We begin the week and the month of June, dedicated to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; it is fitting not to forget these things that have always helped so much to give concrete form to the devotions and prayers of God’s martyred people.
The Rosary and the gift of peace.
Leo XIV recalled the “choral invocation for peace” of the Rosary prayed during the Marian month that has now ended. He remembered the “peoples tormented by war”; he also implored the “gift of peace” yesterday from the Vatican Gardens. His commentary on the Gospel: “The Trinity makes us love everything and everyone.” The prayer in the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens, on the occasion of the end of May, attended by 2,000 people, was connected with 200 Marian shrines. After the Angelus, the Pope also recalled the 25th Day of Solidarity being commemorated today in Italy. “I am close to the sick and to those who care for them; I thank and encourage all who spread the culture of closeness and care.”
Indifference is never neutral.
“Evil comes not only from those who commit it, but also from those who, being able to prevent it, do not.” This famous reflection attributed to Thucydides has endured through the centuries with a surprisingly contemporary force. It evokes a responsibility often forgotten: that of those who witness injustice, understand its mechanisms, yet choose not to intervene. When a deception is uncovered, when evidence of manipulation and concealment, omissions and falsifications emerges, those who could denounce it but do not become accomplices. It is not only a legal issue, but above all a moral one; silence can become complicity. In this sense, the latest commentary by Santiago Martín seems especially clear to us Pope teacher or Pope ruler? The challenge of Leo XIV before disobedience.
*The history of the infamous column* was published by Alessandro Manzoni in 1840 together with the definitive edition of his novel * The Betrothed* . Analyzing the trial of the plague-spreaders during the Milanese plague of 1630, the writer shows how collective fear, prejudices, and the desire to find scapegoats can distort justice to the point of turning it into an instrument of persecution. “It has often happened that even good reasons have lent support to bad ones, and that, because of the strength of both, a truth, after having long delayed in coming to light, has had to remain hidden for a long time.”
The Becciu trial in the Vatican, and the other trials we have experienced, present aspects that recall, at least on the level of moral reflection, some of the dynamics described by Manzoni. Unprecedented media pressure, even before a verdict, reaching the point of eternal and senseless prior condemnations, all adorned with headlines, leaks, and tendentious journalistic reconstructions. The trials in the Vatican are populated with controversial elements, debates over investigative methods, procedural problems, and the numerous irregularities denounced by the defense that receive no attention and vitiate the entire process. Here the theme of silence once again takes center stage. If there are elements that challenge an established narrative, why do so many observers prefer to ignore them? Why does a significant part of journalism seem to focus mainly on the accusation and far less on the weaknesses of the prosecution’s case?
The boring Church of Pope Leo XIV.
Pietro Santoro published a year ago: The boring Church of Pope Leo XIV. The Becciu case. Some media outlets seem to prefer a Church turned into a permanent spectacle, in which cardinals and prelates assume the role of protagonists in an ongoing television series of scandals, accusations, and dramatic twists. In this context, the Becciu case has become one of the most media-covered episodes of recent years. We all remember the controversy surrounding the exclusion of the cardinal from the Conclave that elected Leo XIV, a topic that continues to raise questions and debates within the Catholic world and beyond.
The central thesis of the article is provocative: perhaps the true revolution of Leo XIV lies precisely in his desire for a “quiet” Church, free from the constant search for scandals and sensationalism. A Church that prefers prayer to media attention and sobriety to publicity campaigns. But this very choice raises an even more complex question. If the Church is to be a place of truth, then even the controversial events of the recent past deserve to be reexamined without prejudice, fears, or conveniences. History teaches us that the gravest injustices rarely arise solely from the actions of their perpetrators. They thrive mainly thanks to the passivity of those who observe and remain silent. Truth may be delayed, hidden, or distorted, but it does not cease to be truth. Because evil does not belong only to those who create injustice. It also belongs to those who, even though they could denounce it, choose to remain silent. Pope Leo XIV seems to have opted for the return to a discreet and sober Church, one that prefers silent prayer to media sensationalism, but in the Becciu trial and the Rupnik case, the Pope risks his pontificate: how can justice be administered without renouncing his predecessor?
