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Graduation Day.  Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels."You know nothing of what you speak of, Ishara, yet you now feel free to insult us," she simmered."Don't know, don't care. It was all before my time. I care about the 'here-and-now' as well as what we do in the future. What I am asking you is what concrete item or 'thing' can be provided to House Zorja to put this blood feud behind you. Name it and House Ishara will endeavor to procure it for you.""We are not merchants," Jana's eyes narrowed."No. I didn't imply you were. If you want new sandals for everyone in your House, I'll find you new sandals. If you want 100,000 acres of ranchland, I'll find you the land. Name it," I persisted."Our prestige cannot be bought," she 'explained'."No, but a blood feud with House Ishara can be avoided by making a request of us in the same way as expressing your desire to harm my daughter can be expressed by denying my offer," I hardened. "And 'fuck you very much' if you think I won't use every son, daughter, mother, aunt, and uncle of Ishara when I come gunning for House Zorja too.""You wouldn't dare bring outsiders into this," Klavdiya interjected."Why not? The offices of Ishara handed House Zorja the coup of the century ~ the capture of the People's Liberation Army Navy nuclear carrier. A member of House Zorja commanded that task, yet they did so by leading forces marshalled by House Ishara, outsider forces. You may wish to keep playing by old rules concerning who is and isn't part of a House, but I am not so constrained, sisters.""So Klavdiya, if House Meenakshi pursues its blood feud with House Zorja, House Ishara will gleefully join them in the pummeling. And we have Isharans in the 9 Clans, the Khanate and the Illuminati who will gladly help us out in slapping them around like the old-fashion curmudgeons they are showing themselves to be, or, House Zorja may request a gift from House Ishara and we will happily clear accounts between them and House Meenakshi in the name of our daughter, Parvati. Their choice.""You are still on the mats," Elsa reminded me. Sikia coiled protectively next to us."And you said something about a lesson being long overdue," Pamela smirked, "Kitten.""Cáel Ishara," Shawnee said in a soft voice, "perhaps it is germane to the argument: the fault of the blood feud rests with House Zorja, not House Meenakshi."I fell on my back, carrying Tad fi with me. She gasped out in surprise while remaining closely cuddled with me. Her right hand never left my lips."Why does no one tell me this shit?" I moaned."You are hard," Tad fi announced. "Are you ready to have more sex?" She was sounding upbeat about our prospects. She was also ignorant of our surroundings being deaf and blind to the mortal realm."Gossamer Wing," I created a pet name for the augur, "we are lying on the sparring mats of a large combat arena in the central Full-blooded training center for Havenstone with roughly 500 sisters in attendance (the audience had grown). While I am enticed by your scent, words, proximity and sweet memories of what we've shared, I'm probably going to be badly beaten up really soon for a terrific diplomatic snafu.""But then we can have sex?""Yeah. I'm totally up for having sex with you after they release me from Medical," I assured her. I looked around her to a very unhappy Mahdi."Can you find it in your heart to forgive House Zorja? Anything I can,""Yes," she abruptly cut me off.What the fuck?"At this time, my hatred of House Ishara, and you in particular, make any grievance I have with House Zorja pale in comparison. You have bewitched my only daughter. She bares your child, and it will be a wonderful child if the soiled augur you've stuck your cock in is to be believed," she ground out bitterly. "I want to go home. I want to find enemies to kill. And when I do, Cáel Ishara, know each and every one of them will carry your face in my mind."She turned to Jana. "Do you agree that we both hate Ishara enough to put aside our current differences?"Jana studied Mahdi, me, then Mahdi again and agreed. She stood. Mahdi stood. They clasped arms like Amazons, then hugged like sisters."Agreed. He is much worse."My thoughts on the matter. Woot! I was having sex! Oh, and I was making Aya happy by ending a blood feud."My admiration of you continues to increase," Krasimira looked at me. "This diplomacy stuff is harder than it looks yet you pull it off so effortlessly.""Yay me!" I muttered."Keeper, are we done?" Sikia asked Krasimira."I believe so," the older Amazon rose to her feet. Sikia was far faster in rising."Mahdi of Meenakshi, you have insulted me and my augur. Defend yourself," she snarled. If Tad fi hadn't been immediately present, Mahdi wouldn't have even warranted a warning no doubt."Had you done your job," Mahdi flowed into her fighting stance, "you both wouldn't be pregnant.""Whoa now," I struggled to rise while keeping Tad fi close and my body between her and the Meenakshi/Zorja side of the mat. "Sikia, I can't let you fight. You're pregnant too.""Don't be stupid, Cáel Ishara," Sikia retreated off the mat, so she could shed her jacket and footwear. "Amazons have fought pregnant for thousands of years.""Hold on now," NYPD Sgt. Larisa Kutuzov said in English as she moved forward. I was a millisecond too late. Larisa's foot touched down on the mat and Marlene Zorja popped her one, a hand chop to the larynx. The senior cop stumbled forward."Mom!" shouted Nikita. Marlene followed up with a leg sweep, putting Larisa face first on the mats, then a fist strike to the back of the head, knocking her out. Neat and tidy in less than two seconds.Nikita was about to charge in when Chaz stopped her."Footwear," he advised in the tone of voice I had learned to associate with him and imminent violence. The moment he stopped her, he was quickly removing his own socks and shoes. Virginia and Pamela were doing the same. I was allowed freedom of movement because I was holding Tad fi. Krasimira exited because of her unique status. The rest were already barefoot."Gale, could you please stay with Tad fi," I tried to hand her off."No," Gale looked me over. "I will fight." No hint on whose side she would be fighting on. Krasimira came to my rescue."I'll take her.""Tad fi," I told the augur, "I have to go get beaten up now, but I promise I will be back for you directly.""This is not your fight," Krasimira said. "The words and deeds are Sikia's.""A, she carries my child and B, the deeds being called into question are my fault.""You told me once they were the Will of Ishara," Krasimira mused."We are one in the same," I gave a lopsided grin."Be careful," Tad fi pleaded. "Your future is a chaotic jumble, I cannot see,""Eh, I've been very bad. We'll talk about it later. Gotta go," I headed onto the mats.Pamela was giving the ground rules to the 'normals': No 'fair warnings'. No 'fair play'. No 'time outs'. You fought until unconscious, or you surrendered."This is going to suck," Virginia assessed our odds. Two Amazons had removed Larisa from the mats and were tending to her. Nikita was kneeling by her side until she heard Virginia, then came our way.Besides Sikia, we had Pamela, Chaz, Virginia, myself and Nikita. Oneida stepping up was nice. She wasn't a great combatant, but we dearly needed the help. Gale joining us was, unsettling. Amazons don't play fair, so this could be a ruse.Against us were all three Zorja and both Meenakshi ~ I imagined Rhada felt she had something to prove to her mother. They'd picked up ten other Amazons and Rhonwenn Nemain. Klavdiya joined them to counterbalance her baby sister. Eight to seventeen ~ ouch."Damn," a familiar voice from my first days on the job spoke up from behind me, "we almost missed this." I didn't dare look over my shoulder. Desiree stepped between Chaz and Virginia. Rachel came up on my left and Tiger Lily on my right. At the tail end of our line was Mona, Meridian, Brielle and Wiesława. Fifteen to seventeen was looking much better, especially considering Desiree had brought five Security Detail warriors with her, all of whom were moving to further bolster our numbers."Rachel," Elsa looked to her underling, "you have no idea why you are fighting.""It is for Cáel. So it must be for a better tomorrow," Rachel laughed."Very well," Elsa smirked."You!" Mahdi pointed at me, and we both charged. It was a jumbled nightmare of clashing bodies, war cries and flashes of movement all around. Our side had two main advantages -While Chaz was by no means the best hand-to-hand combatant present, he knew the basic Amazon style and most Amazons didn't know his. Added to his overall height and bulk advantages, he bought us time.Of greater importance, Rachel, Tiger Lily and Mona had extensive training working as a team, which none of the opponents had.Elsa was the most dangerous individual on the mat. Pamela was the second most dangerous, so Elsa grabbed a couple of partners and ganged up on her to drive her off the mats. Chaz went next, out-Elsa'ed and beaten unconscious. The issue was, it took her too long to accomplish those two feats. By the time she rounded on me, Rachel and Tiger Lily, our half of the field had wiped out theirs. It was six of us (me, Rachel, Tiger Lily, Gale, Wiesława and Desiree) versus four of them (Elsa, Marlene, Klavdiya and Rhonwenn).Still, I was facing Elsa, so a judicious bit of treachery was required."Gale," I huffed and puffed, "please retire. I don't want you to fight your sister.""What?" Gale snapped. She'd taken a beating, yet remained feisty."No, fighting her sister is okay with me," Desiree scowled. "We are still facing fucking Elsa.""All the other women you have mated with have failed. I remain," Gale trumpeted."Oh, you are right," I half-turned. "All the reason you are more precious to me.""Really?""Of course," I deepened my introspective appreciation of her."Oh," and Klavdiya punched Rhonwenn. That was an 'oh, Cáel Ishara must actually care for my baby sister and not be just a Playa' on Klavdiya's part. Yeah. I'm a horrible fucking person at times.Rachel, Tiger Lily and I rushed Elsa. Marlene pivoted to ward against Klavdiya while Gale and Wiesława stormed in against her. Desiree helped Klavdiya finish drubbing Rhonwenn before they combined to force Marlene off the mats. Elsa chose to go down swinging in a dogpile of bodies. I took an ear-ringing blow to the head which allowed Rachel to apply a chokehold and it was lights out for the Head of SD.After some water bottles went around and those concussed returned to wakefulness, the resolution of the brawl was decided. Mahdi apologized to Sikia. It was short, terse and sparing of any empathy, yet was within the bounds of Amazon etiquette. She departed with Rhada, which left me to pick up the pieces, starting with Nikita's mom."Oh," the older woman moaned then, "Ms. Fredrickson? What are you doing here?""Avenging you, Mother," Nikita fluffed up the truth. "She, Cáel and the others cleaned house on the woman who jumped you and her allies.""Desk Sergeant," Desiree gave a curt nod."This isn't over," Larisa winced as she moved to a sitting position."Mrs. Kutuzov, it is over," I headed off a colossal waste of time. "This is my daily life and part of your daughter's life with JIKIT. You will find scant witnesses and no tape recordings of these events. This craziness is just another day in the life here at Havenstone. You stepped on the mat and thus became fair game to any physical confrontation an opponent cared to mete out. Consider this sovereign soil of an independent nation-state.""We," she looked around. "You kicked their asses?""Definitely," Pamela gave a feral snarl."This is plain nuts," she shook her head, winced in cranial pain, then put her aching head in her hands."One of the reasons we've put our dating in hiatus," Nikita comforted her mother while looking at me, and smiling affectionately.Ah, for fuck sakes! I was engaged to someone else and having a dozen kids by ten different women. How could I still possibly be considered viable dating material? Oh yeah, martial valor, laughing at death, I hung out with truly exceptional cool people and I would always be in need of saving, a plus for a crusader like Nikita.I had so many allies to tend to, but only one who seemed to be making an exit. I swooped down on Tad fi long enough to place her fingers to my lips."I'll be right back, friend of a friend in need," and off I went. I caught Tavi of House Stolgos just outside the door. She wasn't avoiding me. She'd been observing Chaz and he had been otherwise occupied.My British companion had played a pivotal role in the combat and taken his beating like a man. He'd been rendered unconscious. So had many others, so no stigma was attached to his loss. Post-battle, he had chosen to sit on his haunches, knees up, talking to several of the Amazons, both kneeling and standing. A few had been bystanders and a few others foes.He stayed on his ass to reduce his height advantage. Letting Amazons make eye contact while not having to look up at you created definite benefits. His good natured approach to his role in the fight and pummeling earned him positive vibes as well. He made it clear the tussle to him was not macho-personal. He was my 'brother / sister / sibling' spiritually-speaking via Pamela adopting us both as her 'grandsons', so my fights were his fights. Sikia had my (Cáel's) child, so that bond extended to her as well ~ family.Pamela and I had schooled him on Amazon psychology and those lessons were now paying serious dividends. 