Another new leak challenges Vatican narrative; Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass; Last Christian town in West Bank attacked by Israelis; Critics raise ethical concerns about ChatGPT; California bishop waives Mass obligation for illegals fearing ICE; Marjorie Taylor Greene proposes bill to only count citizens in census; and more —
Trump taps [Catholic] Sean Duffy as interim NASA administrator
President Trump said late Wednesday that he was tapping Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to lead NASA on an interim basis after Trump yanked his original nominee for the post.
“Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time.”
Read more at The Hill
Over 2,000 Senior NASA Staff Set to Leave Following White House Plan to Gut Space Agency: Report
At least 2,145 senior-level NASA employees—many of them top scientists and mission-critical managers—are voluntarily heading for the exits, according to internal documents obtained by Politico.
The exits come as part of a bold push by the Trump White House to downsize a bloated and politicized federal bureaucracy.
These GS-13 to GS-15 employees — many of whom wield enormous behind-the-scenes influence over NASA’s billion-dollar programs — represent the backbone of the agency’s managerial and technical power structure, making their exit a potential turning point in U.S. space policy.
Read more at Gateway Pundit
Marjorie Taylor Greene proposes bill to only count citizens in census: ‘must pass it’
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Thursday announced the introduction of a new bill which would limit the U.S. Census to only count American citizens.
The measure, known as the Making American Election Great Again Act, would also make it so voters must present proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. She shared in a post via X the measure had received the support of President Donald Trump.
Read more at The National News Desk
After immigration raids, Southern California Catholic bishop lifts Mass obligation
A Southern California Catholic bishop announced Tuesday (July 8) that he is lifting the obligation for local Catholics to attend Mass if they have reason to fear immigration enforcement after people were detained on church property in two parishes in his diocese.
In his decree, San Bernardino Bishop Alberto Rojas cited “concerns expressed by many of our brothers and sisters regarding fears of attending Mass due to potential immigration enforcement actions by civil authorities.”
Read more at Religion News Service; Read Bp. Rojas’ dispensation here.
Reactions to Rojas’ dispensation to attend Sunday Mass on social media were swift and plentiful. They include —
While American bishops dispense Catholics from the Sunday obligation due to the potential of being (legitimately) arrested, African Catholics in our day are attending Mass in spite of the potential of being killed by Muslims.
How many Nigerians or Syrians have been dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass—when doing so, may cost a believer their life?
@Lepanto Institute on X:
I don’t think a single bishop ever dispensed a Christian from their Sunday obligations during the Roman persecutions – and Trump ain’t no Diocletian!
@Catholics for Catholics on X:
“[T]here are thousands of Christians living in Muslim countries where they are literally gunned down during Mass … but in the West, you can skip Mass if you have fear or anxiety. Incredible. We have built a community of cowards … The same happened with the whole covid circus.”
@Miss B Converted on X:
Imagine if Catholics were given dispensations like this during the centuries of persecutions by the Roman emperors. Would Christianity have grown exponentially as it did, or would it be yet another cult of antiquity that died out amongst most of its followers? This is very sad.
… Legal or illegal, you are exempt – it is enough just to have fear so you don’t obey the third Commandment of God’s Law. Meanwhile, many of those same people continue going to work, doing grocery shopping, attending soccer games, protesting in the streets, etc.
… I AM IN CALIFORNIA AND I ASSURE YOU THAT IMMIGRATION NEVER ENTERS TO ARREST “ILLEGAL” PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH, MUCH LESS DURING MASS. …
Top 2024 pollsters start group to challenge bias in media surveys
Four of the nation’s most accurate 2024 election pollsters have formed an independent group to produce “the very best” data and challenge the bias in competing surveys, many run by the media and colleges.
The National Association of Independent Pollsters will start with Big Data Poll, InsiderAdvantage, Trafalgar Group, and Rasmussen Reports, all of which were top 10 polls in 2024.
