Rome and the German “Synodal Way”: Complicity?

“The Synodal Way has voted on a text to establish the blessing of “irregular” couples—divorced-and-remarried, cohabiting partners, homosexuals. The Curia has sometimes reacted, without going beyond a warning or a reprimand, leaving the process free rein, to the point that one must speak of complicity.

“The truth is that the German bishops, supported—indeed pushed—by a progressive and determined laity, have no intention of changing anything, but rather of pressing forward. For them, in fact, it is a matter of life or death: backing down would cause the base of the Synodal Way to implode, and the Church in Germany along with it.

“Rome has neither the tools nor the will to alter this state of affairs. Neither the tools, which were shattered by the Declaration *Fiducia supplicans*. Under the regime of the CDF’s *Responsum*, it would have been a different story, but the Curia contradicted itself in less than three years. Nor the will, because faith and moral conviction are deserting the Curia.

“If anyone doubts it, let them read the report of study group no. 9, which aligns itself with the Synodal Way and its conclusions on the LGBT question. In the meantime, as “dialogue” produces “consensus” between Rome and the DBK, the harm progresses among the German faithful and is beginning to cross borders, with the Curia’s blessing. Under these conditions, one must speak of complicity.”

Source: https://x.com/fsspxfr/status/2054178371978875124?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

My Manhattan Parish Went Viral This Easter — Here’s What the Headlines Missed

COMMENTARY: The event that draws so many young adults, the Mass itself, is anything but a passing fad.

Dominican Father Jonah Teller incenses the altar during evening Ash Wednesday Mass on Feb. 18, 2026, at the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village. (photo: Jeffrey Bruno for the National Catholic Register)

Kayla Bartsch CommentariesApril 13, 2026

If you’ve been reading the headlines lately, you know that urban Gen Zers are flocking to the Catholic Church in droves — or, at least, to a few, particular parishes. 

Last month, Fox & Friends released a cliptitled “GEN Z REVIVAL: NYC church sees lines out the door every Sunday.” The New York City church in question was my own: the Church of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village, colloquially referred to as “St. Joe’s.”

Soon, the New York Post followed suit: “Gen Z Catholic influencers make church look cooler than ever — snapping up hundreds of thousands of social-media followers.” The article includes photos of influencers and TikTokers descending on my parish. (I can’t say I’ve seen or met any of them.) 

Not to be outdone, The Washington Postpublished an article titled “Why Catholicism is drawing in Gen Z men: Young men in their 20s and 30s are increasingly drawn to the Catholic Church as they seek truth, beauty and, yes, girlfriends.” Evie magazine, hailed as the “conservative Cosmo,” published a viral piece titled “NYC’s Hottest New Club Is Catholic Mass.”

More: https://x.com/jlliedl/status/2043826369587544556?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

“Anti-Christian” Synod: Bishop Schneider on the clear and present moral danger for the Church

Bishop Schneider (Ed Pentin)

“Homosexual heresy is increasingly infecting the Body of the Church, and if the Pope, and with him the cardinals and bishops, do not wake up and, as responsible spiritual physicians and shepherds, clearly and courageously warn and protect people from such spiritual contagion, they will be guilty through their inaction and silence. It is quite possible that future generations, looking back on our era, will apply to it words from the time of the Arian heresy: “The whole world sighed and wondered how it had abolished the Sixth Commandment of God.”

~ Bishop Schneider

More: https://x.com/dianemontagna/status/2054169415684403498?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

In Paris, Traditional Liturgy Is Drawing a New Generation to the Church

 At Saint-Roch — the ‘Church of the Artists’ that has become a hotspot for the traditional Latin Mass in recent years — 55 adults were baptized this Easter, the highest figure in the city.

The light of Christ burns brightly at the April 4, 2026, Easter vigil at Saint-Roch in Paris. (photo: Solène Tadié)

Solène Tadié WorldApril 11, 2026

As night fell on the steps of Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris, a large, eclectic crowd gathered in quiet fervor around the newly blessed fire for the Easter vigil. The faithful of all ages — many of them young families — then processed into the Church of Saint-Roch, a baroque landmark known as the “Church of the Artists,” whose high vaults were engulfed in darkness. A low chant rose as light returned, candle by candle, gradually revealing the faces of those who were about to become Catholic.

In total, 55 adults were baptized at the April 4 vigil, the largest number of adult baptisms of any parish in Paris this Easter. Most of those stepping forward were young adults with little or no religious formation. Instead, they had arrived at this pivotal moment after months or years of personal searching, often marked by trials, intellectual curiosity, and a gradual return to fundamental questions about life, death and truth.