'The Male' hadn't wanted to fight them ~ 'Amazons are tough' he'd confessed, he knew this because he worked with several every day on JIKIT~ but family was on the line, so he fought. Mahdi had apologized, so the matter was settled. The other Amazons he'd fought? They had fought for their reasons and he was okay with not questioning them about it.Why? He was conscious of his conspicuous status as a 'guest', knew he was in no way an Amazon, and was not privy to what motivated them. He didn't want to be an Amazon. He had his own, much younger, martial tradition he was proud of, yet was eager to learn from the vastly greater Amazon war lore because 'winners' didn't have a gender-bias and no other tradition could compete with the Amazons' 3,000 years.Under normal circumstances, the women around him wouldn't have given credence to his praise. He was a male after all. Through the tiny tear I'd created in their insulating social fabric, Chaz was building upon his own exploits. In the after-battle analysis, the Amazons reflected on the realization Elsa had concentrated on him as her number two objective, second only to Pamela who scared everyone who knew anything about her. That bolstered Chaz's appeal.For the Amazons who thought a male would get all pouty and cry over being beaten up by a girl/girls, Chaz was breaking the mold. He wasn't angry. He was amused. The fight had been a learning experience and he'd felt honored to watch, no matter how briefly, a warrior of Elsa's caliber fight. He'd explained 'I', Cáel Wakko Ishara, considered Elsa one of the top 5 combatants I'd ever seen, which included Ajax the Unconquered. The others were Sakuniyas, reborn Amazon and former Queen of Assyria, Saint Marie, the Golden Mare, and Pamela, the Cliff-walker.More happy Amazons because the list's only non-Amazon was a dead Hero from the Trojan Wars and it was well known I 'got around' (aka dealt with violent outsiders.) Chaz was telling the truth, almost. The 'fifth' person on the list was Alal, but explaining him would be difficult, so Chaz edited him for this particular audience. Good man.In the hallway, "Tavi, a moment," I called out. She slowed down, took a few more steps allowing me to catch up."Yes Ishara?" she gave me her best neutral look. Yep. She was jealous."I beg two favors from you," I quickly went down to one knee in her path. That caught her off guard and left her in the awkward position of me being terribly close and staring up at her."I, I will listen," she muttered."I would like to know if you are pregnant," I asked very softly. Yes, she was, but she didn't want to tell me. She contemplated pushing past me. It would be very easy. "I know I am stepping beyond the boundaries between warriors. Please. My destiny has brought you two together. I am at fault here." 'Fault' was the key word."If I have a son, he will be given to the Queen," Tavi's face was stern and unforgiving. "He will live.""That's not what he's worried about," I shook my head. "He wants to be a father to your daughter, Tavi. He wants to introduce you to his mother and grandmothers, maybe his sisters too, if that can be arranged.""Huh?""He is not like me, Tavi. There is no other in his life, but you.""I, I will not leave my House for him," she protested angrily."He would never ask you. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to remain at your side for years to come. He can be a father to your child and not be a part of House Stolgos in the same way you can be a mother to your child and not be a part of Clan Tomorrow.""Oh," she furrowed her brow. "How would this possibly work?""I have an 'in' with the Queen," I winked. "I'll work out something.""He knows I will never stop being an Amazon," she elucidated intensely."Absolutely. He is an intelligence operative after all. He's figured a few things out for himself.""Why doesn't he tell me these things?""Tavi, he threw his body on top of me to shield me from a bomb blast, so he's undoubtedly brave, but telling you what is in his heart is scary for him. As his brother, I see behind his silence,""Oh, what should I do?" she was vexed."Go back in there, demand to speak with him and tell him the truth," I stood up."The truth?""That you are going to have a little StolgosTomorrow-ite running around sometime next year," I exuded confidential friendliness."Cáel Ishara," she tilted her head slightly, "you don't know much about infants, do you?""Nope," I pseudo-confessed. I actually did know something about newborns. I'd studied up so I could make a move on a cute girl whose free time was eaten up by babysitting, so I 'helped out'. Oink."They aren't 'running around'," she turned to head back into the gym, "until the ninth month at the earliest. Normally, running doesn't happen until the eighteenth month.""My fiancée has a three-year old, so she should be able to help me through some of the hardest parts," I babbled along. Tavi didn't give a crap.In we went. Tavi stormed straight toward the bevy of Amazon babes concentrating on 'her' Chaz."Color Sergeant Tomorrow," she abruptly interrupted. "A moment of your time.""Ladies," Chaz uncoiled himself from the surrounding women. The Amazons were either mildly put off, they thought they were about to get laid, or pissed off, they were sure they were about to get laid, and Tavi was stomping on their happy."Yes, Ms. Gentry," Chaz linked his hands behind his back in a 'rest easy' stance. 'Gentry' was the fake last name Tavi used in the outside world. She motioned toward the windows with her head. Off they went. I couldn't hear what was being said, but my lip reading skills were up to the task.T: (I am pregnant)C: (I love you)T: (Oh) ~ stunned. Go Chaz!C: (Well, I don't imagine the Amazons have a marriage ceremony and an Anglican service would be inappropriate, so perhaps we could research a Scythian ritual which could make both families happy) ~ delivered in the patented smooth Chaz style.T: (Marriage? To you?)C: (I will not submit to being anyone's slave nor would I ever ask you to submit to me. Outside of that, will you be my partner and my partner alone until the cliffs separate us?)T: (Amazons are not monogamous)C: (I am)T: (I will, I mean, can I think about this?)C: (I am not going anywhere, Tavi){Pause}T: (Did you put Ishara, Cáel Ishara up to this?)C: (Yes)T: (Why?)C: (I imagine he explained what I am feeling better than I could)T: (Oh, do you want me to meet your mother and grandmothers?)C: (Absolutely)T: (Okay)C: (Okay ~ you would like to meet my Mother and Grandmothers?)T: (No, yes, I mean, yes I would like to meet them and I am okay with you being with no other woman until the cliffs separate us, and I will do the same, no other males)C: (If I pick you up, hug you and kiss you, will your sisters freak out?)T: (I don't know)So Chaz swept Tavi up until her head was higher than his (a feat, considering their 8" height differential) and kissed her deeply. Mumbled words followed. Tavi wrapped her legs around Chaz's waist and out they went. Around me were angry murmurings of the 'did that Amazon just run off with our man' variety. Not my problem. I had plenty of different Amazons wanting my attention. Hallelujah!{8:00 pmDon't try this at home.I covered my face with a pillow and pressed down hard. I'd already tried breathing exercises, meditation and even contemplated more cranial trauma before thinking up this particular crazy idea. It took some mental effort and accessing some of my Alal-'pain sorting' skills to accomplish, but in the end, I felt myself 'let go'.I sat up."Hello," Tad fi beamed."Hey," I took a deep breath. Since we were talking, I must have passed out. Her eyes wandered over the room."Is this the world as you see it?" she wondered. Oh yeah, I had to be creating the environment for her to enjoy.Sikia was kneeling on the bed a foot away, her gaze moving between the two of us. The 'grayness' of her form suggested she was wholly in reality and not in the 'Ishara-space' the goddess had shown me and I was now sharing with my augur."This is how you see me?" she examined her fingers, her wrists, then some long locks of her hair."You are more beautiful," I answered. The impact of my words crossing over drew her eyes back to me. It was the magic of hearing for the normally deaf girl. I concentrated, peeled back some fantasy and attached a realistic form to Sikia. Tad fi followed my gaze."Your hair," she addressed her guardian, "It is lighter than I imagined."Sikia said something I couldn't understand, muffled as it was by my dreaming."I cannot hear you, but I see you through his eyes," the augur carried on her conversation. They touched. It had to be somewhat bizarre for Sikia. As she reached for Tad fi's hand, her friend intercepted the extended member. Their fingers intertwined before completing the journey to the guardian's lips."Don't cry, no, we couldn't have, no, we shouldn't have knocked him out sooner. I don't think he was aware of this discipline when we first met. Were you, Cáel?""No. Perhaps if I had understood more about the consequences of seeing ghosts, I might have," I tapered off. "Now that we know. I can try this more often.""Your health?" Tad fi worried."I might be immortal," I confessed. I was confessing because I was desperately seeking a way to share some of my genetic quirkiness with her ~ some strength to carry her through this pregnancy and spare her life, Dot Ishara be damned."And you would seek a way to spare me," she graced me with her gentle presence. Lying in the 'spirit' world was a whole lot tougher than in the flesh."Yeah. I've got some arcane lore rattling around in my head, plus I have a few outside sources I can ask for help. I'm not giving up on you.""I have foreseen my death.""Well, un-foresee it," I scolded her. "Dot Ishara told me we see what might happen, though nothing is guaranteed. So even your death isn't an absolute. Since it hasn't happened, I see no reason to let it happen. You are going to live to hold our daughter. If not, my immortality is worthless.""You can never save everyone. Sometimes you must let a few go to save the rest," she advised."If I find someone I'm not attached to, I'll let them go. I promise. Until then, I'm, ugh, I'm fading, and I'm keeping you.""We shall see," she murmured. I fell back into my body and into wakefulness."Now we have sex," Tad fi announced in a melodic voice."He is ready to perform," Sikia agreed. She was fondling my balls with one hand while her breath played across my rod. I sat up to see the augur climbing up the bed between my thighs. She kissed my glans, licked across its top, then kissed it again."I've got it from here," she told Sikia."What?" Sikia was confused. Tad fi's lips began to engulf my sceptre."Sikia, come here," I gently pulled on her arm. She was conflicted yet up some came.We started out with tender kisses on the lips. I kept drawing her toward me. My lips and tongue migrated down her chin and throat to her breasts. When she thought my target was her breasts, she was all onboard. That was a mere stop-off point on my journey, though I played around for a while.At the same time, I had to use subtle movements with my hips and clenches with my gluts to school Tad fi on her fellatio. Thankfully, I was doubly-blessed. This wasn't my first time schooling two girls at once and Tad fi could determine more from such minimal reactions due to her heightened sense of my muscle contractions through her touch than any other woman I'd ever met.When I began running my tongue in large lashes underneath her breasts, I confused Sikia once more. She was resistant as my hands on her hips pulled her higher so that my lips and teeth could tease her taut stomach while I twirled my tongue in her belly button. She giggled.I had been slowly wiggling down the bed, backing Tad fi up, so when it came time to mount Sikia on my face, I had the headboard room. I kept her muscular thighs securely in hand because the moment I had her happy, I pushed her up. She looked down, seeking guidance and I motioned her to turn around. She did the eye-ball math, realized she'd be facing her augur, and hastily obeyed. Of course, her movement on the bed alerted Tad fi through mattress vibrations.Sikia was sitting on my face, leaning down so she could run her hands through Tad fi's hair and along her face and lips (and my phallus). I kept my hands pressed between our bodies. My right made the sojourn to my pubic area to play around and give them both something else to suck on, my fingers. My left loitered around between Sikia's breasts and her clitoris when my lips were otherwise occupied.I could cup her clit with my tongue in a U-shape, rubbing it along my taste buds. Most of my time was taken up with my tongue broad lashing her vulva or tightly-twisted and delving into her cunt and my nose pushing against her brown hole. I could tilt myself up so I could make tongue-intrusions into her back passage as well. The first time, she squealed.Before she could decide if she wanted to make me stop (she did, virtually all first timers always default to asking their partner to stop, so you have to distract them), Tad fi wanted to know what had brought her reaction on. Then came Sikia's troubled revelation of what I was doing, how the augur shouldn't suffer through it, despite the increasing pleasure she was receiving, only to finally be unable to supply the answer as to why Tad fi shouldn't experience it too.Sikia shot me a treasured look of bewilderment. I'd brought her to orgasm with my tongue alone. I was a guy after all."Switch?" I suggested. Tad fi was still administering one of the slowest, most considerate blowjobs I'd ever experienced. She wasn't rushing toward anything. Sure, she was unschooled, but was devoting her incredible sensitivities to my pleasure and taking pleasure in her ability to bring me to such excitement."Change places?" she mused. "Okay." Tad fi's lips slid off me with one final, loud 'pop', then she used her spider-like fingers to climb up my body while Sikia traveled south. She lavished butterfly kisses on my face ~ childish, yet so very appropriate between us ~ and I mirrored the gesture.With some reluctance, she mounted me, facing Sikia. My tongue flicking across her clit on its first exploration brought out a joyous gasp. It only got better from there.The Long Slide Into Domestic Life:"Twins?" Hana snuggled into my arms. We were at her place, naked in bed together after a late late-night unscheduled meeting with some VIPs. Despite the late/early hour, she was alert, tense even. It had been a mentally stimulating late night encounter which had brought me to her bed."Yes. That is what Tad fi predicted," I inserted between raining kisses down on her forehead. Hana liked non-distracting attention when she was in this kind of mood. She was exhausting