The Gospels of Abba Garima, an illuminated gospel book divided into two volumes discovered in 1950, were originally thought to be composed just after the first millennium, or at least centuries after the death of the itinerant monk Garima. Yet recent radiocarbon dating carried out at Oxford University suggests a date between 330–650 AD, thus opening the possibility that they were actually formed by Abba Garima himself, which would pre-date the then earliest illustrated scriptural manuscript of the Rabbula Gospels (c. 586 AD, Laurentian Library, Florence) from Syria.
In the 16th century, the Jesuits took control of the higher education in Europe to properly instruct laymen not just in the tenets of the faith, but in other utilitarian subjects, such as mathematics and astronomy. Aligning with absolute monarchs who only sought to enrich their fiefdoms through colonization, the Jesuits, like St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552) and Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) expressed and lived out their voluntarist ideal by undertaking some of the most inconceivable missionary endeavors.
‘Just as it was with both the early community of Islamic believers and the later caliphate-state, the goal is universal governance according to the norms of the sharia. However, jihad (or holy war)is now camouflaged under soft law—rules that are neither strictly binding nor completely lacking in legal significance but nevertheless incorporate some sort of expectation of legal relevance.’
In truth, “the long arc of harassment, assault, and murder of Palestinians by Jewish settlers is twinned with a shadow history, one of silence, avoidance, and abetment by Israeli officials”, states The New York Times. This is not to downplay the terrorist threat against Israelis by Palestinian jihadists. However, interviews with more than one hundred people—current and former officers of the Israeli military, the National Israeli Police, and the Shin Bet domestic security service; high-ranking Israeli political officials, including four former prime ministers; Palestinian leaders and activists; Israeli human rights lawyers; American officials charged with supporting the Israeli-Palestinian partnership—there appears to be a long history of crime without punishment.’
‘It is ironic…that the protesters, while having legitimate positions, have remained altogether silent on the atrocities committed by Hamas, to say nothing of their main sponsor, the Islamic Republic of Iran. In truth, ever since an estimated 750,000 Palestinians lost their homes amidst the creation of the State of Israel 1948, there have been American Jews deeply unsettled by Israeli policies toward both the Palestinian refugees and Arabs living under Israeli rule. These critics of old into the American Jewish establishment, such as leaders and staff members of the American Jewish Committee.’
‘One can then argue that the so-called Muslim fundamentalists wrongly justify their acts of violence. All this being said, there is confusion as to who speaks for Islam and how Islamic law (the sharia) is to be employed, especially in light of the Sunni-Shi’ite division. Nevertheless, the manner in which both physical and cultural jihadists invoke their legal tenets in order to justify their jihad leads one to confirm that their indiscriminate acts are sanctioned by the Islamic texts.’
‘It was thought that the BRI, aside enhancing China’s geo-political clout, would have not just boosted trade and growth, it would have also created sustainable development and social stability in the countries involved. On the contrary, the social impact of large infrastructure projects were are often implemented through human rights violations.’
Shi’ism, as a branch of Islam, evolved through a Gnostic approach to God (i.e., having an intimate knowledge and spirituality with Allah and acknowledging a hierarchy of angels). Shi’ites, who are seen as heretical by Sunnis, believe that we have free will, are responsible for our own actions, and are called to conduct ourselves according to the design of Allah’s justice, which is revealed through a series of signs, the most important being prophecy and the guidance of the imams.
‘The apocalyptic notion of overpopulation, which is taught in grade schools, instilled in centers of higher education, and pushed by NGOs, has even drawn together conservative politicians with their left colleagues, though for different motives. The latter sustain the pretext of saving the environment at all cost, even at the cost of human beings themselves. The former, instead, argue on the vitality of offsetting the growing fertility among immigrants with that of their decreasing indigenous population.’
‘Many Muslim scholars and other apologists who argue that the murder of innocent people committed by jihadists in the name of Islam was never ordained by their prophet cite the Quranic verse: ‘‘If anyone slays [kills] a person, it would be as if he slew the whole people, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.’’ What is misleading about this is that this passage, as presented, does not exist anywhere in the Quran.’
‘Christian doctrine as taught by the Church of Rome had historically provided society with a point of reference for moral guidance, which subsequently “ensure[d] that politics remain[ed] rational and d[id] not fall into the trap of ideologies”. Yet since the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), the institutional Church, or some who speak for Her, have steadily dismantled the remnants of Christendom with ambiguous, if not erroneous teachings.’
‘Easter, just like Christmas, has been trivialized in various parts of the world. There seems to be more attention given to spending time with the Easter bunny or going on an Easter egg hunt, as opposed to going to church to partake of the Paschal mystery. Easter has become inconsequential because the modernist message focuses on pleasure, instead of joy or fulfilment; and the latter can only be arrived at by bearing our daily cross.’
