DHS torpedoes narrative of pro-Antifa priest who 'exploited' holy sacrament to score points on ICE



The Catholic Church holds that the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life" in which Jesus Christ is substantially present. It appears, however, that for Antifa-championing retired priest Larry Dowling and a handful of other clergymen, the Eucharist might double also as a political prop.

Dowling, who appears to spend much of his retirement pushing leftist propaganda on social media, led a Eucharistic procession on Saturday from St. Eulalia Church, where pro-abortion activist Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) spouted off about immigration, toward the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility near Chicago in Broadview, Illinois.

The processing facility in Broadview has been heavily targeted in recent weeks by radicals critical of the Trump administration's faithful enforcement of federal immigration law. As as result, additional security supports have been implemented, including extra fencing.

'A procession through the public streets is to be held as a public witness of veneration toward the Most Holy Eucharist.'

In footage of the political procession, Dowling can be seen leading a gaggle of photographers and holding a monstrance, the container meant to hold the Eucharist, in the faces of state police while asking for access to the facility. It is unclear whether the monstrance contained a consecrated host at the time.

Footage also shows a supposed nun and others giving political speeches in front of an altar temporarily erected near the facility.

An expert on canon law who spoke to Blaze News on the condition of anonymity indicated that "this seems completely inappropriate."

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The 1983 Code of Canon Law provides that "when it can be done in the judgment of the diocesan bishop, a procession through the public streets is to be held as a public witness of veneration toward the Most Holy Eucharist."

The expert noted further that while canon law holds that "it is for the diocesan bishop to establish regulations [ordinationes] which provide for the participation in and the dignity of processions," "it remains completely inappropriate" to use the Eucharist as a prop.

'The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership exploited this holy event for political purposes, thus trivializing, if not defaming, its raison d’être.'

David Inczauskis, a Jesuit priest who served as the master of ceremonies, acknowledged that the procession was organized by the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, a grant-reliant anti-ICE outfit that provides training on how foreign nationals can evade federal immigration and authorities and is committed to transforming "racial, economic, social and environmental structures."

Blaze News has reached out to Dowling, Inczauskis, and Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago for comment.

Dr. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said in a statement to Blaze News:

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership is a left-wing advocacy organization whose mission statement says nothing about Christianity or Catholicism. More revealing is what it flags on its website — a strong commitment to merging "Liberation Theology & Community Organizing." Liberation theology is a curious admixture of Marxism and Christianity, and in practice it has done more to oppress than liberate the masses in developing countries. As such it is bizarre to learn that this radical entity held a Eucharistic procession to a migrant detention center in Illinois, a facility run by ICE.

It appears that the participants in this political procession were keen on shaming federal agents and securing a photo opportunity — and judging from the event's recent coverage in publications such as the leftist blog Common Dreams, WBBM-TV, and the propaganda outfit MeidasTouch, the radicals got at least half of what they wanted.

"Eucharistic processions are a decidedly solemn event whereby the Blessed Sacrament is carried out of a church and into the streets; many Catholic parishes conduct such a procession on the feast of Corpus Christ, the body of Christ," continued Donohue. "What Catholics do not do is exploit Eucharistic processions to advance a partisan agenda."

"Quite frankly, the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership exploited this holy event for political purposes, thus trivializing, if not defaming, its raison d’être," added Donohue.

In addition to potentially using Holy Communion as a prop, the protesters subsequently did their best to push a false narrative.

Dowling said in a statement on Facebook, "We went to pray and have a few of us clergy and religious women bring Holy Communion and the love of the Christian community to the men and women detained there under inhumane conditions."

The retired priest claimed that when the processionists allegedly asked to administer Holy Communion to the detainees inside the facility, "the answer came back very clearly: NO, YOU CANNOT BRING A HINT OF COMPASSION AND PRAYER INTO THIS PLACE! NO, YOU CANNOT OFFER ANY SOLACE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN FEARFUL AND SUFFERING INSIDE! NO, YOU CANNOT BRING JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, THE LOVE OF GOD INTO THIS PLACE!"

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"Yesterday, we witnessed another level of evil," claimed Inczauskis. "Not only are migrants being torn away from their families and friends. They are also being torn away from their religious communities. ICE is severing the Body of Christ."

Contrary to the narrative advanced by Dowling and Inczauskis, the Department of Homeland Security indicated to Blaze News that compassion was precisely why ICE couldn't immediately oblige the processionists' last-minute request for entry.

"Over the past month, rioters have swarmed the Broadview ICE facility and Chicago streets. They have assaulted law enforcement, attacked law enforcement with vehicles, thrown tear gas cans, slashed tires of cars, been arrested with firearms in their possession, blocked the entrance of the building, and trespassed on private property," said a DHS official. "Our ICE staff informed the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership that the Broadview processing center was not able to accommodate visitors on such short notice, for their safety as well as that of detainees and staff, and due to the ensuing riots."

The official noted further that "as ICE law enforcement has seen a surge in assaults, disruptions, and obstructions to enforcement, including by politicians themselves, any requests to tour processing centers and field offices must be approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security."