herself mentally as she was building up to being amorous."Ana-Călina and  rp d?" she worked over the names on her tongue. "They have a special meaning?""Only if you are Hungarian and Romanian," I teased her. She elbowed me slightly. " rp d was the semi-mystical pagan warlord who led the Ten Tribes who became known as the Hungarians ~ the Magyar peoples ~ into the Carpathian Basin, present day Hungary. Ana-Călina was born a Byzantine princess of the storied House of Basarab; she married Radu Negru, thus becoming the first Princess of a free Wallachia ~ the foundation for a free Romania. She was also the great-grandmother of Dracula.""So they are famous names with regional historical significance, did they live long, happy lives?"" Árpád, no one knows for sure. His kids were quarrelsome, but they did manage to found a dynasty at the start of the second millennia which ruled for three centuries.""Ana-Călina, yeah. I think so," I continued. "She lived into her seventies and her eldest son left his country stronger, richer and safer than when he received it. She did out live her husband by over fifty years, and got to see her youngest grandson bury most of his rivals, the kids from her husband's first marriage.""Ah, what?" Hana rose up until we were eye to eye. Since she was naked, her boobs swayed slightly as she did so. My eye flickered. "Eyes forward, Mister," she playfully barked. "What happened to all her other grandsons?""Wallachia in the 15th century was a tad rough and tumble," I evaded."They killed one another?""Mostly they were killed by conspiracies amongst their boyars, nobles of the time.""Why does, Tad fi want to dredge up these names again?" she kept eye contact."Not a clue," I pleaded."But you think it is important?""No. I think you are important. Screw Fate. It can name its own kids. We can chose whatever names make you happy, except 'Up'. Up's been taken.""You've named another of your offspring 'Up'? That's cruel, or does that mean something in another language I'm unaware of?" she shifted her shoulders so her boobs wobbled again. Of course, I broke eye contact. I hadn't had sex in hours and her boobies were right there, damn it!"Actually, Pamela and I named this secret agent in Hungary that, just to fuck with his head," I divulged."Oh. Pamela. I should have known," she slowly smiled. "You are being very well behaved," she added. Woot! She noticed I wasn't throwing her down and pawing her delectable flesh. "One more thing before the nookie.""Name them. Their dead," I pledged."Not necessary," her sigh turned into a giggle. "If I'm going to be having twins, I'm going to be rather big come late March. We need an earlier wedding date."Oh, fuck me!"What do you have in mind?" I tried to keep the creeping dread out of my voice."New Year's Day?" she suggested. I did a quick calculation. That was annihilating 78 days out of what remained of my bachelor life. In 114 days my life would cease having any meaning whatsoever. I'd be a Mr. to someone's Mrs. The end"Sure, I can arrange to be killed before then," stumbled out of my mouth."What was that?" Hana pouted."Nothing Dear. Cosmic psychic intersection with an Al -demon; don't know what came over me," I fibbed."Man up," Hana bit my nose. "Our marriage won't be that bad if we both work at it. It isn't like I'm demanding celibacy from you." Then she mouthed 'yet'."Wait. Did you mean celibacy, as in no fun at all, or monogamy, as in only 'happy time' with you?" I desperately sought clarification."Oh," she pursed her lips. "I meant monogamy. I didn't mean to scare you.""Oh, thank goodness," I sighed."Here," her gaze turned tender. "Let me make it up to you." Hana placed one hand on my shoulder and rose up my body until my face was gently nestled in her bosom. Then she wiggled back and forth, basically because I'm a big baby and easy to please. I was alternating which nipple I was kissing in no time."Mmm," she murmured. "I've missed you." Her other hand's fingernails coasted down my abdomen and found 'Mr. Happy' had risen to attention. Okay, he'd been hopping up and down on my groin since she'd said we were 'going to bed' 30 minutes ago. Hana decided wrap up my shaft with her hand, then applied a few tender strokes. I reciprocated by cupping her left tit in one hand, forming a mound with her areola at the center, and began to twirl from the outside inward to her hardened nipple with just the tip of my tongue.It was 4 a.m. Why was I taking it slow when I had my final work review with Katrina in three hours? Hana deserved this and more. Why was Hana doing it? She was her own boss, plus her life was careening wildly outside of anything she'd imagined before she'd first laid eyes on me. Half of the financial empire she shared with her father was suddenly in the hands of a military dictatorship, her beloved father was dealing with the murder of her hated step-brother and she was marrying a Prince in a European cathedral which required someone high in the Vatican's approval process to use.Yeah, her life had gone nuts. Worse, she loved me. And I wasn't the kind of man she ever thought she'd love. She'd thought she'd never love anyone again after her life with her asshole of an ex-husband and their bitter, contentious divorce. I was barely someone she could classify, and Hana was a terribly ordered and organized person. Saying my life was messy was being generous. I was some mysterious warrior-diplomat-playboy-aristocrat who hung out with people more bizarre than me.Hana picked up her tempo. I switched breasts. Her motor was really starting to hum. Any other night, I could have moved straight to revving her up to an orgasm. I had the time to make it two without any problems. A good one and Hana would be happy and drift off to sleep. Instead, I intuited she wanted more, so we developed our own game of cat and mouse with her climax, and its suspension, being our ultimate goal.My left hand danced down the back of her ribcage like playing keys on a piano. It was a light, teasing gesture. Her hair the color of tarnished gold cascaded down as she began placing her own kisses upon my crown. Each move by one partner evoked a response by the other. Hana ran my glans over her glistening labia, getting it nice and slick. I worked down her waist, cupped her ass, and then glided over her thigh to the back of her knee where I started tickling her. She snickered."You are distracting me," she murmured. I wasn't. I knew these things."I like to get the feel of every inch of your flesh," I responded. More mirthful noises from her. Slowly, her gooey vestibule rubbed against and over the top, until I felt myself entering. There, she hesitated. I propelled my hips an inch up, twisted right then left before falling back down, a micro-fuck."Ah," she emoted her approval. "My turn." Hana's knees spread to the side, making a memorable sound on the silk sheets as she impaled herself. This time she rolled her hips forward, back, then did a slow 360 with me  inside her, letting the slow progress over her spark memories for her to savor. "I never believed sex could be like this," Hana hiccupped."How so?" I knew the answer, but wanted her to put her chaotic passions to words. It would make her happier."Experimenting, silly. Stopping in the middle and doing, this," she reversed her hip rotations this time. "I never imagined a lover having such patience, or,""Yourself as being so openly sexually adventurous?" I finished."Yeah," she huffed. "I really, really owe your college professor, plus you and all your diligence, for this," at the last moment, she encountered the gateway to her G-spot. I knew precisely where that gem was. Previously, Hana had gained a vague idea where it was from the perspective of masturbation and our prior lovemaking. Now I had let Hana rediscover that joy with my cock as her tool to utilize as she wished."You realize pregnant women want even more sex," she hummed. She was vigorously working my cock now. Hana had bridged a huge gap, sexually. Normally, a woman of Hana's quality tried to please her man first with the hope her orgasm would soon follow. I was different. My greatest sexual gratification came from her ecstasy. She was confident in that now. By bringing herself to climax, she was making me excited for what would come next."That's okay," I propped myself up on one elbow now that Hana was riding me cowgirl-style. "I dig big chicks." The open-palm slap to the chest was a given."Hercege, you, you are horrible," she growled around a feral smile. The lip-biting, tongue-sucking kiss was equally vicious, primal and leading Hana to the end of her tether. Not only was Hana's sexual trust in me/us expanding, she was putting extra effort into her physical workout regime too. She might still have a ways to go to compete with an Amazon, but it was still going to be a great night."Hercegn , I am nothing but a twisted shadow of masculine lust whose every contour is cast by your muliebrous glow," I teased. Her eyes twinkled. Yes, definitely still going to be a great night."Okay," Hana yawned, "I give up. What does 'muliebrous' mean?" She'd been holding on to that for an hour and a half. It was five-thirty and I was dressing in my biking clothes before heading into work."From the Latin 'muliebri' which means 'womanly'," I answered. Her sleepy eyes drank in both my response and my physique. I had discovered another thing Hana liked and that was to expand her academic/linguistic frontiers. She was enchanted with the idea that I liked to engage her mind along with her body, sparking on all cylinders.She'd crawled over to my side of the bed, her head resting on my pillow, soaking up my scent as she watched me. I knelt down, kissed her on her ear, cheek and finally the side of her lips. Hana was beat."Have a good day and be careful," she mumbled. Her eyes closed. Her chest rose with one last, waking breath before her sleep rhythms took her."Ditto," I whispered. I snuck into  Annela's room and planted a kiss on her head as well. The craziness of my life had a way of cascading over to the ones I loved. Loved? Oh boy,7:00 am Monday, September 8th, Graduation Day!Brielle and her buddy were humming along as the elevator doors closed. Once more, my 'hellish' schedule demanded I change in the elevator. I'd gone to gun practice with my bike clothes on, so I absolutely had to change into business attire in the magic box, in front of them.Juanita adjusting my tie was a less than subtle attempt to strangle me. I was about to be late to my final 'start of day' meeting as an intern in Executive Services, so her chastisement would have to wait. Who would have thunk it? Juanita would have to wait outside for this ceremony. Paula raced with me to be the last one in, only to have Daphne grace us with the 'news':"The meeting won't start for another fifteen minutes," she grinned. "Katrina is bringing up the 'new hires' for the fall program."I finger-flicked my head. The 84 days as an intern was merely the 'training wheels' period. To really be a member of ES was at least a two year training process. The Amazons around me had started their training for this gig when they were fifteen and were eighteen and nineteen now, their ID's said they were older for legal purposes.In theory, my four years in college was counted as 'preliminary' training and provided things such as acclimation to outsider culture ~ aka 'acting normal'. Logically, I would train under someone like Desiree or Buffy for a year before being a full-fledged member of the service."How many this time?" I asked Daphne since she seemed to be in the know."Twenty," she grinned. "We are getting two."I noticed there was still only my tiny desk in Katrina's office. That meant the new guys would be out in the office pool with everyone else. Probably for the best. The ladies were now used to having a male around, so would be careful in what they did and didn't say. I yawned."Tired," Fabiola smirked."Oh yeah," I stifled another yawn. "Met an emissary from the Pope." Fabiola glowered. "No. Seriously. I met an emissary from Holy See. I let Hana know I wanted to get married in a highly improbable place, a ruined cathedral, so she contacted the Catholic Church and one of their guys wanted to meet with me.""That had to be fun," Tigger grinned. "What does the Cult of the Nazarene think of you and the Goddess Ishara?""We actually discussed polytheism and the place of an omnipotent, omnipresent being in the scope of things," I placed my hands behind my back and rocked back and forth. "It was quite interesting. The guy knew his shit."By that, I meant he was probably with the Pope's Secret Service as well as a Brainiac with a PhD in something. He'd promised to be in touch as soon as he heard back from his superiors. He had this hot chick with him who I suspected was a nun. And if his driver wasn't ex-military, it was because he was still in the service. On the plus side, Hana had been beaming when we left, which assured me the meeting had gone well, so we had sex from 4 AM until 5:30, thus my current fatigued state."Are you going to abandon your faith?" Fabiola taunted me."I don't have faith, Fabiola of Minerva. Faith would imply I don't know there are supernatural entities screwing with our lives. I know they do exist, I've met a few. To satisfy your disingenuous curiosity, we discussed the nature of the Weave and it being the possible manifestation of God's Will.""How did that go?" Paula appeared interested."He strongly suggested I should 'revisit my Catholic roots' soon. By that, I think he meant I'm supposed to start attending church regularly," I shrugged. "The Pope is sending an envoy to the Great Khan too, so odds are good I'm getting married," I pronounced the last bit as the doom-laden prediction it was."Oh, yes," Fabiola reached passed Paula and smacked me in the chest with the back of her hand. "That is for insinuating you and I had intercourse to my Mother and the Council.""Was that chastising me for lying, or for not making it so?" I winked."Ah, no!" she pouted. "Stop lying about me."I looked down at my phone."We've got twelve minutes," I double-pumped my eyebrows. "Want to go to Katrina's bathroom?""What! No!" Fabiola