Read more at the Washington Examiner (subscription required)
Conservative group takes on IRS over ‘vague’ rules silencing free speech
A landmark case challenging the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) multifactor “facts and circumstances” test argues it is being used to silence speech by conservative nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status.
Freedom Path, a Texas nonprofit group founded in 2011, was established with a focus on repealing Obamacare and the balanced budget amendment. The group maintains it was denied tax-exempt status as a social welfare organization after a nine-year administrative process because the IRS deemed it too political.
Read more at Fox News
Charlie Kirk: Corporate Class Pressuring Trump For “Mass Amnesty” Deal That Would “Break” MAGA Coalition
Charlie Kirk says major people in the “ruling class” are pushing President Trump to give amnesty to illegal aliens working on farms, hospitality, and service industries.
“I can tell you that there are many different discussions that I’ve had with people, and they are pushing it hard— to create some kind of amnesty proposal aimed specifically at farm laborers in the United States.”
“If you want to break our coalition, go and push amnesty. That right there would be a complete collapse of everything that we have worked for — everything,” Kirk said. “The corporate class is deathly afraid that they might actually have to hire Americans and pay a higher wage.”
Read more at Real Clear Politics
Justice Department Sues California for Alleged Discrimination Against Women Over Transgender Policies
The Department of Justice announced that it will sue the state of California for alleged violations to Title IX, with the aim of keeping men out of women’s sports.
“Title IX was enacted over half a century ago to protect women and girls from discrimination. The Justice Department will not stand for policies that deprive girls of their hard-earned athletic trophies and ignore their safety on the field and in private spaces,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement. “Young women should not have to sacrifice their rights to compete for scholarships, opportunities, and awards on the altar of woke gender ideology.”
Read more at Catholics for Catholics
Los Angeles joins ACLU lawsuit against Trump’s immigration raids
The city of Los Angeles and other Southern California municipalities are joining a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at halting immigration raids that have spread panic among immigrant communities and sparked widespread protests.
The lawsuit, filed last week by the American Civil Liberties Union, accuses federal agents of using unlawful police tactics such as racial profiling to meet immigration arrest quotas set by the administration.
Read more at Reuters
Trump Looks To ‘Forge New Economic Opportunities’ with African Nations in White House Meeting
President Donald Trump said that his administration is “working tirelessly” to establish new economic opportunities with many African countries during a lunch with African leaders at the White House on Wednesday.
Trump, who is reshaping the global trading market with his tariff policies and trade deals, praised Africa’s potential while meeting with the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal in the State Dining Room.
Read more at Breitbart
Pope Leo XIV receives Ukrainian president Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo
On Wednesday Pope Leo XIV took time out from his summer vacation in Castel Gandolfo to receive the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
It was the second time the two have met after exchanging greetings at the Vatican on May 18 in the context of the Mass inaugurating Pope Leo’s pontificate.
According to an official statement from the Holy See, the two leaders discussed the ongoing conflict and “the urgency of pursuing just and lasting paths of peace.”
Read more at Catholic News Agency
Marjorie Taylor Greene Introduces Weather Modification Ban Bill
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia announced that she plans to introduce a bill that would ban weather modification practices that include geoengineering and cloud seeding. The bill would be similar to a recent bill passed in the state of Florida, according to Latin Times.
“I am introducing a bill that prohibits the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity. It will be a felony offense,” Greene wrote on X. She said the legislation was modeled on Florida’s Senate Bill 56, which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) in June.
Read more at Catholics for Catholics
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for creation with Latin prayers in Castel Gandolfo gardens
It was a mix of liturgical old and new in the gardens of Castel Gandolfo on Wednesday as Pope Leo XIV inaugurated a special Mass for the Care of Creation — with key portions in the ancient language of Latin.
Against a backdrop of green foliage and a large sculpture of Mary at the pope’s traditional summer residence, the pontiff prayed July 9 for more people to be converted from “the excesses of the human being, with his style of life,” which he said was a major cause of the many natural disasters taking place around the world.