Saint-Roch is filled with candlelight during the 2026 Easter vigil.(Photo: Solène Tadié)

And it’s no coincidence that Paris’ largest group of converts has entered the Church via Saint-Roch. The parish is one of the city’s traditional Latin Mass hotspots, with several converts referencing both the sense of transcendence and communal bonds as draws to the faith. The trend points to an emerging dynamic that could reshape the future of Christianity in France.

More: https://x.com/edwardpentin/status/2043573576670777728?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

Courage Director: Synod Report ‘Wounds the Church’

Father Brian Gannon argues how ‘intellectually dishonest’ document departs from Scripture and 2,000 years of Church teaching on human sexuality.

Father Brian Gannon is executive director of Courage International. (photo: EWTN Global Catholic Network screenshot / EWTN)

Edward Pentin InterviewsMay 11, 2026

The final report of the Synod on Synodality’s Study Group 9 has drawn widespread criticism since its publication last week — not least for what its authors wrote about Courage International.

A respected and canonically approved Catholic apostolate, since 1980 Courage International has been providing spiritual support to men and women experiencing same-sex attractions who wish to live chastely according to Church teaching.

In its critique of Courage, the report failed to include perspectives from anyone involved with the apostolate and erroneously claimed that its work involved so-called “reparative therapy.”

“Since no Courage representative was involved in the process, the study group became problematic and seems to contradict what synodality intends: the greater engagement of all relevant voices,” said Father Brian Gannon, Courage International’s executive director, in an interview with the Register. “It is thus intellectually dishonest.”

More: https://x.com/edwardpentin/status/2053943378388398297?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w

Father Thomas Byles and the Sinking of The Titanic

This is the priest who died on the Titanic to hear confessions and administer last rites.

Given the opportunity to board a lifeboat on two separate occasions, Father Thomas Byles firmly declined. He chose instead to stay behind, absolving sins and consoling the doomed passengers.

Following the vessel's collision with the iceberg, he assembled the remaining crowds on the aft deck.

Those who lived through the disaster recalled him standing bravely amid the panic, listening to confessions, granting collective absolution, and reciting the Rosary right up until the ocean claimed the stern.

This is the type of story we should elevate, heroic virtue. May the Lord bless us with more holy men possessing the courage of Father Thomas Byles.

@TradWest

The Disobedience of Fr. Ripperger

 

Divination and the Church's exorcist problem

MELODY LYONS

APR 11, 2026

"It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for

good or for ill."

Elrond on the fall of Saruman

J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings 

It’s been decades since I emerged from the influence of the occult. That’s a rather long story of metanoia, and I’ve touched on it elsewhere. I mention it here to explain my particular interest in the growing public scandal of Fr. Chad Ripperger, which impacts not only the spiritual and psychological safety of Catholics, but also millions of non-Catholics who have seen him elevated by prominent media personalities such as Tucker Carlson, Shawn Ryan, and Matt Fradd.

The title of this article is strongly worded, but it is not intended as clickbait. The disobedience of an exorcist should raise a legitimate alarm and be discussed earnestly as a threat to the holiness of precious souls. This I know because, while I don’t write as an expert on exorcism, involvement with the occult nearly led to my own spiritual and physical death. A former victim of divination-peddlers, I now feel an urgency to advocate for the vulnerable.

If we are to accept a man’s authority to teach on the most important things, we must first ask from whence comes his authority. In the case of any Catholic exorcist, that authority comes from Christ through the Church. Yet, this authority has limits, as the Church has laws guiding the actions of the exorcist that merit serious attention.

The question few seem to be asking is whether Fr. Ripperger is following those rules and, if perhaps he is not, what are the consequences of such disobedience in the context of his ministry? There has clearly been a shift in his public teaching, and many, including self-described traditionalists, are taking notice.

My purpose is to explore the question of obedience and to caution against the titillating practice of exploring the minds of demons—and then using that information to instruct the faithful. I sincerely hope, dear reader, that this article does not increase traffic to those who act as mouthpieces for the demonic. That would be like sharing photos of “adult entertainment,” ostensibly in opposition. This behavior serves only to multiply the damage. With that in mind, I won’t be linking to any of Father’s work. 

The demonic is abusive. Stop disseminating, glorifying, and platforming the abuse.

More: https://x.com/melodymlyons/status/2042951260106584508?s=46&t=IydJ-X8H6c0NM044nYKQ0w