Send us a messageIn Part 2 of our message, we learned how Roman Catholicism's Pontiff's – through the powers held within the Vatican and Holy See – have played a major role in the formation of the “One World Empire” of the coming Antichrist. And as we continue in Part 3, we will see how this spiritual/political alliance that was officially birthed from the petri dish of Constantine's decree that made false Christianity the state religion of Rome, and at which time it manifested as the blasphemous counterfeit of the true Church of Jesus Christ, has been pressing on in its global demonic goal.  And as a marriage made in Hell – this Luciferian forgery has been  growing in power and strength, having almost reached its fullness - as we approach the nearness of the Lord's Coming for us in the Rapture, and the last Prophetic realities that are unfolding all around us.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

Tuesday's Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Downtown Buffalo for the pontiff out of concern for the declining health of Pope Francis full 2855 Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:15:57 +0000 XIeyUK9FTZaiwZlAi1aMblHibQzXnOiS buffalo,news,wben,catholic church,pope francis,buffalo catholic diocese,bishop michael fisher WBEN Extras buffalo,news,wben,catholic church,pope francis,buffalo catholic diocese,bishop michael fisher Tuesday's Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Downtown Buffalo for the pontiff out of concern for the declining health of Pope Francis Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News

NEWS: No norms on ill pontiff | Feb. 25, 2025Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.netFollow us:Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebookInstagram - https://tmt.ph/instagramTwitter - https://tmt.ph/twitterDailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotionSubscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digitalSign up to our newsletters: https://tmt.ph/newslettersCheck out our Podcasts:Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotifyApple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcastsAmazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusicDeezer: https://tmt.ph/deezerStitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein#TheManilaTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cardinal Dolan prays for the Pope, as New Yorkers express concern over the Pontiff's health full 361 Sun, 23 Feb 2025 13:45:59 +0000 7fFn8HR2CH3LiBVYNnk8xpQpp2RtSoyp emailnewsletter,news 1010 WINS ALL LOCAL emailnewsletter,news Cardinal Dolan prays for the Pope, as New Yorkers express concern over the Pontiff's health The podcast is hyper-focused on local news, issues and events in the New York City area. This podcast's purpose is to give New Yorkers New York news about their neighborhoods and shine a light on the issues happening in their backyard. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News False h

The present Pontiff's prognosis is poor so there's no better time for a Pope picking procedural, 2024's Conclave. It's excellent.   Housekeeping meanders in around 34:00 during which the brothers discuss the Academy Awards, iconography, Veruca Salt, and Dexter.   File length 54:29 File Size 40.9 MB Theme by Jul Big Green via SongFinch Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts Listen to us on Stitcher Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Send your comments to show@notinacreepyway.com Visit the show website at Not In A Creepy Way

Pastor Andrew breaks down the back-and-forth between Vice President J.D. Vance and Pope Francis. Vance invoked ordo amoris to defend his general approach to immigration and refugees, and the Pontiff (without naming him directly) "corrected" him, in an inspiring statement placing the teachings of Jesus over church dogma.

Today on America in the Morning   Judge Denies Democrats On DOGE A federal judge denied a Democrat-led effort to block access by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to accessing government data, saying the plaintiffs could not prove irreparable harm. Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports that this comes as President Trump stated that Elon Musk is not in charge of DOGE, but merely working in an advisory role.     US-Russia Meeting On Ukraine President Trump says that there must be an end to the war in Ukraine, which comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Saudi Arabia meeting with his Russian counterparts in an attempt to lay the foundation for peace. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports that nobody representing Ukraine was invited to the talks.    Court Rules On Biden Student Loan Plan An appeals court may have put an end to former President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness program, ruling that Biden's secretary of education went beyond his authority regarding the SAVE Plan.    Adams Heads To Court The case against New York City's Mayor is in the hands of a judge. Correspondent Julie Walker reports New York's Governor is considering removing Eric Adams as Mayor, and Hakeem Jeffries says Adams has a job to do, audio courtesy of New York One.   Stories Of Survival More details are being learned and some people who were on the Delta Airlines flight that crashed after landing in Toronto are telling their stories. Correspondent Ed Donahue reports.    Lutnick Confirmed Another name has officially been added to President Trump's cabinet following a Senate vote. Correspondent Donna Warder reports.     Trump Blames Ukraine For War President Trump appeared to place the blame for the war in Ukraine on the Ukrainians in remarks to the press yesterday... this as negotiators for the White House met with Russian counterparts to lay out a framework for peace. John Stolnis has more from Washington.    Trump & Musk On Fox News President Donald Trump and Elon Musk praised each other, blasted Democrats, and defended the work of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, in an hour-long interview with Sean Hannity that aired last night on Fox News. Correspondent Rich Johnson has details.    America's Arctic Blast The death toll continues to rise in Kentucky following a deluge of rain that caused flash flooding, while temperatures in the Northern Plains remain below zero and snow blankets areas around the Great Lakes.    Peltier Controversy Continues Leonard Peltier, a Native-American activist who was released from prison after his life sentence was commuted by former President Joe Biden, has returned home. Correspondent Jennifer King reports on the release of the man who was serving sentences for the murders of two FBI agents.    House GOP Eying Medicaid Changes As the House GOP work to craft a budget, one of their targets to eliminate waste is in Medicaid, which could include a combination of cuts and work requirements. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.     Latest In The Middle East The United Nations says it may take well over $50 billion dollars to rebuild Gaza following the October 7 attack on Israel that started the war in the Gaza Strip. Hamas announced it will hand over 6 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of four others on Saturday, including an infant and toddler who were taken hostage by the terror group. Correspondent Laurence Brooks reports.   Finally   Pope Francis has been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. The Vatican released information saying the Pontiff has pneumonia in both lungs, and remains hospitalized.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Presented by TwinSpires "The Baron of the Backstretch" Mike Penna gets you ready for Breeders' Cup Saturday and looks back on some of the greatest moments in Breeders' Cup history as he visits with "The Pontiff of the Pick 4" Jude Feld and Fasig-Tipton President/CEO Boyd Browning. Plus, you'll hear from Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith and Japanese Racing Journalist Toshi Onikubu with a preview of notable Japanese contenders. Hour 3 includes Joe Kristufek with this week's 'TwinSpires Triple Play', Kurt Becker's look into the career of 3-time Breeders' Cup Champion Beholder in this week's Stroll Through Racing History presented by Keeneland, and Dale Romans & Tim Wilkin with a special Breeders' Cup edition of 'I Ask, They Answer' presented by the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program in the College of Business.

Maya, the protagonist of Rohit Manchanda's novel The Enclave (Fourth Estate: 2024), should be happy with her life. She's newly single, her net worth steadily rising in the booming India of the 2000s. She has a cushy, if slightly unfulfilling, job in academia. But she struggles: She wants to write, but can't summon the energy to do so. She juggles several relationships, each one slowly imploding as the novel continues. And she butts heads with an oblivious and pompous bureaucrat, nicknamed “The Pontiff.” Rohit Manchanda is a professor at IIT Bombay where he teaches and researches computational neurophysiology. His first novel won a Betty Trask Award, was published with the title In the Light of the Black Sun and was republished in 2024 titled A Speck of Coal Dust. The Enclave is Rohit Manchanda's second novel, coming decades after his first published work. In this episode, Rohit and I talk about his writing career, the themes of The Enclave, and the very real struggle of wanting, but not having the energy, to write. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of The Enclave. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Maya, the protagonist of Rohit Manchanda's novel The Enclave (Fourth Estate: 2024), should be happy with her life. She's newly single, her net worth steadily rising in the booming India of the 2000s. She has a cushy, if slightly unfulfilling, job in academia. But she struggles: She wants to write, but can't summon the energy to do so. She juggles several relationships, each one slowly imploding as the novel continues. And she butts heads with an oblivious and pompous bureaucrat, nicknamed “The Pontiff.” Rohit Manchanda is a professor at IIT Bombay where he teaches and researches computational neurophysiology. His first novel won a Betty Trask Award, was published with the title In the Light of the Black Sun and was republished in 2024 titled A Speck of Coal Dust. The Enclave is Rohit Manchanda's second novel, coming decades after his first published work. In this episode, Rohit and I talk about his writing career, the themes of The Enclave, and the very real struggle of wanting, but not having the energy, to write. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of The Enclave. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Maya, the protagonist of Rohit Manchanda's novel The Enclave (Fourth Estate: 2024), should be happy with her life. She's newly single, her net worth steadily rising in the booming India of the 2000s. She has a cushy, if slightly unfulfilling, job in academia. But she struggles: She wants to write, but can't summon the energy to do so. She juggles several relationships, each one slowly imploding as the novel continues. And she butts heads with an oblivious and pompous bureaucrat, nicknamed “The Pontiff.” Rohit Manchanda is a professor at IIT Bombay where he teaches and researches computational neurophysiology. His first novel won a Betty Trask Award, was published with the title In the Light of the Black Sun and was republished in 2024 titled A Speck of Coal Dust. The Enclave is Rohit Manchanda's second novel, coming decades after his first published work. In this episode, Rohit and I talk about his writing career, the themes of The Enclave, and the very real struggle of wanting, but not having the energy, to write. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of The Enclave. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Maya, the protagonist of Rohit Manchanda's novel The Enclave (Fourth Estate: 2024), should be happy with her life. She's newly single, her net worth steadily rising in the booming India of the 2000s. She has a cushy, if slightly unfulfilling, job in academia. But she struggles: She wants to write, but can't summon the energy to do so. She juggles several relationships, each one slowly imploding as the novel continues. And she butts heads with an oblivious and pompous bureaucrat, nicknamed “The Pontiff.” Rohit Manchanda is a professor at IIT Bombay where he teaches and researches computational neurophysiology. His first novel won a Betty Trask Award, was published with the title In the Light of the Black Sun and was republished in 2024 titled A Speck of Coal Dust. The Enclave is Rohit Manchanda's second novel, coming decades after his first published work. In this episode, Rohit and I talk about his writing career, the themes of The Enclave, and the very real struggle of wanting, but not having the energy, to write. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of The Enclave. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Maya, the protagonist of Rohit Manchanda's novel The Enclave (Fourth Estate: 2024), should be happy with her life. She's newly single, her net worth steadily rising in the booming India of the 2000s. She has a cushy, if slightly unfulfilling, job in academia. But she struggles: She wants to write, but can't summon the energy to do so. She juggles several relationships, each one slowly imploding as the novel continues. And she butts heads with an oblivious and pompous bureaucrat, nicknamed “The Pontiff.” Rohit Manchanda is a professor at IIT Bombay where he teaches and researches computational neurophysiology. His first novel won a Betty Trask Award, was published with the title In the Light of the Black Sun and was republished in 2024 titled A Speck of Coal Dust. The Enclave is Rohit Manchanda's second novel, coming decades after his first published work. In this episode, Rohit and I talk about his writing career, the themes of The Enclave, and the very real struggle of wanting, but not having the energy, to write. You can find more reviews, excerpts, interviews, and essays at The Asian Review of Books, including its review of The Enclave. Follow on Twitter at @BookReviewsAsia. Nicholas Gordon is an editor for a global magazine, and a reviewer for the Asian Review of Books. He can be found on Twitter at @nickrigordon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-review