The notion of law reached new heights in the thirteenth century with Aquinas. Building upon the jurisprudence of the father of canon law, Gratian, who synthesized and harmonized the works of Roman jurists and the theological traditions, the Angelic Doctor developed the concept of law as that which is both absolute and rational, ordained by God Himself. Consequently, since God’s reason cannot be subjected to time, His law must be eternal, Aquinas reasoned.
‘Is Pope Francis correct to suggest that this is a war Ukraine cannot win, and so, it should start seeking a truce with Russia? Ending the war, even a ceasefire, is not an act of cowardice, especially when there is no end in sight.’
‘Communist-inspired wokeness, under the pretension to promote ‘anti-racism’, has not only captivated university campuses and social media, but it has also infiltrated the mindset in the workplace, in both the public and private sectors. This has given birth to cancel culture, which, like the National Socialists, both censors or restricts free speech and erases or reconstructs history to befit whims.’
‘It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the capitulation of the West to political Islam is no one’s fault but the West itself. The person in the twenty-first century has to realize that the socio-political construct of Islam is structured on its religious tenets that define and stipulate a Muslim’s redemptive relationship with Allah and with his fellow Muslim.’
‘The US Constitution must be first and foremost interpreted via the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the ‘Creator’, as well as the ‘Laws of Nature and Nature’s God’—an archaic term developed by the Anglican clergyman in his Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie (1594), which equate to the natural law and God’s divine precepts.[1] John Locke, perhaps the philosopher who influenced the Founding Fathers, in his Two Treatises on Government, likewise identified the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God as God’s moral legislation inscribed in the heart of man. This is because man himself is by nature unable to know the divine moral directives such as doing good unto others.’
‘Fiducia Supplicans, which calls for the blessing of homosexual couples—keeping in mind that nowhere in this document does it call for conversion—the door has been opened to LGTBQ+ protagonists to promote their agenda. This has divided the Church into two Churches, as many, such as the Hungarian and African bishops, have rejected the directive.’
‘The notion of ‘Judeo-Christian’, putting aside its religious connotation, as the foundation of Western civility is rather arbitrary, if not ambiguous. Various Christian fundamentalists and self-proclaimed traditional Catholics have employed the ‘Judeo-Christian’ discourse to justify their backing of Israel, despite the term being neither eschatological nor doctrinal. ’
The inherent dilemma regarding the rules of engagement in a just war is that they tend to become either vague or restrictive when military operations fail to achieve victory or a ceasefire leading to peace.
“For all the trials the Christians have endured—from famine during the Ottoman Empire to British bombardment during World War I and the rule of Hamas—the potential future for our Christian brethren in the Holy Land after the war is eventually over seems bleak.’
During the oppression by the Communists, which specifically targeted Catholic churchmen, such as the Venerable Cardinal József Mindszenty, many priests were coerced to flee the country. Blessed Brenner, however, chose to stay, saying: ‘I’m not afraid. I’m happy to stay.’ He was murdered on 17 December 1957.
‘Before a military operation is even conceivable, Washington and the EU Member States must abandon the so-called “good relations” with Iran. There is nothing good in a “relation” where the other side is going to profit from it, and thereby continue to sponsor terrorists. After all is said and done, then, perhaps we can discuss, or even assume, good relaions.’
‘Washington and the EU need to take an entirely different approach, one that may actually work, and that is facilitate a ceasefire. Convincing Zelensky to consider this does not necessarily mean that Ukraine is to give up on restoring its 1991 borders or on holding Putin’s government responsible for the death and destruction he has caused since invading the country.’
‘There will never be a full-proof manner in individualizing who within a Muslim community is a terrorist. At the same time, doing absolutely nothing, like the elite in Brussels does, only harbours Muslim jihadists on our front porch while they are preparing for the next attack.’
‘The indiscriminate attack on 7 October that killed approximately twelve-hundred innocent Israeli citizens cannot go unpunished. Yet there are rules of war that need to be respected.’
Elizabeth was declared a saint four years after her death. She is often symbolized by a triple crown, which stands for her roles as a member of royalty, as a mother, and as a saint, crowned in heaven. She is the patroness of the Franciscan Third Order and of all Catholic Charities.
It was Pope Gregory III (731-741) who formally instituted the feast of All Saints on 1 November when he consecrated a chapel to all the martyrs in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome; he then required the Feast of All Saints to be observed annually. Surprisingly, this celebration was originally confined to the Diocese of Rome. It was not until Pope Gregory IV (827-844) assumed the Throne of St Peter that the feast was extended to the entire Church on that day.
‘Hamas’ 7 October attacks have nothing to do with the grievances of the average Palestinian. Rather, it is part of their jihad (holy war) that is sponsored by the theocracy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which must be stopped…peace can only come after the Hamas terrorists are eliminated and Iran is properly dealt with.’
‘Instead of ‘making disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; teaching them all that [Jesus Christ commanded]’, (Matthew 28, 19-20) members of the Catholic hierarchy are promoting, at least inadvertently, a culture of relativism and indifferentism—both equally venomous to the moral progress of the human race.’