Pleads Guilty To Obscenity After Having Sex On Video On Church Altar

Church

Louisiana

Sex Crimes

Struck by new historical context, journalist Raymond Arroyo is sharing the real story about the three wise men who traveled to visit Jesus Christ after his birth — the most ubiquitous Christmas story on the planet.
&#8220;Everything I thought I knew about them ended up not being true,&#8221; the EWTN host told The Daily Wire. &#8220;So I dug into the research. I said, &#8216;Wait a minute, who are these guys? Where did they come from? Why were they going to the Christ child? Are they even real?'&#8221;
They were real, he found — just not at all how you might have been taught. The &#8220;three kings&#8221; were not kings at all, they were not from as far east as Asia or Persia, and there likely were not three of them.
&#8220;Once I discovered those answers, I had to turn this into a family read,&#8221; Arroyo said. &#8220;So rather than a chapter book, which was my first impulse, I turned it into a picture book for families so they could enjoy it together at the holidays. And that&#8217;s how we have &#8216;<a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-wise-men-who-found-christmas/9781644136201/pd/4136201?en=google&amp;utm_source=google&amp;kw=&amp;mt=&amp;dv=c&amp;event=SHOP&amp;p=1221303&amp;cb_src=google&amp;cb_typ=pmax&amp;cb_cmp=18863800473&amp;cb_adg=&amp;cb_kyw=&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA4OybBhCzARIsAIcfn9n6xAGHcSHsl-g-DvtuO52hj-u_MKMQWAzvgq7Opee6uIEQtC12VF4aAoA9EALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wise Men Who Found Christmas</a>.'&#8221;
Arroyo&#8217;s adventurous new family book, &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wise-Men-Who-Found-Christmas/dp/1644136201/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=Cj0KCQiA4OybBhCzARIsAIcfn9n9izEyvDCoSPd32qps1xT59KqEXg12M1q4u2WX7a7jxCATUaiz32gaArHLEALw_wcB&amp;hvadid=627278000812&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocphy=9005573&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvqmt=b&amp;hvrand=4249039984358692961&amp;hvtargid=kwd-1718252833667&amp;hydadcr=27892_14512606&amp;keywords=wise+men+who+found+christmas&amp;qid=1669057036&amp;sr=8-1">The Wise Men Who Found Christmas</a>,&#8221; influenced by research from Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Dr. Margaret Barker, and John Healey, was released in October, and is already racking up hundreds of five-star reviews.
&#8220;There were not three of them,&#8221; Arroyo told us about the history of these wise men. &#8220;The gospel only says there were three gifts, not three kings or three wise men. And it turns out that they couldn&#8217;t have been kings, because there&#8217;s no way they could have made it from the far east — or wherever they&#8217;re supposed to have come from, because of the political situation of the day. There were just too many blockades. You couldn&#8217;t pass freely from one kingdom to the other without permission.&#8221;
Arroyo posits that they wise men were likely Zoroastrian priests, mathematicians, theologians, stargazers, magicians, interpreters of dreams, and royal consults.
So, where did the Magi come from?
&#8220;The gifts indicate where they came from,&#8221; Arroyo said. &#8220;Those three gifts would only really be available and were, so to speak, the &#8216;hometown goods&#8217; of the kingdom of Nabatea in Arabia — really, modern day Jordan, and a little bit of Syria. That is basically where I believe these wise men came from.&#8221;
&#8220;Solomon&#8217;s mines, or the Gold Mines of Midian as they&#8217;re sometimes called, those are in Arabia, and were controlled by the kingdom of Nabatea at the time,&#8221; the author explained. &#8220;So there&#8217;s the gold.&#8221;
&#8220;And frankincense and myrrh were only made in the Kingdom of Arabia,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They&#8217;re derived from tree sap, which I had no idea of. So, that gives us a really strong indication of where they came from.&#8221;
Arroyo said that there are first and second century writings that say the wise men came from Arabia. &#8220;Justin Martyr says that; Clement of Rome says that,&#8221; the author noted. &#8220;So this is not a stretch, it&#8217;s just we&#8217;ve ignored all of those early sources and bought into the sixth, seventh, and eighth century creations, which are: they were kings, their names were Casper, Balthasar, and Melchior. Those are all creations much, much, further down the line.&#8221;
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Raymond Arroyo 
These historical clues and findings about the wise men help to root the Christmas story in a vibrant historical reality, Arroyo argued.
&#8220;Here was my contention: If the wise men were not true, then the object of their devotion, the person they sought is probably on shaky ground as well, historically,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So I went ahead and looked at the historical situation and read through the data. And what I discovered is this really happened, it really did happen in this particular time.&#8221;
&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t change the story, but it roots it in a historic reality that I think gives it more vibrancy and makes it far more human and interesting than it might have been before,&#8221; the author added.
And the stakes are raised. &#8220;These guys were facing political pressure, sudden death from King Herod,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;I mean, there&#8217;s a lot of pressure on them. Why would they go to the lengths that they go through if they didn&#8217;t believe something extraordinary was there?&#8221;
&#8220;I want families and young people — all of them to go on a journey together,&#8221; Arroyo said of the new book. &#8220;All of my books are written for a family audience. &#8230; I do try to weave things in that only adults will understand, and then there are things that only children can grasp. And so when they read them together, the experience is richer, they can share their takeaways and their impressions of the story. But most of all, I want families to find Christmas the way these wise men found — in a fresh way, in a new way with an urgency and a kind of vitality, which is what I see when I look at the historical record and consider what we have in the gospels.&#8221;
You can purchase &#8220;The Wise Men Who Found Christmas&#8221; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wise+men+who+found+christmas&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA4OybBhCzARIsAIcfn9n9izEyvDCoSPd32qps1xT59KqEXg12M1q4u2WX7a7jxCATUaiz32gaArHLEALw_wcB&amp;hvadid=627278000812&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvlocphy=9005573&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvqmt=b&amp;hvrand=4249039984358692961&amp;hvtargid=kwd-1718252833667&amp;hydadcr=27892_14512606&amp;tag=googhydr-20&amp;ref=pd_sl_6qmma45zqb_b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and <a href="https://www.christianbook.com/the-wise-men-who-found-christmas/9781644136201/pd/4136201?en=google&amp;utm_source=google&amp;kw=&amp;mt=&amp;dv=c&amp;event=SHOP&amp;p=1221303&amp;cb_src=google&amp;cb_typ=pmax&amp;cb_cmp=18863800473&amp;cb_adg=&amp;cb_kyw=&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA4OybBhCzARIsAIcfn9n6xAGHcSHsl-g-DvtuO52hj-u_MKMQWAzvgq7Opee6uIEQtC12VF4aAoA9EALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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Raymond Arroyo