Read more at the Catholic News Agency; see also USCCB website
Pope Leo XIV Shares Message to Pilgrims at Historic Mass in Canterbury Cathedral
Catholic faithful packed Canterbury Cathedral on Monday evening for a historic Mass, complete with a papal blessing and the Eucharistic liturgy celebrated by the apostolic nuncio to honor St. Thomas Becket and the translation of his relics in 1220.
Since at least the late 20th century, the Cathedral’s Anglican leaders have allowed the local Catholic parish of St. Thomas of Canterbury to celebrate the translation (transferal) of the relics every July 7 with a Mass at the high altar.
Read more at the National Catholic Register
Last Christian town in West Bank attacked by Israelis, church leaders appeal to world for help
A 5th century church and an ancient Christian cemetery were badly vandalised by Israeli ‘settlers’ in the last Christian town in the West Bank yesterday.
In a statement today, Tuesday, 8 July, the priests of the churches of Taybeh — Latins, Greek Catholics, and Greek Orthodox — made a clear appeal to the world, expressing deep concern about the increasing and documented attacks by illegal Israeli settlers on the town’s land, holy sites, and properties – amidst official silence that exacerbates the sense of danger and lack of protection.
Read more at Independent Catholic News
Can the Church help Syrian Christians? Can Damascus again be place of conversion?
During a visit to Rome, Archbishop Jacques Mourad, Syrian Catholic Archbishop of Homs, shared his views with I.MEDIA on the delicate political transition in Syria, which has so far failed to meet the hopes of the population. …
He calls on the United Nations to implement a peace plan in this country traumatized by 54 years of dictatorship and 14 years of war, with the urging of Pope Leo XIV.
Read more at Aleteia
A message from LifeSite co-founder Steve Jalsevac [re: John-Henry Westen’s departure]
In light of the recent announcement regarding John-Henry Westen’s departure as CEO and Editor-in-Chief, I wish to address the speculation surrounding this decision and provide clarity on behalf of LifeSiteNews. The board’s decision was made with careful deliberation, much prayer, and a steadfast commitment to our mission of promoting truth, life, and family values. …
While legal constraints prevent us from delving into extensive detail, I can share that the decision was influenced by several factors, including …
Read more at LifeSite
Word is that Steve Bannon is in serious discussions with John Henry Westen
Steve Bannon and WarRoom have already had discussions about forming a new venture around the content of John Henry Westen.
“The Confrontation against the forces of darkness will only be won with our best @ the front lines—John Henry Westen is one of the best,” posts Liz Yore.
Read @Liz Yore on X
Should Catholics use ChatGPT? A few things to consider
Oprah had never used ChatGPT until she interviewed Sam Altman, CEO of the chatbot’s parent organization, OpenAI. How was her first experience? “Miraculous,” she said.
Oprah’s not alone. More than 800 million people use ChatGPT each week, Altman says. But Catholics might wish to think carefully before they do — for a number of reasons.
Read more at National Catholic Register
French archbishop appoints priest convicted of rape as chancellor
An archbishop in France appointed last month a priest convicted of raping a 16-year-old boy to the position of archdiocesan chancellor — telling French media that the appointment was meant as an act of mercy, and the position is mostly administrative.
After the appointment made French headlines Monday, victims’ advocacy groups — and the priest’s own victim — said the appointment was in their judgment unacceptable.
Read more at The Pillar
New Leak Challenges the Vatican Narrative (Again)
Through all the years of Pope Francis, I have to believe that there were many good men in Rome who tried to do what they could. For example, Cardinal Pell’s anonymous memo to the Cardinalate denouncing Francis’s pontificate. Like I’ve said before, a bishop told me at the Eucharistic Congress in Indy, USA that the Trad movement actually has wide support among the bishops. But these good men are either cowardly, or wise as serpents, playing their cards at the proper time in the quagmire that is Vatican politics.
Perhaps now these good men are acting, by leaking crucial documents to one of the greatest English Vaticanistas, Miss Diane Montagna. And today she has a new leak …
Read more at OnePeterFive; see also Diane Montagna’s Substack