The Church’s favorite daughter and the seal of confession.
The title of eldest daughter of the Church is an illustrious one that France risks losing. Not because of the number of conversions, which, thanks in part to the resurgence of tradition, has surprisingly increased in recent years, but because of the growing tensions between political and spiritual powers. The conflict between the French bishops and the political forces pushing for the assisted-suicide law has not yet ended, and another front is certain to open. The latest law that displeases the French Church is the one proposed at the end of April by Violette Spillebout, with the aim of “protecting children and combating violence in schools.” Among the proposed solutions, Article 9 of the bill “explicitly establishes that ministers of religion are obliged to report acts of violence against minors, even if they become aware of them in the exercise of their duties,” categorically specifying that “no seal of confession may prevent it.”
The Episcopal Conference expressed its position in a communiqué, praising the justification of the bill, which “demonstrates the intention of our leaders to resolutely involve our country in these necessary and urgent battles,” which the Church supports. However, the bishops maintain that “certain articles of the bill call into question several fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of conscience, the seal of confession, freedom of education, and religious freedom.”
The Catholic world is also perplexed by two other articles that would introduce greater state interference in private schools (mostly Catholic). Article 9 addresses a topic considered extremely delicate even in the Vatican, where similar bills, seen in recent years from Australia to Chile, have provoked a strong reaction in defense of the seal of confession. In 2019, it was then-Cardinal Major Penitentiary Mauro Piacenza who crystallized the Holy See’s position in a note arguing that “any political action or initiative aimed at imposing the inviolability of the sacramental seal would constitute an unacceptable offense against the freedom of the Church. The law could interrupt Pope Leo XIV’s visit, who will be in France from September 25 to 28.
Chinese Catholics outside China.
Just as in other latitudes we have more or less reliable statistical data on how we are doing, in China this is impossible and all the data we can obtain is always manipulated. This weekend we saw a living and strong Chinese church in Padua. Two days of faith that took place on May 23 and 24 at the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The occasion was the 17th World Day of Prayer for the Church in China, celebrated annually since Pope Benedict XVI established it with a letter to the Catholics of that country, published on May 27, 2007. About three hundred people, including numerous families and children from eleven Italian Chinese Catholic communities: those of Milan, Reggio Emilia, Prato, Naples, Turin, Rome, among others. The high point of the day was Sunday the 24th with the procession from the Basilica of the Saint to the parish of the Sacred Heart.
The blessings in Germany.
Let us hope it is a positive development; we do not doubt that the Bishop of Münster has orders to reduce the tension that exists on the issue. Around 850 men and women from throughout the Diocese of Münster, who were celebrating their wedding anniversaries this year , attended a blessing ceremony in Münster Cathedral on Saturday, May 30. The ceremony was presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Wilfried Theising and, at the end of the Mass, he and other priests offered individual blessings to the couples who requested them. Auxiliary Bishop Theising continued: “Jesus gives us so much love that we can share it with others. You, as married couples, do this every day, and thanks to this, this love does not diminish but grows.” He wished the newlyweds that “the richness of their lives and their marriage continue to grow.” Another blessing ceremony for couples celebrating their anniversary in 2026 will take place on Saturday, October 10. It seems there were no problems with camouflaged rainbow couples and everything proceeded normally.
Discovering the Latin Mass.
And we close with a book—the author calls it a booklet—that we find very interesting both for its content and for its author. The former Hungarian ambassador to the Holy See is the author of a new book Discovering the Latin Mass: A Travel Guide for the Curious , written as a simple and practical guide for those beginning the traditional liturgy. Its author is Archduke Eduard of Habsburg-Lorraine , a descendant of the Habsburg dynasty, who served as Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See from 2015 to 2025. In the interview: “I wrote this little book because I had no explanatory booklet at hand when I first attended a traditional Latin Mass and felt completely confused, even irritated. No one had prepared me for the differences in almost every aspect of the liturgy, so at first I could not appreciate it. Therefore, I hope that, with this little booklet in hand, people will approach their first Latin Masses better prepared and will not immediately close themselves off.”