As he nears the end of his life, an aging hitman makes a confession to podcast host Marc Smerling. In 1978, he traveled to Rome to help the Italian mafia assassinate Pope John Paul I to cover up wrongdoings by the Vatican bank. Anthony Raimondi says he got into organized crime because his father was a ruthless mob enforcer. Instead of going to prison for killing a rival, he was recruited into a secret commando squad in Vietnam, and later instructed mobsters how to poison the Pontiff. The only problem for Smerling is he can't verify anything he's saying.In “The Confessions of Anthony Raimondi,” Smerling walks us through the mobster's tales and his proclaimed role in the secret killing of the head of the Catholic Church. As the “Crooked City” host tries to discern fact from fiction, he wonders if the exploits are real…or whether Raimondi believes they are.OUR SPOILER-FREE EPISODES OF "THE CONFESSIONS OF ANTHONY RAIMONDI" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: no bones about it. New episodes of Crime Writers On every Monday this summer!For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Some years ago, I read in a news magazine about one man's very interesting response during a Papal visit to Latin America. This man owned a produce stand and it was just a couple of blocks from where the Pope was making this historic personal appearance. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Pontiff. It seemed like everybody was going, except for "Mr. Produce Stand." And this article said that a reporter asked him, "Don't you believe in the Pope?" The dealer gave a very honest answer. He said, "Oh, yes, I believe in the Pope, but I trust in rice and beans!" I guess there's a difference! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When It All Comes Down To Trust." Now that produce dealer's statement about believing wasn't double talk. There really is a difference between what you believe in and what you really have your trust in. It can make a big difference in your life choices. In fact, it can make a forever difference in where you spend eternity. God explains how a person secures their spot in heaven. And that's important information, huh? It's in our word for today from the Word of God in Romans 10:9-10 - "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified," that means made right with God, "and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Saved is the key word here, but what does it mean? It implies someone's in trouble and in need of rescuing; in need of being saved. The Bible says we are literally dying spiritually because of a killer called sin. Sin isn't ultimately about breaking some religion's rules. It's about who runs your life. The answer? We run our lives. But we were designed by God to ride in a life that our Creator is driving. And instead, we've all decided we'll drive instead and make Him a passenger. That leads us away from God, facing an eternal death penalty. We need someone to save us, a rescuer, a Savior, and that's why God's only Son went to that awful cross for us. Our eternity comes down to what God calls believing in your heart, notice "heart." Many people believe in their head. They agree with the facts about Jesus and they officially recognize Him as the Savior. And if you ask some if they believe in Jesus, they'll say, "Well, sure." But like the man with his produce stand, their life trust is really somewhere else. You see that's your heart. Now, that leads to a life or death challenge from God's Word. It's in 2 Corinthians 13:5, listen to these words: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" Do what God says, test yourself. It's eternally important to ensure that you don't miss heaven by 18 inches! That's the distance from your head to your heart. It isn't agreeing with Jesus that gets you to heaven. It's commitment to Him. Has there ever been a time when you personally told Jesus Christ, "Jesus, I'm placing all my trust in You to rescue me from my sin; to give me a relationship with God, to guarantee me heaven." If you're not sure there's been a time, there may not have been - probably not. But that could change right now. You bow your head, imagine yourself standing at the foot of Jesus' cross and say, "Lord, I believe what you're doing on that cross is for me. With all my heart I'm putting all my trust in You." If you haven't had that Jesus day, please don't risk another day without Him. Will you take care of it right now? We'd love to help you. Our website is really to help you get started with Him. It's ANewStory.com. See, trust in your religion is not enough, or your goodness, in anything, or anyone but Jesus. He took your hell so He could give you His heaven. And right now He's just waiting for you to trust Him with your heart.

Why the exclamation "Alleluia!"? Should women workout in public? Catholic teaching about the possibility of "theistic" evolution. Plenary indulgences and vocal prayers for "intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff." The story of the "Credo" knight: Bishop Mendez and Natalie White. Dom Guéranger: By His Ascension Christ claims His Kingship, enthroned at the Right Hand of the Father. Approaching Pentecost: Invoking the power of the Holy Ghost. This episode was recorded on 5/14/2024 Our Links: http://linkwcb.com/ Please consider making a monetary donation to What Catholics Believe. Father Jenkins remembers all of our benefactors in general during his daily Mass, and he also offers one Mass on the first Sunday of every month specially for all supporters of What Catholics Believe. May God bless you for your generosity! https://www.wcbohio.com/donate Subscribe to our other YouTube channels: @WCBFullEpisodes @WCBHighlights May God bless you all! We apologize for the audio issues during this program.

Support our work: https://www.patrickcoffin.media/donate Support us by joining the Coffin Nation Community: www.coffinnation.com FOLLOW ME Telegram: https://t.me/patrickcoffinmedia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realpatrickcoffin/ Gab: https://gab.com/PatrickCoffin The evidence that the true Pontiff of the Catholic Church is His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is clear and straightforward according to Matthew Hanley. The award-winning Catholic ethicist joins me this week to talk about how he came to discover the evidence that Jorge Mario Bergoglio is our latest anti-pope (after several centuries), and why this conclusion can no longer be called fringe or rad trad in nature. After this interview, you will know: The step-by-step journey taken by Hanley toward the full clarity of the evidence  The difference between the canonical crimes of the St. Gallen Mafia in the March 2013 Conclave and the Declaratio read by His Holiness on February 11, 2013 The difference between munus and ministerium and why it matters Which key word is missing from Benedict's “abdication”  Why the evidence and its conclusion have nothing to do with sedevacantism The real meaning of antipope Clues that the Pope knows he created an Impeded See and is therefore the true office holder of the papacy What ordinary Catholics should and can do in light of this evidence Resources Mentioned Francis: The First Anti-Pope in Centuries? In Front Page magazine by Matthew Hanley The Ratzinger Code by Andrea Cionci Two-part interview with Estefanía Acosta on the canonical aspects of the Benedict Is Pope evidence and conclusion Five-part refutation of the so-called Substantial Error theory by Acosta: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Pope Francis’ first trip to the Oceania region headlines this month’s episode, as the Pontiff prepares to visit Papua New Guinea, as well as East Timor, Indonesia and Singapore on the longest trip of his pontificate. It’s also been a ... The post Station XV: Episode 193 — Pope to Papua (New Guinea), Paris, Patrick appeared first on The 15th Station.

Presented by TwinSpires We wrap up Spectacular Bid Week presented by Keeneland Sales with Keeneland announcer Kurt Becker, trainer Miguel Clement discusses Wood Memorial favorite Deterministic, breeder Robert Clay talks about breeding both Mage and Dornoch, and Santa Anita's Jeff Chapman previews the Santa Anita Derby day stakes. Plus, The Pontiff of the Pick 4, Jude Feld, shares his thoughts on the Derby picture, Joe Kristufek provides this week's TwinSpires Triple Play, Kurt Becker remembers the great Spectacular Bid in his weekly Stroll Through Racing History, and Dale Romans & Tim Wilkin tackle the sport's hottest topics on 'I Ask, They Answer' presented by the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains adult language, depictions of violence, drug use, and/or sexually sensitive material. The villagers of Ashtown have had enough of Azataz the Wize's torment and tomfoolery, so they collectively decide to march on his tower. However, the old dawdling geezer has a few tricks up his wizard sleeve to send these townsfolk running for their lives… THE WIZARD SCROLL is written, read, performed and edited by me, Chris RR Bauso. Tales of high fantasy, warriors, wizards and laser guns with my own sick little twist. Featuring Gabriel B as Scarletta J Questmann & Scarletta's mother Umbriel's Shadow as several villagers, the Elf Scout & several skelemen Jon "Dr Phil" Anderson as several villagers Ace D Wizard as several villagers Show Artwork by Nick Vanamee Background Ambiences by Michael Ghelfi Songs Used: New GAIA, Peaceful Clearing, Pontiff's Pass, Astral Observatory, Perfect Harmonic Cursebreaker & Lichen Encrusted Chamber- Equip ; Hidden Land & Hidden Highland- PMD Explorers of Sky OST ; Hip Shop- Toby Fox ; Dream Eater & Magma Cavern Pit- PMD Rescue Team DX OST ; The Misty Lake- Ian Post ; The Battle & The Fierce Battle- Final Fantasy V OST ; Death Addder- Golden Axe OST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports teams and athletics can be a formative, fun part of tweens and teens lives. How can parents make sure teens are participating in sports in a safe way, that avoids injury, while providing enrichment, exercise, and life lessons along the way? ParentingU welcomes Kyle Pontiff, MD, sports medicine physician with Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health to share his insights about getting the most out of youth sports. Dr. Pontiff offers practical guidelines for parents to assess how much activity is too much as well as explains the importance of rest for young athletes (if sports pros can rest, youth athletes can rest, too!) Dr. Pontiff also offers thoughtful perspectives on how to balance a desire to excel with a spirit of healthy competition. Parents of kids in sports programs will appreciate the real-world information in this episode. More Helpful ParentingU Resources - Read more about sports medicine for teens and how Dr. Pontiff cares for young athletes on our blog: The Playbook for Safer Youth Sports | ParentingU Podcast - Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (fmolhs.org) - Watch Dr. Pontiff speak with Stephanie (mom of two and ParentingU host): https://youtu.be/WLbAcvxfWl4   Season 4 of ParentingU is all about Teens and Tweens! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is attempting to pass legislation that prohibits citizens from expressing an opinion based upon a religious belief. If passed, people can be arrested for quoting the Bible in public. This is an outright attack on religion. There are countless examples throughout history where religious persecution led to oppression and heinous massacres. We are now at a point in time where the Church of the State is being created and it is going to spread worldwide. An ecumenical one-world religion is coming to fruition which will violate our freedom to worship. Tonight on Ground Zero (7-10pm, pacific time), Clyde Lewis talks with researcher and author, Leo Zagami about THE PONTIFF'S NEW ROBES. Listen Live: https://groundzero.radio Archived Shows: https://aftermath.media