Such requests should be filed a week in advance to "prevent interference with the President’s Article II authority to oversee executive department functions," added the official.

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Allie Beth Stuckey's debate with 'liberal Christians' is being praised for all the right reasons



Allie Beth Stuckey, BlazeTV host of “Relatable,” is receiving praise from across the internet after she debated 20 so-called "liberal Christians."

Last month, Stuckey participated in the latest installment of Jubilee's "Surrounded" series. The format is simple: Stuckey presents four "claims," and participants take turns debating her until a majority of the participants vote that opponent out. Rinse and repeat for 20 minutes for each claim.

'Allie Beth is a much better debater than I ever thought.'

These are the four "claims" that Stuckey presented:

  1. The Bible says that marriage is only between one man and one woman.
  2. Abortion is a grave moral evil.
  3. Empathy can be toxic and lead to sin.
  4. Progressivism and Christianity are at odds.

Most of the counter-arguments to Stuckey's claims were not novel. But what made this Jubilee debate different from previous installments was, for the most part, the respect that participants showed Stuckey through their disagreements.

Not only did most of the participants debate Stuckey with respect, but most of them sought to understand Stuckey's positions. And unlike previous Jubilee debates, none of Stuckey's interlocutors melted down or reduced the debate to personal attacks and mudslinging.

Of course, most of Stuckey's opponents held their ground — as did she. But Stuckey still managed to find common ground with many of them — and a few even ended up agreeing in principle with her claims.

Comments on the debate video were filled with praise, not only for the respect demonstrated between Stuckey and her interlocutors, but for Stuckey's command of scripture and Christian theology and the grace that she showed each and every person.

Here are just some of the highlights:

  • "The difference between Christian’s debating Christian’s vs Christian’s debating non Christian’s is crazy. This was the most respectful debate on jubilee I’ve ever seen."
  • "I’m not very religious and don’t know who any of this people are, but I have to confess this woman made me actually rethink my stands in abortion …"
  • "Allie just demonstrated 1 Peter 3:15 so well. This woman was prepared to give a defense and did so with gentleness and respect."
  • "Allie Beth Stuckey was clear, understood her positions well, was winsome, respectful, humble, and stood her ground. Even if you disagree with her, she provided an excellent model for civil debate and represented her positions well."
  • "Im not a religious person but... This was probably the most respectful debate episode I've seen on this channel and totally enjoyed it."
  • "Allie Beth is a much better debater than I ever thought."
  • "If you compare this to literally any other surrounded where both sides are not explicitly Christian this might be one of the best advertisements for Christianity as a baseline position of all people regardless of political belief I have ever seen."
  • "Even with any disagreements, This is what a debate should look like."
  • "This is probably the realest sermon these folks have had in a minute. Conviction has entered the chat."

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Author Of Children’s Classic Love You Forever Plans Assisted Suicide

As Robert Munsch faces his waning days, I pray he will remember the message of his own book and have a change of heart.

Watch Allie Beth Stuckey demolish progressive Christians



Allie Beth Stuckey, BlazeTV host of “Relatable,” recently debated 20 liberal Christians on the newest installment of Jubilee's popular "Surrounded" series.

The format is simple: Stuckey sits at a small table in the middle of 20 self-identified "progressive Christians" and makes four claims. Then, one by one, her debate opponents rush to a chair opposite Stuckey and debate her until a majority of the debate participants vote that person out. The process repeats for each of Stuckey's claims.

Here are the topics that Stuckey debated:

  1. The Bible says that marriage is only between one man and one woman.
  2. Abortion is a grave moral evil.
  3. Empathy can be toxic and lead to sin.
  4. Progressivism and Christianity are at odds.

Before the debate, Stuckey revealed that Charlie Kirk — the greatest debater of our time — offered her sage advice on how to win this Jubilee debate.

"I wanted to cancel this debate, because it was right after Charlie died and the day before his memorial. But then I remembered that this was the last real conversation CK and I had. He was such a good friend," Stuckey wrote on X. "I took your advice, Charlie. Thanks for everything."

In text messages, Kirk advised Stuckey that "it's very important every time they make a claim" to question "is that biblical?" and "by what standard [do] you believe that?"

"You have them up against a wall — they will TRY and get you on a major difference of something prescriptive vs. descriptive — MOST of the ugly stuff of the Old Testament is DESCRIBING not PRESCRIBING to us. Very important difference," Kirk wrote in one text message.

Kirk, who participated in a Jubilee debate himself, also advised Stuckey of the "best two questions to ALWAYS ask."

  1. "What do you mean by that exactly?"
  2. What biblical evidence do you have to support that?"
"Those two questions can buy you time at any point; you can use them as a way to play offense," Kirk explained.

Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?

To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

The American history they don't want your kids to know



History is not indoctrination — or is it?

How many people know that the scriptures were cited by our founders more than Locke, Montesquieu, and Blackstone combined? Students learn that James Madison is the father of the Constitution, but do they know that he would likely have failed unless he had promised a bill of rights to Pastor John Leland?