“The strongest impression the Latin Mass has made on me is the one it has had on my children. We were all Catholics from childhood, attending Mass regularly, praying, making pilgrimages, etc. But when we discovered the Latin Mass some five or six years ago, the whole family—even those who only visited us sporadically in Rome—embarked on a completely new path to deepen our faith, our relationship with Christ, and our appreciation of the liturgy. For example, I now perceive greater fidelity in daily prayer, in the recitation of the Rosary, in novenas, and in all these practices, and that transforms life. I have found something that truly gave our whole family a new beginning in the faith.”
“I think it is too early to predict what role the rediscovery of the traditional Latin Mass will play in Europe. The number of faithful is still very small, and the vast majority of Catholics continue to attend what we call the Novus Ordo Mass: the current Mass. However, I do see my role, perhaps, as that of an ambassador of the traditional Latin Mass for those who do not know it, who wish to discover it, or who perhaps wish to overcome their prejudices against this form of the rite. I began writing this booklet almost immediately after finishing my term as diplomat to the Holy See. As a diplomat, one must be quite discreet about one’s personal preferences, especially in liturgical matters. Now, I have much more freedom to express what I feel.”
“The young are very attracted to the traditional Latin Mass. It is a phenomenon we see throughout Europe and the world, especially in the United States, England, France, Austria, Germany, and Hungary—everywhere. You ask why. Of course I do not know for certain, but my personal opinion is that it is the absolute antithesis of today’s world. It is very reverent and very silent, very silent. The silence was what attracted me most, both me and my family. It is very devout. I think that if young people today want to be Catholic, they want to be so in a very meaningful way. The traditional Latin Mass conveys both the impression and the reality of very deep roots. The uniqueness of Latin, the reverence of the gestures—all of this indicates that what is happening is very serious and sacred. I think that is what young people are looking for if they want to build their lives on solid foundations.”
“I think the aggressive resistance to the traditional Latin Mass is due in large part to two factors, the first of which is probably a prejudice dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. Several generations of priests—some of whom are now bishops—grew up with the idea that this is something ‘of the past,’ something we have left behind in order to open ourselves to the current liturgy. They were taught that we should not delve into it or indulge in it too much, that it is something mechanical, something black or white, something of yesteryear. All of this may have led some people to grow up with the firm conviction that it is something to be overcome, dusty and obsolete. So when others now try to rediscover it, they react aggressively. I think that is one possible explanation.”
“It is true that the Latin Mass has a relatively small attendance of Catholics worldwide. I say ‘relatively’ because if we compare the number of those who frequently attend the Latin Mass with those who attend Mass regularly—even on weekdays—in many countries of Western Europe, then the number of those attending the Latin Mass seems much larger than one might think. However, compared with the total number of people baptized in the Catholic Church, it remains very small.” “If we look at the number of people who have been baptized, confirmed, or who have returned to the Catholic Church in the last four or five years, we can see that something is happening in the Church, something is happening throughout the Western world, as far as I can tell. I am fully hopeful that the Church will not become that small remnant of which Benedict XVI spoke.”
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Good reading.
Large public turnout at St. Paul’s Cathedral: Many married couples celebrated their anniversary.
Traditional Latin Mass Is ‘Absolute Antithesis of Today’s World,’ Says Eduard Habsburg
300 Chinese in prayer in Padua
DONALD TRUMP, JOHNSON IN VATICAN? ANOTHER FIERCE ATTACK ON THE POPE: “THAT MAN IS USELESS”
New attack by Trump against the Pope: “Someone should explain to him that Iran cannot have the atomic bomb”