Acts Timeline https://www.2belikechrist.com/articles/timeline-of-the-book-of-acts  Philip's unmarried daughters Acts 21:8-9 Philip the Deacon reflection w/Same As Apostle Arguments http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/264.html  Hermione, Eutychis, Irais, and Chariline https://www.markcarlson-ghost.com/index.php/2016/09/17/philips-daughters-prophets-names/  Hermione https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2022/09/04/102492-martyr-hermione-daughter-of-saint-philip-the-deacon Welcome to Popeular History, a library of Catholic knowledge and insights. As promised, this episode is going to be a bit of a roundup of extra stories and tidbits we have on some of our recent characters from outside the Bible. Let's start with our main man of late, a guy I really didn't think I'd be talking about this much but we are deacon oriented so I'm rolling with it, Philip the Deacon. The best extrabiblical tie-in point for Philip is actually in the canonical bible, where in an aside, Paul says the following, quote: "We reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied." (Acts 21:9) End quote. And that's it. Here we have four women with holy powers and no additional info apart from they're the unmarried daughters of one of the first deacons. You aren't going to find many prompts more ripe for fan fiction than that, and the early Christian community ran with it, naming the daughters Hermione, Eutychis, Irais, and Chariline, or some other set of names, it's inconsistent, but definitely they got names outside the bible and went off on adventures. They may have went on to be a source for a source for Eusebius, who can be described as the dominant early Church historian so we'll definitely be revisiting him in time. Philip himself is cited as the Protodeacon among the seven original deacons, the proto- part meaning first, kind of like how his colleague Stephen is referred to as the Protomartyr, though I suppose that application is more in terms of chronology than dignity. The title of Protodeacon does have a specific application in the College of Cardinals today, namely it's the Cardinal who has held the title of Cardinal-Deacon the longest. The protodeacon is normally the one who gives the announcement- Habemus Papam- "we have a Pope" when a new Pontiff is elected. I didn't come across any death tradition for Philip the Deacon, but I did find a site making an unexpectedly compelling case for identifying him with Philip the Apostle. Sure, the Apostles set up the deacons to allow themselves to get on with their apostling, but what if he was, like, an embedded supervisor? It would be fairly recognizable organizational move today and would match with the extra emphasis he receives, not to mention his extrabiblical protodeacon status. The lack of any apparent tradition regarding the deacon's death is to me the most compelling argument, usually there's *something* floating around about that. The biggest wrinkle is what we talked about yesterday, with the apostles kind of being needed to sign off on the baptisms of the Samaritans, you know, that discussion of confirmation. Anyways, when a saint dies–and pretty much everyone who believes in saints accepts Philip the Deacon as a saint–well, when a saint dies it's typical for the day of their death to go down as their feast day. I'm going to be talking a LOT about all sorts of things over the course of this podcast, but I won't be going into feast days much. They're easy to look up and can be tricky to explain accurately considering they can vary across traditions, or even within traditions as practices vary over time, and they can get bumped in certain years by other more significant dates, and I'd want to call out of they're based on something other than their date of death, all of which would be interesting if you were interested in feast days but extremely dry if you weren't. Really, there's plenty of material in feast days for their own podcast, and if anyone wants to take that on or has one to recommend I'll be happy to edit this to include a plug for that show, but in the meantime, no, I will not be focusing on feast days. Too easily findable elsewhere, and too derailing for our already very fragilly railed narrative. I'll simply be doing darn near everything else. Now, we've talked a lot about two out of the seven deacons; can extrabiblical tradition tell us more about the others? Yes, of course! But I'm not going to go into every detail various traditions have about everyone. Believe it or not, I didn't even do that for Philip. The high level takeaways are that four out of five of the remaining deacons were martyred, and the fifth, Nicolas, well he was actually suspected of being a heretic by two early big names in the Church, Saints Iranaeus and Hippolytus, both of whom we'll get to in time. You see, in Revelations 2, God, or uh, well, probably god? Revelations is a trip. Anyways, in Revelations 2 God makes it clear he really doesn't like the "Nicolateans", whoever that is. It does seem that they were a heretical Christian sect early enough to make it into the actual Bible, but that and the apparent name of their founder is basically all we have on them from the Bible. Outside the Bible, like I mentioned, Nicholas the Deacon is very much a suspect, and it probably doesn't help his case that his name not only matches the perp, but he was named last among the Seven, the same place of dubious honor Judas Iscariot once held among the Twelve. That's all for today. We're going to talk more about two characters we've discussed recently multiple times in due course, and we'll save them for those times. After all, Simeon Bachos the Eunuch traditionally founded a national church whose impact on Christian history is as extensive as it is unique, and Saint Paul is, well, Saint Paul. Similarly, I'll find other appropriate occasions to discuss the later lives and deaths of the Apostles we haven't already covered, in addition to letting Pontifacts take the lead on that, they have a series coming up, it will be exiting in a few months. And Cornelius, for his part, actually has surprisingly little to review, he traditionally wound up as a bishop, and that's about it. Which I make sound like nothing,  but it would have been a sign of his new life in Christ, just as it was for everyone else who wound up in leadership in the new Christian church. It certainly isn't nothing. Anyways, I believe that basically leaves us with Simon Magus, which is perfect. In our next narrative episode, we'll follow him to Rome, and as you might have guessed Rome is going to be our home base for the next two thousand or so years of narrative. Thank you for listening, God bless you all!

AP correspondent Rica Ann Garcia reports on Pope Francis and Argentine President Javier Milei.

God's Prophetic Word of Truth has established that it is Lucifer – the god of this world - who is behind every agent of darkness that has been raised up in the formation of a “One World Government” and the global “Economic” component that will aid the Antichrist in the complete control over all people on earth which he will wield with tyrannical rule.But it is the “One World Religion” that that will be the most deceptive and dangerous; for it is through this portal of devious deception, and lying persuasions that Lucifer will – at least temporarily – gain the worship of all people on earth that he has lusted for.  And it has everything to do with Rome – and the Pontiff who sits on the seat of power within her - wielding not only religious authority – but great governmental influence as well.As we look to Revelation 17, and the description of the Harlot who sits upon the Beast – as well as the many other Scriptures that point to the Global Empire of the Antichrist, such as the Book of Daniel – it becomes difficult to find a better candidate for the Harlot of Mystery Babylon the Great, than Roman Catholicism also known as the “Holy Mother Church” by her followers; or a more suitable contender for the False Prophet than the Pontiff who rules over her. No one fits the description of a “Wolf in Sheep's Clothing” more perfectly than the current Pope Francis who has taken the ecumenical reigns with great passion and dedication. And in this Podcast, we offer credible evidence that supports this prophetic reality.Support the showVisit our website: https://agapelightministries.com/

When it's time for a new Pope, how do they decide who get's a turn? This digression will tell you everything you need to know. Vatican ArchivesFor links, images, references and more, don't forget to check out the Destination: History website. Music: Tegan Finlay----------------*Not AI generated. All content is original.*

Dr Joseph Shaw returns for this 68th episode of Merely Catholic, the podcast series for The Catholic Herald, for the second of a two-part broadcast examining the situation of Catholics under a Protestant monarch in the 21st century. He and Dr Gavin Ashenden explore the role of tradition, the monarchy as a model for papacy, the papacy as “the servant of tradition”, the evolution of the papacy and the significance of the innovations introduced by the reigning Pontiff and his predecessors. Dr Joseph Shaw is the chairman of the Latin Mass Society and a former member of the Philosophy faculty at Oxford University, and last month he published A Defence of Monarchy: Catholics Under a Protestant King, which includes contributions from such writers as Sohrab Ahmari, James Bogle, Charles Coulombe, Peter Day-Milne and Sebastian Morello.

Explore the legal labyrinth where the fate of a former president hangs in the balance, and witness the Colorado Supreme Court's bold move to potentially disqualify Donald Trump from the state's 2024 Republican primary ballot. This groundbreaking decision teeters on the edge of constitutional history, invoking the 14th Amendment in ways that could forever alter the landscape of presidential elections. I, Darrell McClain, guide you through this complex legal skirmish, dissecting the implications, the potential Supreme Court showdown, and the scholarly debates that are igniting political firestorms across the nation.Then, we pivot to the Vatican's corridors, where Pope Francis's unequivocal condemnation of the Israeli sniper attack on a Gaza Catholic church reverberates with a profound call for accountability. This criticism by the Pontiff is not just about the tragic loss of lives; it is a strong indictment of the persistent strife in Gaza and its ripple effects on global diplomacy, particularly the delicate dance of U.S.-Israeli relations. And as we wrap, Oscar Brown Jr.'s haunting poem "The Children of Children" echoes through our discussion, a sobering reminder of the cycles of disadvantage that grip marginalized communities and our collective duty to carve a path toward a more just and equitable world for the next generation. Support the show

+Bishop Kelly: Requiescat in pace! Francis: Religions of the world unite - to save the Earth! The Pontiff of Neopaganism demands "more feminine church." What follows Francis? The riches of Advent: "Make straight the way of the Lord!" Honor the Holy Family during Advent. This episode was livestreamed on 12/4/23 Purgatorian Manual mentioned: https://archive.org/details/ManualOfT... Our Links: http://linkwcb.com/ Please consider making a monetary donation to What Catholics Believe. Father Jenkins remembers all of our benefactors in general during his daily Mass, and he also offers one Mass on the first Sunday of every month specially for all supporters of What Catholics Believe. May God bless you for your generosity! https://www.wcbohio.com/donate Subscribe to our other YouTube channels: @WCBHolyMassLivestream @WCBHighlights May God bless you all!

Source: DAVOS in the CATACOMBS: Klaus Schwab's Secret Vatican Connection https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwjeumh21xE In this episode of The Remnant Underground, Michael J. Matt takes on critics who charge Traditional Catholics with being no better than Martin Luther for resisting Pope Francis. Do they have a point? Francis Fatigue is not reserved for Traditionalists, however. Catholic Argentina -- the pope's home country -- just elected a president who is probably Pope Francis's most outspoken critic in the world today. And he won his election with a Latin Mass Catholic as his running mate. But it doesn't stop there. Trouble is reportedly brewing between the Vatican and the US Catholic Bishops Conference. Vatican nuncio, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, accuses the American bishops of dragging their feet on Synodality and the spirit of the Catacombs Pact. Meanwhile, as Francis invites a busload of transexuals to have lunch with him in the Vatican, critics, including political commentator Dinesh D'Souza, accuses the Pontiff of confirming sinners in their lifestyle, rather than calling them to convert. Is the Francis Revolution finally coming to an end? #SPONSORED: Use code REMANT TV at CharityMobile.com for a FREE phone with FREE activation and FREE Shipping! Sign up for Michael Matt's Weekly E-Letter: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/subscribe-today/free-remnant-updates Follow Michael Matt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Michael_J_Matt Subscribe to The Remnant Newspaper, print and/or digital versions available: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/subscribe-today Listen to Michael Matt's podcasts: SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/1AdkCDFfR736CqcGw2Uvd0 APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-michael-j-matt-show/id1563298989

This week we welcome Brenda Pontiff. Brneda started stand up in Houston, Texas, and began working on her stand-up comedy skills at The Comedy Workshop's Comix Annex. A few years later, she became a New Face at the famed Improv in Los Angeles. She was also a regular at Igby's and toured as a feature act for franchise clubs including Punchlines, FunnyBones, and Laff Stops.She took a 14-year break in the early 2000s to focus on her global business development career but has happily returned. Comedy is like the Mafia, you can never leave.Check them out at https://brendapontiff.com/We now have an INSTAGRAM! Check it out @thecleancomedypodcast on Instagram and add @jdcrevistoncomedy on IG as well!Turn your funny into money! Check out the official website here: http://comedypreneur.comPick up a copy of “How To Produce Comedy Shows For Fun & Profit” here. https://amzn.to/31H4wxm Do you have a topic that you would like to hear discussed? Are you a clean comedian looking for an awesome podcast to be in? Do you have life-burning questions? Reach out to us at HERE!https://www.thecleancomedypodcast.com/contact/This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4825680/advertisement

Presented by TwinSpires Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day looks back on his most cherished Breeders' Cup memories including his win in the first Breeders' Cup Classic aboard Wild Again. Trainer Richard Mandella recalls his record setting 4-win day in 2003, and John Shirreffs remembers the great Zenyatta. "The Pontiff of the Pick 4" Jude Feld handicaps Saturday's Breeders' Cup races and Fasig-Tipton President/CEO Boyd Browning previews their upcoming Night of Stars Sale. Plus, Joe Kristufek provides this week's TwinSpires Triple Play, Kurt Becker takes you on a Stroll Through Racing History presented by Keeneland, Dale Romans & Tim Wilkin tackle the sport's hottest topics on 'I Ask, They Answer' presented by the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program.

[00:30]Interview with Dr. IványiIf you ask Prime Minister Viktor Orbán about the state of freedom in Hungary, you will hear descriptions of a bastion of liberty and democracy. But reality is dramatically different, with the state persecuting many churches with the same tactics Communists used during the Cold War. This episode features an interview with one of Hungary's best-known religious leaders, Dr. Gábor Iványi.“The Strongman, the Pontiff and the Ancient Empire” [34:05]Last Word: FaithThe Last Word looks at the turmoil and upheaval that are shaking the nations—and even our own governments—and asks: Where can we put our trust? What can we have faith in?What Is Faith?

Pope Francis, the 86-year-old pontiff, raised eyebrows when he made a revelation from his past about fat-shaming.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode Dr. Mazza and Non Veni Mark join Ann to discuss the upcoming “Synod on Synodality,” a wretched hive of scum and villainy whose vileness has not seen since the conspiracy to put Our Savior to death two millennia ago. Holding to a true base premise — that an anti-pope has no authority — makes it easier to hold on to the True Faith and avoid scandal; as St. Robert Bellarmine says: it is a blessing to see the Truth and the True Church! “Then indeed the Roman clergy, stripping Liberius of his pontifical dignity, went over to Felix, whom they knew [then] to be a Catholic. From that time, Felix began to be the true Pontiff. For although Liberius was not a heretic, nevertheless he was considered one, on account of the peace he made with the Arians, and by that presumption the pontificate could rightly [merito] be taken from him: for men are not bound, or able to read hearts; but when they see that someone is a heretic by his external works, they judge him to be a heretic pure and simple [simpliciter], and condemn him as a heretic.” — Saint Robert Bellarmine New Classes from Dr. Mazza: “Hell, Purgatory, Heaven” — a course on Dante's Divine Comedy Romans, Christians, and Barbarians (part 2): Pentecost through the Middle Ages Links, Reading, and Video: “If Francis is still the Pope” — Dr. Mazza blog post Discovering the Lost City of Sodom (Video) Saint Catherine of Sienna's letter to the Cardinals   Feedback: please send your questions, comments, suggestions, and happy news item to podcast@barnhardt.biz — or you can leave voicemail feedback at (302) 648-6373‬. (Alternate email addresses are supernerdmedia@protonmail.com and annbarnhardt@protonmail.com if you are looking for something more secure.) Supernerd Media produces the Barnhardt Podcast, hosts Ann's website, and more; if you got some value from these efforts and would like to return some value, you can use a credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, or Cash App with this link or you can mail a donation to the address listed at SupernerdMedia.com.