My frustration with the lack of education boiled over with the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Does today’s generation realized that the pilgrims were literally a church plant and that the Mayflower Compact was modeled after a church covenant?

It's more likely they believe that America was formed under secular influences with just a tiny tip of the hat to a generic god for good measure.

The doctrine of the separation of church and state, they assume, is to purge religion from the civic arena at the behest of Jefferson and the Constitution. Most are shocked to learn that this doctrine originated with a politically engaged pastor, Roger Williams. He had been banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious beliefs and threatened with deportation back to England, where he would certainly be imprisoned. Instead, he fled north with the assistance of the Native Americans, where he founded Providence. Williams derived this concept from Isaiah 5, likening the vineyard to the church, the wild grapes to the world, and the hedge to the wall of separation.

As a pastor in the Ohio legislature, hardly a day goes by that the uninformed do not criticize my engagement in the political sphere without any awareness that the top signature on the Bill of Rights was a pastor who also happened to be the first speaker of the House.

My frustration with the lack of education boiled over with the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

I met Charlie at the National Association of Christian Lawmakers conference last December. He was grateful for the work that I had done in Ohio on the SAFE Act and Save Women’s Sports and emphasized the power of pastors being engaged. He understood our American heritage and preached the power of God’s people being engaged.

My colleagues observed that he was a unique blend of Rush Limbaugh and Billy Graham. But in a nation increasingly unaware of its own heritage, his bold proclamations elicited hate, anger, and violence from the uninformed.

This is the fruit of deconstruction and post-structuralism in America. When one generation stops teaching our history and the next generation starts rewriting it, we shouldn't be left wondering why our youth are disconnected and disaffected.

The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act is my response to ensure that each generation can enjoy the benefits of learning the source of liberty as told by our founding fathers.

America’s educators who understand these truths know that hate groups like the Freedom from Religion Foundation lurk in the shadows ready to prey on them with lawsuits designed to silence and intimidate them. One superintendent informed me that it was, in fact, a violation of the First Amendment to teach the impact of religion on America. It’s not, of course, but I couldn't convince him of the truth.

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During our first committee hearing on the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act, opponents asked why we only mention Christianity in the bill. The answer is simple: All faiths are equally free — but not all faiths contributed equally to ensure that freedom.

One Democrat retorted that our founding fathers used generic monikers for deity so that all could interpret God to be who they imagined Him to be. He was insulted that I wrote, “If we were to remove Christianity from American history, we would have no American history.”

Rather than taking my word for it, I suggested that he consult the founding fathers.

John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson on June 28, 1813, “The general Principles, on which the Fathers Achieved Independence, were the only Principles in which, that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite, and these Principles only could be intended by them in their Address, or by me in my Answer. And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all those Sects were United.”

The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act simply affirms that teaching the positive impact of Christianity on American history is consistent with the First Amendment and is not a violation of the doctrine of the separation of church and state.

Teachers should be free to teach the truth. My hope is that Charlie is smiling down on this legislation and realizes that the impact he made will outlive him for generations to come.

Bill Maher's shocking defense of Christians — and what it reveals



For decades, Bill Maher has mocked religion with missionary zeal. He built his career sneering at scripture, scorning believers, and branding Christianity a fairy tale for fools.

Few men have done more to cement their place as America’s most committed unbeliever. And to his credit, Maher has never hidden his contempt. Week after week on "Real Time," he lampooned pastors, derided prayer, and preached his own brand of secular gospel — cheap, cynical, and completely godless.

If even he can recognize evil when he sees it, what excuse remains for those who claim to serve God?

That’s what makes his latest remarks so shocking.

On a recent episode of his show, Maher did something few in the modern West dare to do: He defended Christianity. He spoke not with irony, but with indignation, condemning the genocide of Christians in Nigeria. If this were any other group, he argued, it would be on every front page — and he’s right.

"The fact that this issue has not gotten on people's radar — it's pretty amazing," Maher said. "If you don't know what’s going on in Nigeria, your media sources suck. You are in a bubble."

"I'm not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They've killed over 100,000 since 2009. They've burned 18,000 churches. ... These are the Islamists, Boko Haram," he continued. "This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country."

The fact that it takes an atheist to say what many Christian leaders have not and Western journalists will not is a sobering sign of our decay.

While Maher’s words are rare, the blood he described is not. Just a few weeks ago, armed insurgents stormed the Christian community of Wagga Mongoro in Adamawa State in the dead of night. Four were killed, many more wounded. Homes, shops, and a church were set ablaze.

Earlier in August, coordinated assaults swept through farming villages in Benue State. Nine Christians murdered in five days. In June, over 200 butchered in a single weekend — parents, priests, and children alike.

Across Nigeria, Christians are being hunted for their belief. The perpetrators — Boko Haram, the Islamic State in West Africa Province, and radicalized Fulani militias — share one mission: to wipe out Christianity and impose Islamist rule.

It's nothing less than a slow, systematic genocide.