Raymond Arroyo Reveals The ‘Real’ Story Behind The Wise Men And Christmas

Raymond Arroyo Reveals The ‘Real Story’ Behind The Wise Men And Christmas

Books

Christmas

An 87-year-old Ohio priest driving to Sunday Mass narrowly escaped death when an SUV barreling the other way went off-road, smashed into a road sign and another vertical object, then soared directly over the priest’s car.
On October 2, the feast of the Guardian Angels, Father John Bok, who is now retired, headed to St. Andrew Catholic Church in Milford, Ohio at roughly 8:40 a.m. to help serve Mass. A young man driving the SUV suffered a seizure wheel and passed out, leaving the vehicle to smash into the objects and get hurled into the air. Bok stated later that the young man recovered.
“It’s a miracle,” Bok told the <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252705/miracle-caught-on-video-priest-escapes-unharmed-when-suv-hurdles-his-car">Catholic News Agency</a>.
“I did not know that that car went over top of me because I was looking ahead and it was to my left and above,” said Bok, who is blind in his left eye and wears hearing aids. “And out of the corner of my eye I sensed something went by, but I just thought it was a bird or something like that.”
According to Bok, he remained unaware of what had transpired until a police officer whom he spoke to at a restaurant after Mass showed him a video taken by a funeral home across the street from the incident.
“I was in amazement that it had happened,” Bok, who had spent part of his life as a physics teacher, admitted. “One of the mysteries is that it would happen to be that Oct. 2 feast (of the Guardian Angels).”
“I don’t know what God was thinking,” he quipped, adding that if he had indeed been killed in the incident, it would be a “win-win” situation because “heaven is going to be better than here.”
“I’m happy I’m still here and it’s a mystery why I am when you look at that darn video,” he concluded. “When I see it, I just scratch my head and say, ‘Thank you, Lord.’”
One of the parishioners at St. Andrew Catholic Church wrote on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SaintAndrewChurch/mentions">Facebook</a>, “St. Andrew is our parish. Fr. John always closes Mass with a corny joke, often involving a pun or play on words. His brother, Fr. Jim Bock (also in his 80’s), is also a Franciscan priest, serving in Jamaica for many years.” A commenter replied, “God is good, all the time!! All the time, God is good!!”
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Elderly Senior Man Driver Hand Gripping Car Steering Wheel

‘It’s A Miracle’: Priest Driving To Mass Narrowly Escapes Death When SUV Hurdles Over His Car

 87-Year-Old Priest Driving To Mass Escapes Death When SUV Hurdles Over His Car 

Miracle

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