SPECIAL GUEST Wisdom Wednesday  Brother Andre Marie  Follow Brother Andre on GAB and Twitter - @Brother_Andre His Excellence - Athanasius Schneider  HEADLINE: On the Validity of the Pontificate of Pope Francis by Athanasius Schneider  Sedevacantist - vacant chair, empty chair HEADLINE: The Popes and the Modern Crisis (on Sedevacantism) by Brother Andre Marie  It is speculation, it has never been acted upon.  It has not been enshrine in the doctrine of the Church. There is no authority to declare or consider an elected and generally accepted Pope as an invalid Pope. The constant practice of the Church makes it evident that even in the case of an invalid election this invalid election will be de facto healed through the general acceptance of the new elected by the overwhelming majority of the cardinals and bishops. Even in the case of a heretical pope he will not lose his office automatically and there is no body within the Church to declare him deposed because of heresy. Such actions would come close to a kind of a heresy of conciliarism or episcopalism. The heresy of conciliarism or episcopalism says basically that there is a body within the Church (Ecumenical Council, Synod, College of Cardinals, College of Bishops), which can issue a legally binding judgment over the Pope. The theory of the automatic loss of the papacy due to heresy remains only an opinion, and even St. Robert Bellarmin noticed this and did not present it as a teaching of the Magisterium itself. The perennial papal Magisterium never taught such an option. Every Bishop is a Pontiff - it literally means Bridge Builder. The Pope is the ROMAN Pontiff -  How are they connected? They are connected based upon the limits of Papal Authority. John Paul II - you had moderate progressivist during this time. You can criticize these things today. This isn't the first Catholic Land Movement, it was tried before and failed. Angelus Press has printed a lot of this stuff - they were all writing and no one was actually farming.  Collections of Integrity Articles -  Sometimes Saints had great ideas that flopped. ReConquest - Episode 391: ‘Virtue is the Order of Love'

SPECIAL GUEST Wisdom Wednesday  Brother Andre Marie  Follow Brother Andre on GAB and Twitter - @Brother_Andre His Excellence - Athanasius Schneider  HEADLINE: On the Validity of the Pontificate of Pope Francis by Athanasius Schneider  Sedevacantist - vacant chair, empty chair HEADLINE: The Popes and the Modern Crisis (on Sedevacantism) by Brother Andre Marie  It is speculation, it has never been acted upon.  It has not been enshrine in the doctrine of the Church. There is no authority to declare or consider an elected and generally accepted Pope as an invalid Pope. The constant practice of the Church makes it evident that even in the case of an invalid election this invalid election will be de facto healed through the general acceptance of the new elected by the overwhelming majority of the cardinals and bishops. Even in the case of a heretical pope he will not lose his office automatically and there is no body within the Church to declare him deposed because of heresy. Such actions would come close to a kind of a heresy of conciliarism or episcopalism. The heresy of conciliarism or episcopalism says basically that there is a body within the Church (Ecumenical Council, Synod, College of Cardinals, College of Bishops), which can issue a legally binding judgment over the Pope. The theory of the automatic loss of the papacy due to heresy remains only an opinion, and even St. Robert Bellarmin noticed this and did not present it as a teaching of the Magisterium itself. The perennial papal Magisterium never taught such an option. Every Bishop is a Pontiff - it literally means Bridge Builder. The Pope is the ROMAN Pontiff -  How are they connected? They are connected based upon the limits of Papal Authority. John Paul II - you had moderate progressivist during this time. You can criticize these things today. This isn't the first Catholic Land Movement, it was tried before and failed. Angelus Press has printed a lot of this stuff - they were all writing and no one was actually farming.  Collections of Integrity Articles -  Sometimes Saints had great ideas that flopped. ReConquest - Episode 391: ‘Virtue is the Order of Love'

Prosecutors who have indicted President Donald Trump are trying him for election interference in 2020. Their timing is calculated to interfere with the election in 2024. Europe, especially France, is devoted to democracy, especially its elected leaders—right? Libyans have found something to rally together against: the nation of Israel. If mass horrors were happening in our lifetime, we would never allow it, we think. Turn your eyes to Xinjiang. Links [00:37] Donald Trump and War in the Courts (12 minutes) “America's Broken Judgment” “The U.S. Constitution Is Over 95 Percent Destroyed” [12:12] Europe: Devoted to Democracy? (9 minutes) “Ten Kings of the Holy Roman Empire, Rising Now” [21:04] Watching Libya (8 minutes) Libya and Ethiopia in Prophecy [27:46] The Horror in Xinjiang (14 minutes) “The Climax of Man's Rule Over Man” [41:37] PANEL: What to Make of Orban, Carlson and Trump (15 minutes) “The Strongman, the Pontiff and the Ancient Empire”