Under former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, this campaign flourished. Militants gained ground while soldiers stood aside. Entire villages vanished. Churches became tombs. What the world calls “unrest” is, in truth, organized extermination. It's "genocide" by every definition.

Since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been slaughtered in Nigeria. Churches reduced to rubble. Priests hacked to death at the altar. Worshippers gunned down mid-prayer. These are not isolated horrors but rather part of a single, unbroken chain of persecution.

Yet in the West, this bloodshed barely registers. If thousands of Muslims, Jews, or atheists were annihilated, it would dominate headlines for months, and rightly so. But when Christians die, the press looks away.

And silence, in this case, is complicity.

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Over the past decade, the United States has poured over $7.8 billion in aid into Nigeria — funds meant for peace and progress. Yet the country’s most vulnerable, the rural faithful, are left defenseless. The Nigerian government shrugs, Western governments continue to provide funding, and the media remains silent. It's easier to ignore a massacre than to admit moral failure.

Aid without accountability is blood money. Every dollar sent to Abuja should demand justice — protection for Christian villages, prosecution of terrorists, and dismantling of jihadist networks. Anything less is an endorsement of evil.

Nigeria is not alone. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ISIS-linked rebels have killed thousands. In Burkina Faso, pastors are executed and churches incinerated. In Mozambique, Christian towns have been erased from the map. Across Africa, a perverse pattern repeats — the union of radicalism and Western indifference, and the victims are nearly always Christian.

But Nigeria stands apart. It is Africa’s most populous nation, its economic and political heart. If it falls, the shock will reverberate across the continent.

So I ask, where is the outrage? Where are the protests, the headlines, the hashtags?

The same media class that rushes to champion every self-proclaimed victim of oppression falls curiously silent when the oppressed are believers. The same outlets that preach “diversity” intentionally turn blind eyes to the destruction of a faith followed by 2.6 billion souls. The hypocrisy would be laughable if it weren’t so lethal.

The modern left has grown so morally inverted that an atheist must now defend the faithful. Bill Maher’s rebuke should pierce the conscience of every journalist, pastor, and policymaker who claims to care about justice.

If even he can recognize evil when he sees it, what excuse remains for those who claim to serve God?

For years, Western leaders, particularly those on the left, have droned on about defending the weak and giving voice to the voiceless. But when the victims are Christian — often barefoot widows in burned-out villages clutching starving children — matters of justice don’t seem to matter. What could be weaker than that? What could be more deserving of compassion?

Nigeria now stands at a crossroads — and so does the West.

The issue isn't whether Christianity can survive persecution — it always has. The question is whether nations built upon its moral foundation still believe in the values they inherited.

Because when an atheist must defend the faith, it isn’t just Christianity under siege. It’s the very conscience of the civilized world.

Why America needs faithful Christians now more than ever



As America approaches its 250th anniversary, urgent questions arise about the role Christianity should play in public life.

In recent months, the unapologetic, personal Christian witness of public officials — and their open collaboration with pastors, priests, and other faith leaders — has drawn new attention. For me, these moments have been deeply moving and inspiring.

The founders were clear: Free institutions depend on moral citizens, and morality is nurtured by religion.

For many in the mainstream media, however, this has been profoundly unsettling, prompting warnings that the nation is sliding toward a form of “Christian nationalism.”

Are they right?

The question may be something of a red herring, but it’s worth addressing. Faith has always shaped American life. The founders never intended to build a secular vacuum; they expected religion to cultivate the virtues that a free people need. At the same time, they knew that belief cannot be imposed. True liberty demands space for religion to flourish — and restraint against coercion.

Living authentically as believers in public life is not the same as enforcing religion on others. The former honors conscience and its freedom while allowing faith to enrich society; the latter distorts faith and undermines pluralism.

Charlie Kirk’s memorial service last month highlighted the power of Christian witness in public life. His widow, Erika, speaking through grief, declared, “I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do.” Her words reminded a nation mired in resentment that Christianity’s strength lies in free, authentic witness. Much has been made of President Trump’s off-message remark, “I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.”

But rather than dwell on it, we should note that he later suggested Erika’s example might move him toward forgiveness — a sign of the quiet influence of authentic faith.

Other public officials like Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary Marco Rubio spoke from the heart and leaned on their Christian faith.

It’s here that we must remain careful: If religious witness is perceived as a partisan tool, its power is weakened. The church’s mission is not political victory but the salvation of souls, offered freely to hearts and minds.

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Christianity’s very public witness in our nation extends beyond Charlie’s memorial. The members of the presidential Religious Liberty Commission include influential evangelical and Catholic leaders as well as a prominent Jewish rabbi. They have spoken openly about their beliefs and their conviction that faith will heal many of our nation’s divisions.

At the Commission’s third hearing held last week, testimony highlighted ongoing pressures faced by people of faith working to educate our nation’s youth. Catholic Fr. Robert Sirico described relentless targeting by state officials of Sacred Heart Academy, a private, Catholic parochial school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sirico deftly clarified the line between faith and power during Q&A: “I’m not advocating the creation of a theocracy. I’m very happy to have a cultural competition of ideas.”

Sirico’s words remind us that resisting coercion is not the same as desiring the control of the public square; it is the defense of the right to live one’s faith fully and contribute accordingly.

Contrast this with the temptation of adherents of Christian nationalism to weaponize the faith for worldly power and control. Such ideologies blur the necessary distinction between the spiritual and temporal, collapsing them into one.

When that happens, both church and state are diminished. Christ himself made this clear when He told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).

Professor Russell Hittinger, executive director of the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America, has observed that Jesus’ words set apart the heavenly and temporal orders. To confuse them, Hittinger warned, not only misrepresents the mission of the church but also humiliates it because the gospel cannot be reduced to the ambitions of civil power.

Rejecting such ideologies, of course, does not mean ignoring hostility toward Christianity. Believers today are often dismissed as intolerant or branded as bigots.

Yet, the founders were clear: Free institutions depend on moral citizens, and morality is nurtured by religion.

George Washington called religion and morality “indispensable supports” of political prosperity. John Adams warned that the Constitution was made for a “moral and religious people” and is inadequate for any other. At the same time, they recognized that belief must never be forced.

This is why religious pluralism and freedom matter so deeply. The Catholic Church affirmed this in “Dignitatis Humanae,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on religious liberty. It teaches that safeguarding religious freedom benefits both individuals and the Church, while respecting the God-given free will of every person.

America’s constitutional commitment to religious liberty reflects this wisdom, ensuring that Christianity and other faiths can flourish.

The divisions before us are real — but not irreparable. As the nation looks to its semiquincentennial, Christians should reflect on how faith has shaped civic life and be confident that it can help us confront today’s challenges. At the same time, we must resist the temptation to wield political power to impose Christianity.

We are called instead to live our faith visibly, guide others toward justice and mercy, and bear witness to truth through example, persuasion, and love — not through coercion or abuse of authority.

A 400-year-old prophecy foretold America’s loss of faith — and its revival



While history suggests that religious zeal often follows and quickly fades after events like the assassination of Charlie Kirk, prophetic visions from more than 400 years ago shine a light on our current situation and offer hope for a sustained faith revival.

Through an Ecuadorian nun, Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, the Virgin Mary — under the title “Our Lady of Good Success” — reputedly foretold with staggering precision the ominous religious landscape of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. However, an immense loss of faith and practice — a mass apostasy — would be followed by a religious restoration.

Mother Mariana’s tale offers wisdom: God has an eternal devotion to us. He is always working, especially when the times are bleakest, and He will triumph.

Born to a Spanish noble family in 1563, Mother Mariana accompanied her religious aunt, Maria, to Quito, Ecuador, at a young age. At 15 years old, Mariana made her vows and joined the Conceptionist Order, of which she would later serve as abbess. Throughout her pious life, she had visions of our Lord, the Virgin Mary, angels, and various saints.

One evening in 1582, while praying before the Blessed Sacrament, Mother Mariana reportedly witnessed a crucified Christ bearing inscriptions related to God’s punishments for the late 20th century due to heresy, blasphemy, and impurity. During the encounter, the Blessed Mother asked the nun — who had been “judged blameless” — whether she would “sacrifice” herself for those sinners, which the nun accepted.

Mother Mariana’s mystic visions spanned decades, and they “tortured” her because of a predicted loss of innocence and modesty by children and women in the decades we are now living in. In these visions, the Virgin Mary consistently expressed her deep sorrow for the “children of these times” — because Satan “will reign” and faith would decay.

She prophesied that heresy would flourish in our times; vocations would be lacking, accompanied by rampant “sexual impropriety”; priests would scandalize the faithful; and the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, marriage, and extreme unction, would be attacked, robbed of meaning, or forgotten. Many “frivolous souls” would be lost in the mayhem.

Despite the numerous grave warnings, the Blessed Mother also offered consolation and encouragement, telling Mother Mariana about the “merciful love of my Son” for the faithful during this period, prophesying the “happy beginning of the complete restoration.”

To spread devotion, Our Lady of Good Success instructed Mother Mariana to commission a statue, which had been “miraculously completed” by the archangels in January 1611, according to legend.

Mother Mariana died at the age of 72 on January 16, 1635. In the ensuing years, the local diocese approved and promoted the apparitions — which are now a worldwide devotion after awareness accelerated due to the accuracy of the predictions. In 1790, Father Manuel Sousa Pereira catalogued the religious nun’s life in “The Admirable Life of Madre Mariana de Jesus Torres,” and in 1986, the Archdiocese of Quito officially opened her cause for canonization.

The accuracy of the prophecies was borne out by the sexual revolution and anti-traditional posture of the 1960s, millions of children dying from abortion, and the clerical sexual abuse scandal, to name a few. From these spewed a myriad of social pathologies that have plagued not only the Catholic Church’s standing as a moral stalwart, but civilization at large. The proof has been, sadly, evident.

Vocations did collapse — as well as widespread religious practice and prayer. Marriage has declined, along with baptisms and the other sacraments. There has been a glaring lack of knowledge about the Eucharist — the source and summit of Christian life. When the basic tenets of faith are misunderstood or ignored entirely, a mass apostasy is inevitable and has taken place in the West, which has affected all Christian denominations.

Consequences beyond the Church

The decline in American religiosity raises even broader concerns for everyone. Religiously unaffiliated residents are less civically engaged than those active in their faith lives and less charitable in terms of monetary donations. As apostasy spreads, civic associations have likewise closed, providing fewer opportunities for neighbors to commune and engage in society.

It is no coincidence, then, that a bevy of social ills are emerging from the lack of social cohesion since the early 2000s, which Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam recognized in his book, “Bowling Alone.” Since then, Americans have experienced a precipitous rise in anxiety and depression, particularly among younger demographics, leading to a pervasive “happiness crisis.” It is no wonder that people are generally despondent or searching for answers.

Increasingly, we are isolated from God, our neighbors, and ourselves.

A ‘Great Awakening’

But in Christ’s parable of the prodigal son, the titular son returned to his father after hitting rock bottom. After the strife of the 20th and early 21st centuries, is a renewal — or “restoration” as Our Lady of Good Success allegedly proclaimed — a possibility? And did we collectively have to hit our lowest point to come back to our senses and God?

The seeds for a 21st-century “Great Awakening” are not entirely improbable. Within the past year, members of Gen Z have flocked to religion more than previous generations, and the rise in religious “nones” — or the unaffiliated — has slowed. U.S. politicians have urged a “spiritual reawakening” and have expressed a desire to “bring God back” into the public square. The Trump administration established the Religious Liberty Commission to reacquaint Americans with “our Nation’s superb experiment in religious freedom in order to preserve it against emerging threats.”

While challenges remain and thousands of churches are set to close, Kirk’s death could be a spark for a surge in religious practice in a nation that has, for the past few decades, jettisoned faith. After all, an overwhelming majority of Americans still believe in God, so there may be a willing audience.

For the faithful, we not only have encouraging signs of a revival, but promises in Scripture. Christ promises to the apostles, and us, that the “gates of the netherworld shall not prevail” against the church. Ultimately, heaven will win — and hell will lose. In the end, God will restore creation, wiping every tear from our eyes, and establish a new heaven and new earth.

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Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images

Although the apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success have so far proven true, Mother Mariana’s tale offers wisdom: God has an eternal devotion to us. He is always working, especially when the times are bleakest, and He will triumph.

With the recent increase in religious attendance, clamor for God, and discussion of a spiritual renewal in the weeks following Kirk’s death, perhaps a potential “restoration” of sorts — even if short-lived — may be looming on the near horizon. The data and cultural shift should fill us with hope and strengthen our hearts to welcome the influx of weary and inflamed souls longing for peace, meaning, and God.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by RealClearReligion and made available via RealClearWire.

Glenn Beck shares 9 transformative truths on Charlie Kirk's tour; shares agonizing admission about his murdered friend



Prior to his assassination, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk invited Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck to join him on his fall campus tour. Honoring his promise to his faithfully departed friend, Beck took the stage alone on Thursday to a packed house at the Chester Fritz Performing Arts Center on the University of North Dakota campus in Grand Forks.

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In addition to discussing American greatness and the moral complexity of U.S. history with the aid of artifacts from his vast museum collection — an American history collection he claims trumps all others in size with the exception to the National Archives and the Library of Congress — Beck shared a number of penetrating insights of both a professional and a personal nature.

On the professional side, Beck revealed that prior to Sept. 10, he had been preparing to tell Kirk that he would turn over his national radio slot to the Turning Point USA founder years down the road when he retires.

"I was grooming Charlie to replace me," said Beck.

'You are a divine daughter and son of God with all of the rights and privileges that go with that.'

"He didn't know that because I wanted to say that to him as a surprise: 'I've watched you. You've surpassed me. You have worked so hard. You've done everything you're supposed to do. I haven't seen anyone like you. I will turn my radio, my internet, whatever you need, over to you because you deserve it.'"

Referencing lessons learned from Kirk as well as his own life, Beck — wearing the same kind of black-on-white "Freedom" shirt that his friend was murdered in — also discussed nine things he regards as truths "that will shape you into the person you are born to be."

1. Question everything

"Question everything. Everything. Anyone who tells you, 'Don't ask that question' — run from them," said Beck.

The Blaze Media co-founder emphasized that this principle should be universally applied, especially when it comes to matters of theology. After all, Beck noted, God gave man the ability to reason, furnished him with curiosity, and left signs of Himself in and throughout creation, altogether affording the questioner everything he needs to become a firm believer.

"God wants you to find Him," said Beck. "He is your Father."

RELATED: Leftists try to shut down Turning Point USA at Rutgers for criticizing Antifa professor

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2. The truth will set you free

Although acting forthrightly and speaking truthfully was a recurrent theme throughout Beck's address, Beck suggested that being truthful about sin and confessing sin is liberating and that there is freedom in the understanding that "you are a divine daughter and son of God with all of the rights and privileges that go with that."

3. Choose your thoughts

Beck noted that the human mind traffics multitudes of thoughts every day and that these thoughts have the power to define who we are. Therefore, it is incumbent upon free, thinking beings to exercise agency over their thoughts and be judicious about which thoughts to entertain or prioritize.

"The most powerful words in any language is 'I am.' Be careful what you follow that with," said Beck. "Why would you let the world tell you who you are? You are the only one that decides that. Life doesn't happen to you. Are you going to be acted upon, or are you somebody that acts?"

4. You will 'serve something.' Choose carefully.

Beck stressed that every person will invariably "serve something," recognizing something or someone at the summit of their hierarchy of values.

"You will serve something in your life. Guarantee it," said Beck, citing addiction and God as possibilities. "Choose your master because if you don't, your master will choose you."

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5. Forgiveness is essential

Beck, who would later discuss the competing elements of good and bad in persons and nations alike, noted that "without forgiveness, everything else falls apart."

Citing the recent example of Erika Kirk forgiving her husband's murderer, Beck acknowledged that forgiving others can be "crippling hard" but nevertheless important, in part because retaining animus toward trespassers could prove corrosive.

Beck noted further that it is important also to forgive oneself and to "put on the helmet of salvation."

6. Discipline is freedom

Reflecting on an incident where antagonistic forces in media apparently sought to tear him down, Beck noted that "no one can trap" those who live virtuously, are transparent about their failings, and emulate righteous people.

7. Faith is for realists

Beck hinted that faith, especially of the kind Kirk exhibited, is not a temporal remedy but an eternal connection; the confession of which is not self-serving but God-centric.

"Charlie had the faith that ... if I'm doing what I'm asked by the Lord to do, it will all be fine," said Beck. "It doesn't mean that it works out for you in the end, but it works out for God. Because Charlie was so faithful, because he worked so hard, because he built what he built in the name of God, somebody comes in and takes him and out — and look what God has done with that."

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8. Gratitude changes everything

Continuing to strike against the worship of comfort in today's day and age, Beck underscored the importance of gratitude not only as an antidote for envy, a force he suggested courses through the left, but as the proper response to life's many hardships.

"Gratitude changes everything. It doesn't erase the hardship. It doesn't. But failure is fertilizer. It's fertilizer for something great that is about to grow," said Beck.

Beck noted further that Kirk's family, friends, and followers exemplified gratitude by the way in which they responded to his murder.

"You had a choice: Choose death, choose anger, choose vengeance, or choose life, choose charity, choose peace, choose forgiveness — and look how you've already changed the world," said Beck.

RELATED: Turning Point USA to offer 'All American Halftime Show' alternative to NFL's woke Super Bowl spectacle

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9. Community is oxygen

Beck finally cautioned about becoming siloed both on and offline, stressing the importance of hope-driven community: "You must have people around you."

Echoing Benjamin Franklin, Beck noted that "the best way to serve God is to serve our fellow man" and that societal transformation is necessarily social.

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Remember the Battle of Lepanto



On September 16, 1571, the 212 ships of the Holy League set out from Messina, Sicily. The ships carried 40,000 sailors, 35,000 soldiers, and the hopes of Christian Europe. Led by Don John of Austria, they headed for the Gulf of Patras in Southern Greece.

Their target? The 278 war galleys and 67,000 men composing the war fleet of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Muezzinzade Ali Pasha. On October 7, the two armadas met in the largest naval engagement since the Battle of Salamis in 480 B.C. The result changed the course of history.

The wind was against the Christians, leaving them scrambling to form a line of battle before the Ottoman galleys closed in.

The Battle of Lepanto stands as a decisive point in a thousand-year conflict between Christian Europe and the Islamic empires of the east.

Rise of the Ottoman Empire

Islam began its expansion in 622. Only a hundred years later, it had conquered all of the Middle East and North Africa. The Christian cities of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Hippo, Tunis, and Carthage had fallen, as well as all of Spain.

The Crusades managed to slow and even push back some Islamic advances but were ultimately a failure. By 1291, the last Christian stronghold in the Holy Land had fallen. The next 200 years saw the rise of the Ottoman Empire and the continued advance of Islam, culminating in the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the capture of the Balkans by 1475. The only bright spot was the Spanish Reconquista, returning the country to Christianity by 1492.

The 16th century started with more Christian defeats. Rhodes fell in 1522, and the Christian forces suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Preveza in 1538, ceding control of the Eastern Mediterranean to the Ottomans.

Famagusta falls

In 1565, something changed. Against all odds, the Knights Hospitaller held out during the Siege of Malta and handed the Ottomans their first real defeat in the Mediterranean. Then came the fateful year: 1571.

It did not start out well. Early in the year, Ottoman ships raided the Adriatic coast, venturing closer to Italy. In August, the fortress of Famagusta — the last Venetian stronghold on the island of Cypress — fell after a 10-month siege. After initially promising safe passage, the Ottomans slaughtered the remaining Venetian soldiers and subjected their leader, Marcantonio Bragadin, to brutal public torture and execution.

White Bastion, old town walls, Famagusta, North Cyprus. Heritage Images/Getty Images

The Holy League

Meanwhile, Pope Pius V had called together the Holy League — an alliance of Christian forces, including the Spanish Empire, the Republic of Venice, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Papal States. Led by Don John of Austria, the League assembled its armada at Messina. The night before they set out, Don John ordered the celebration of holy Mass and the hearing of confessions throughout the fleet. Pius V granted a plenary indulgence to all who took part in the campaign and gave a consecrated papal standard to Don John, who flew it from his flagship, the Real.

RELATED: What's so great about 'separation of church and state'?

Pictures from History/Getty Images

The soldiers and sailors of the Holy League had no doubts about the nature of their mission. Every ship in the fleet had a crucifix prominently displayed aboard, as well as images of the Virgin Mary and other religious items.

Legend has it that a copy of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a gift from the Archbishop of Mexico, was carried aboard a Spanish galley. Bolstered by faith and incensed by the news of the Ottoman brutality at Cypress, the Holy League set out from Messina and reached the Gulf of Patras on October 6.

Preparing for battle

The next day, the two armadas slowly moved toward one another, creeping across the waters of the narrow strait between the Gulfs of Patras and Corinth. Hundreds upon hundreds of ships were arrayed in lines, stretching for miles, as the two fleets closed in. Banners fluttered as the rowers moved the galleys forward. Prayers were uttered as the thousands of soldiers, gunners, and sailors prepared for battle. The wind was against the Christians, leaving them scrambling to form a line of battle before the Ottoman galleys closed in.

Illustration depicting a type of Venetian galley used in the Battle of Lepanto. Photo: 12/Getty Images

Meanwhile, back in Rome, Pius V prayed without ceasing. He had called upon all of Europe to join him in praying the rosary, imploring the Blessed Mother to aid the Christian forces in battle. On October 7, he led a procession through the streets of Rome, praying the rosary with the people of the city.

At Lepanto, the two fleets drew closer and the wind shifted in favor of the Christians, allowing them to take their positions before reaching the enemy. As the two fleets clashed, the Christian strategy paid off immediately. The Venetians, experienced sailors filled with rage at the treatment of their compatriots at Famagusta, shattered the Ottoman line and threw the fleet into disarray. In the center, the six galleasses — newer, large ships with heavy armaments — dealt crushing damage to the more vulnerable Ottoman galleys, breaking up their formations and allowing the Christian galleys to ram and board them.

Our Lady of Victory

In four hours, it was all over. The fury of the Venetian attack decimated the left wing, and the center collapsed under the relentless fire from the galleasses and the ferocity of the soldiers disgorged from the Christian galleys. The climax of the battle came when the Ottoman flagship Sultana rammed the Real and fierce hand-to-hand fighting broke out. The Real was in danger of falling when the papal commander, Marcantonio Colonna, brought his galley alongside and mounted a counterattack. Ali Pasha was killed, and the papal standard was hoisted over the captured Sultana.

New of the victory reached Pius V as he was praying the rosary in the Church of San Sabina, according to his biographer. He is said to have wept with joy and pronounced, "There was a man sent from God whose name was John" in reference to John 1:6. The pope ordered immediate celebrations, Masses in thanksgiving, the ringing of bells across the city, and the singing of the Te Deum.

Crediting the intercession of the Virgin Mary for the victory, Pius V established October 7 as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. Today, it is celebrated as the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary.

The defeat was crushing for the Ottomans: 187 ships destroyed or captured, over 20,000 men dead. Although they rebuilt their fleet, they never managed to pose another serious threat to the Western Mediterranean.

Painting depicting the victory of John III Sobieski (1629-1696), king of Poland, against the Turks at the Battle of Vienna. Universal History Archive/Getty Images

The struggle between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire was far from over. It would be another 112 years before the land-battle equivalent of Lepanto — the Battle of Vienna — would signal the end of Ottoman expansion. Lepanto, however, served as a critical turning point, showing that Europe, when united under its Christian faith, could drive back a seemingly invincible foe.

Zeal for Christ

The lessons of the Battle of Lepanto are simple yet profound: Remember our heroes, honor their accomplishments, and never forget the source of their strength and zeal.

The heroes of Christendom were bold men who achieved the impossible against overwhelming odds. From Charles Martel’s ragged band turning back the Islamic conquest of Spain and beginning the 781-year Reconquista to King John Sobieski III’s thunderous cavalry charge that broke the siege of Vienna, these were leaders of courage and conviction.

Yet more important than the men themselves was the source of their victories: their Christian faith. Constantine’s soldiers bore the cross of Christ on their shields; centuries later, the sailors at Lepanto displayed the same cross on their ships. It was that faith that gave them strength to fight and to win — and it is that same faith that can give us strength to face and triumph over our own battles today, great or small.