A supremely challenging Saturday crossword, but Jean once again demonstrated why she deserves the monicker "Queen of Crosswords", sailing through it without a care in the world. Mike's trip was a little bumpier ... less "sailing" and more "going over Niagara Falls in a barrel". A few samples: 11A, This might change your mind, LSD (uh-huh); 37D, See star?, PONTIFF (yikes!); and 51D, "Have you _______", EVER (medic!). All the deets are inside, so, after you've hit that subscribe or follow button, you are cheerfully exhorted to download, listen up, and enjoy!Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack to help us sustain Good Distinctions!Sins Against the Respect for the Reputation of PersonsStatements made about public figures are a dime a dozen. Individuals like Pope Francis who are known throughout the world garner certain reputations. Often, these reputations are an amalgamation of rash judgment, detraction, or calumny. In today's examination, I want to investigate the rather loaded question: is Pope Francis in favor of socialism and/or globalism? For some, this seems like a forgone conclusion and for others the sentiment is preposterous. I hope to shed a bit of light on the subject by sifting through the defining socialism and globalism, looking at Church teaching on the subject, and reviewing some statements by Pope Francis. Maybe then we will get a bit closer to understanding the mind of the Roman Pontiff on the topic.However, first I want to look briefly at these three sins against respect for the reputation of persons. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury (CCC 2477).” So, what are rash judgments, detraction, and calumny?Rash JudgmentsIf we call into question the moral standing of another without sufficient foundation, we are guilty of the sin of rash judgment. We do not even have to be fully convinced of our neighbor's fault for the sin of rash judgment to be present. Avoiding rash judgment requires care and practice. When we encounter the thoughts, words, and deeds of another, we should attempt to interpret them in a favorable way. St. Ignatius of Loyola writes:“Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 22).”DetractionDetraction is the sin of disclosing another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them without an objectively valid reason for doing so, to use the wording of the Catechism (cf. CCC 2477). Notice here that detraction seems to presume that the faults of failings of the other person are actually present. However, we need to take care not to share these faults and failings with an objectively valid reason. CalumnyFinally, calumny is the sin of harming the reputation of another by providing remarks which are contrary to the truth. When this happens, it invites others to make false judgments about the person being discussed. The problem with both detraction and calumny is that they “destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor (CCC 2479).” Actions like these are vices opposed to the virtues of justice and charity.Why Bring Up These Three Sins?There is no shortage of armchair theologians interpreting the thoughts, words, and deeds of Pope Francis in an unfavorable way. This is the sin of rash judgment. I myself have been guilty of this sin in regards to the pope several years ago, and I repent of it. Likewise, there are things which are sincerely problematic surrounding the Francis pontificate and the person of Pope Francis in the past ten years. Not all of these personal conversations needed to be brought out to the public forum, especially not in the way that they were. For example, the many letters of Archbishop Vigano would constitute, in my mind, consistent detraction against the Holy Father. Many of these letters also seem to fit the bill for calumny as well. And, of course, there is widespread calumny against the pope, as I am sure there has been against every pope in history. Folks do love to gossip. It is an unfortunate side effect of the Fall and our concupiscence. So, how does this apply to today's topic? I am going to try to avoid rash judgment, detraction, and calumny as I investigate the subject matter today. I hope by giving a model for reading the Pontiff charitably, all of us will be inspired to do likewise in the future. With that all being said, let us now turn our attention to socialism and globalism.What are Socialism and Globalism? Are they Related?When you say the word “socialism,” most people immediately think of economics. Really, socialism is more broadly a political ideology with implications in both economic and sociological structures. These structures or systems are predominantly centered around the means of production being controlled socially, rather than privately. The means of production are the land, labor, and capital which are used to produce products (in the form of goods or services). If the land, labor, or capital in a given locale are owned by the government, by a co-op, by employees, or the like, this is an indication that socialist mechanisms are in play. After the introduction of the thought of Marx and Engels in the 19th Century, a category of socialism was born which was called Communism. While there have been many iterations of socialism and communism, the key distinction is that communism is not concerned with social ownership of the means of production only but also with socially designed means of consumption of products. At any rate, both socialism and communism are opposed to capitalism, which desires to keep the means of production owned by private firms and individuals. Globalism is an interesting term without a set definition. It is usually used by right-leaning capitalists in a pejorative sense. In the 17th Century, the Peace of Westphalia led to a world-system in which several nation-states and independent nations created an interconnected economic system. These world-systems were not global as much as very large regional systems. Many of these world-systems did not interact with one another. Then, over the next two centuries, these world-systems came into ever-increasing contact in a process known as globalization. Due to transportation and communications advancements, this process took off at a feverish pace after the end of the Cold War in the 1990s. Goods, services, technology, capital, data, people, and the like move relatively freely across borders throughout the world. As a result, global markets continued to expand. In 2000, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) described four main aspects of globalization: 1) trade, 2) capital movements, 3) movement of people, and 4) the spread of knowledge and technology (Globalization: Threat or Opportunity?). Globalism is really the expression of globalization, just as nationalism is an expression of nationality. Here lies one danger: just as nationalism can go off the rails towards a well-intentioned but ultimately overzealous approach, so too can globalism devolve into an attempt to control uncontrollable mechanisms. When governments and key global leaders in politics, business, and entertainment attempt to control global markets, the outcome leads to remarkable inefficiencies which sadly lead to human suffering. This is because a society which is not founded on the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity are doomed to radically disordered structures and systems. For more on solidarity and subsidiarity, check out a previous episode on the topic. So, are socialism and globalism related? To an extent: yes! Many of the early socialists dreamed of a utopian world in which everyone had what they needed and suffering was minimized. Then, when Marx and Engels began writing the Communist Manifesto, they did so in a world which was already experiencing the nascent groans of globalization, with all its accompanying problems. Their response was to instantiate a radical form of socialism. Planned socialist economies have been tried numerous times in the 20th Century and the result has always been widespread death, suffering, and even genocide. Globalism is more or less an attempt to understand the mechanism and intricacies of globalization. This is nothing more than a desire for more knowledge about how the structures which exist in the world actually work. The problem is when globalism takes on a more “intentional” twinge and admixes socialist policies. The socialist or the globalist could dream of a world in which social structures control land, labor, and capital in order to produce goods and services for a global market. These social structures could be the United Nations, the European Union, or even the neoliberal and neoconservative efforts of nation building seen after the Cold War. What does the Church Teach About Socialism and Globalism?SocialismPope Pius XI, in his work Quadragesimo Anno, writes: “If Socialism, like all errors, contains some truth (which, moreover, the supreme pontiffs have never denied), it is based nevertheless on a theory of human society peculiar to itself and irreconcilable with true Christianity. Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are contradictory terms; no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist (Quadragesimo Anno, 120).”Likewise, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:“The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with “communism” or “socialism”  (Catechism, 2425).”Pope Leo XIII in his masterwork Rerum Novarum wrote in 1891 that:“To remedy these wrongs the socialists, working on the poor man's envy of the rich, are striving to do away with private property, and contend that individual possessions should become the common property of all, to be administered by the State or by municipal bodies. They hold that by thus transferring property from private individuals to the community, the present mischievous state of things will be set to rights, inasmuch as each citizen will then get his fair share of whatever there is to enjoy. But their contentions are so clearly powerless to end the controversy that were they carried into effect the working man himself would be among the first to suffer. They are, moreover, emphatically unjust, for they would rob the lawful possessor, distort the functions of the State, and create utter confusion in the community (Rerum Novarum, 4).”One of the key tenets of socialist ideology is contempt for private property, which is something that the Catholic Church ardently defends. Pope Leo XIII even speaks of the “inviolability” of private property, as a principle. Likewise, Pope Leo XIII speaks of socialists setting up “a State supervision” at the expense of parents, which he calls an “act against natural justice” which would “destroy the structure of the home (ibid., 14).”GlobalismBecause globalism is so ill-defined, we will be hard pressed to find many denunciations or affirmations of it. However, we can see fairly clearly that the Catholic Church is not opposed to a transnationalism corporate approach, given that it is the oldest and most interconnected organization in the world! Where the rubber meets the road on this question is between progressives in favor of an international and anti-nationalist view of global structures and a conservative and isolationist view. Between these two views is a wide diversity of ideologies of varying degrees. So, we do not want to fall into a trap of extremism. From my perspective, I think both extremes have something to offer. On the side of the internationalist progressives, I think there is value to their critique that there is an American, exceptionalist version of Catholicism which reads into everything the Vatican does as pertaining exclusively and directly to the United States. This sort of nationalism might be appropriate for navigating diplomatic relations between nations. But it is prideful and ridiculous on the global, Catholic front. I do not doubt that Pope Francis has spoken vaguely about the Western world and the United States, in particular, with negative overtones. But his critiques are centered around an observation of rampant materialism and individualism which devalues certain communities and the marginalized. And fair enough.On the side of the isolationist conservatives, there is a desire to get one's house in order before reaching out to others in assistance. The world is full of different problems, but we need to fix the problems in our own house and in our own backyard before we can be of use to anyone else. I am deeply sympathetic to this approach due to my abiding love of the principle of subsidiarity. But we have to balance this approach with solidarity, which shows how intensely interconnected the human family is. And what is more, the baptized are supernaturally brothers and sisters in an even more pronounced way than a mere natural association. The problem with globalism which is the most pronounced is the lens of seeing the world in material terms to the neglect of the spiritual. I wrote about this extensively in my part two summary of Deus Caritas Est by Pope Benedict XVI. We have a responsibility to provide for the material necessities of those in need (preferential option for the poor), but we cannot fulfill this due to the neglect of the spiritual needs of persons. Rising alongside globalization was an insidious secularism which attempted to remove God from society.Material, at the Expense of the SpiritualRiding the wave of the Enlightenment, Frederich Neitzsche famously wrote “God is dead,” but most people do not understand the point he is making. He is not simply announcing his own growing personal atheism. The quote continues:“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? (Neitzsche)”The Enlightenment was deeply disorienting because Christendom cannot exist apart from a Christian worldview and Christian societal ordering. When the Enlightenment thinkers and actors unmoored society from these deep roots and outstretched arms to Heaven, the response was the dramatic collapse of the moral value structure of Christian society. With continued globalization, this secularism continued to creep along the globe. Now, it is counter-cultural and an oddity to be a believer, much less a Christian. The nihilism of Nietzsche saw that society was shaking off the temporal influence of Christianity, but he also remarked that the “shadows” of God would still need to be vanquished, the vestiges of the Christian worldview. In our current postmodern world, this is certainly coming true pragmatically. The main problem with this - and thus with what globalism is effectively importing and exporting ideologically these days - is that God is not dead and never will be. Human nature does not change just because some European narcissists of the last centuries say so.Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and Marx, in various iterations refer to the offers of Christian religion as the comfort of certainty. Marx, in particular, refers to religion as the opiate of the masses. I think this shows just how twisted the notions of Christianity were at the time. Jesus did not come to bring us comfort, He told us to pick up our cross and follow Him. The Christian life is hard. Yes, the promise of Heaven is a comfort, but it also happens to be true because the Source is trustworthy.Unfortunately, globalism has led to a bland approach to religious truths - and especially moral prescripts - which has devolved into moral relativism, subjectivism, and indifferentism. Even within the Church, we can sense the effects of these trends. Many Catholics - lay, religious, and clergy alike - are awash in the cultural cocktail of crappy creeds being advanced by every human source with no reference to transcendent, objective truth and the Source of Truth, God Himself. All of that being said, moored in good philosophical and theological convictions, globalism can be a great force for good. Humanity is interconnected. Through mass communication, we can reach out to those around us and those halfway across the globe in an instant. If those using these modern technologies are virtuous and ordered towards God, then the Holy Spirit can bear fruit in these interactions! So, while it is healthy to critique what is morally ambiguous or evil, it is important to see things as they currently are and then help order our society back towards God. Lest we think this is an impossible task, remember charity begins at home. Start there.Where Does Pope Francis Come From and Does it Matter?Before we get into Pope Francis' comments relating to socialism and globalism, it is worth looking at his own upbringing and cultural context. We are the product of nature and nurture, in many real and lasting ways. Pope Francis is no different.Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936 to Italian parents. His family left Italy to escape the fascist oppression of Benito Mussolini in 1929. Communism sought to abolish private property. Socialism advocated government ownership of the means of production. Fascism left the means of production in private hands but through government and corporate collusion directed every economic decision.He worked as a bouncer and a janitor before training as a chemist and working as a technician in a food science laboratory. At the age of 22, he discerned a vocation to the priesthood in the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). As we grow up, our thoughts and opinions on matters change, politically, socially, economically, and even religiously. These changes might be a deepening and maturing, a complete break for something new, or an exploration which eventually comes full circle. What is consistent is that our cultural experiences and upbringing color our approaches. In the case of Jorge Bergoglio in Argentina, Juan Perón took power in 1946 after World War Two and held power until he was overthrown in 1955.I think that Juan Perón is the key to understanding Pope Francis' approach to society and politics. Peronism is a form of corporate socialism but is seen by many as “right wing.” Confused yet?  Juan Perón was an Argentine nationalist and populist. Populism is not right or left wing; it is a way to stir up public support amongst the working class.Juan Perón harbored former Nazi officials. He was fairly isolationist. He was anti-clerical and got on the bad side of the Church when he worked to legalize divorce. He supported labor unions and corporatized them. He used violence and dictatorial rule to maintain power, but all the while styled himself as a man of the people. Though a socialist in practice, Juan Perón had a well documented respect for Benito Mussolini. I think it is fair to say that Juan Perón was willing to support any policy which helped him retain power - a hallmark of populists. Juan Perón is key to Pope Francis' approach because this is the society which Jorge Bergoglio grappled with from ten years old and forward. And even after Juan Perón was removed, his policies and ideas remained prevalent in Argentine politics into the 21st Century.  So, keep that in mind as we look at what Pope Francis has to say about socialism and globalism. Americans, especially, are notorious for reading everything in light of American politics and economic ideologies. Argentina is vastly different from the United States politically, socially, and economically. If we approach Pope Francis' writings on social and economic structuring with narrow vision, then we will miss the forest for the trees. Is Pope Francis a Socialist or Globalist?Now, finally, we can turn our attention to the question: is Pope Francis a socialist or a globalist? I am going to focus on looking at the three most authoritative documents from Pope Francis, his encyclicals: Lumen Fidei (2013), Laudato si' (2015), and Fratelli Tutti (2020). I will also touch on his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. I am not writing a book on the man, nor am I claiming to exhaustively treat this question. But the conversation I want to start here is: what does he actually promulgate in his ordinary and universal magisterium, as the Pope. Popes are free to hold private opinions and even express them publicly, but they do not hold the weight of an encyclical letter. So, we will stick to these three documents. If you want to sort through the ambiguous statements the Pope has made or dive into his airplane interviews, go for it!Lumen Fidei (2013)Lumen Fidei was released shortly after Pope Francis was elected and was actually written by Pope Benedict XVI. Nonetheless, being promulgated by Francis, we should charitably assume that he is asserting what is therein contained. This encyclical is in the same vein as Deus Caritas Est and Spe Salvi on Charity and Hope and is about Faith. This is a largely theological text without much discussion of politics or economics. But there is one pertinent idea that is repeated twice: “The individual's act of faith finds its place within a community, within the common ‘we' of the people who, in faith, are like a single person - ‘my first-born son,' as God would describe all of Israel (Lumen Fidei, 14).”Likewise, in par. 43, we hear: “Since faith is a reality lived within the community of the Church, part of a common ‘We,' children can be supported by others, their parents and godparents, and welcomed into their faith, which is the faith of the Church (ibid., 43).”I think these two paragraphs, when taken as one idea, are a concrete expression of solidarity and subsidiarity in the life of the Church. The corporate “We” of the Church stretches across the entire globe (and in Purgatory and Heaven!!) but the instantiation is in the local, the family, the cell of society. As far as globalism is concerned, this seems like a perfectly balanced approach.The understanding that the integrity of the Faith is vital is beautifully expounded here:“Since faith is one, it must be professed in all its purity and integrity. Precisely because all the articles of faith are interconnected, to deny one of them, even of those that seem least important, is tantamount to distorting the whole. Each period of history can find this or that point of faith easier or harder to accept: hence the need for vigilance in ensuring that the deposit of faith is passed on in its entirety (cf. 1 Tim 6:20) and that all aspects of the profession of faith are duly emphasized. Indeed, inasmuch as the unity of faith is the unity of the Church, to subtract something from the faith is to subtract something from the veracity of communion (ibid., 48).”The unity of faith is the unity of the Church. So, if the Pope takes a global view of the Church - which he should - then the accompanying principle is unity of belief. From the beginning, this has been one of the unambiguous guiding principles of the Church: there is a unity of governance, teaching, preaching, and means of sanctification. It is only in Jesus that we are united. This is the light of life for society. The Pope writes:“Modernity sought to build a universal brotherhood based on equality, yet we gradually came to realize that this brotherhood, lacking a reference to a common Father as its ultimate foundation, cannot endure (ibid., 54).”It is abundantly clear that Pope Benedict XVI wrote these words. But Pope Francis promulgated them. This is what he believes.By living the faith in integrity, locally and based in subsidiarity, is ordered to the common good of society. “Faith does not merely grant interior firmness, a steadfast conviction on the part of the believer; it also sheds light on every human relationship because it is born of love and reflects God's own love (ibid., 50).”In this first encyclical of the Francis pontificate, there can be no doubt that any sense of a globalized reality is tempered with subsidiarity and a unity of faith, and a bold proclamation of that Faith. This is all the more clarified by Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation, released in November of 2013, Evangelii Gaudium. Evangelii Gaudium (2013)Pope Francis condemns a “throw away” culture which treats human beings like consumer goods. In this context, the Pope decries “trickle-down theories” of economics which:“…assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting. To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people's pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else's responsibility and not our own. The culture of prosperity deadens us; we are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase. In the meantime all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us (EG, 54).”Clearly, the Pope is condemning a form of capitalism which relies on fallen human beings to do the right thing for the poor and marginalized. It does not seem to me that he is condemning free markets or capitalism, per se. Rather, he is condemning passive indifferentism. He also rightly says that this indifferentism has been globalized. Thus, in the same paragraph, we seem to have a condemnation of a certain kind of free market capitalism and a suspicion of globalist trends.He says that money has become an idol and imbalances in financial markets are caused by a dehumanizing effect which sees human persons only as a consumer. He goes on to say:“While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power (EG, 56).”Now, we are getting into a condemnation not just of trickle-down systems but of unfettered and unregulated free markets which he calls a “deified market.” What is interesting is his reasons why. He condemns unfettered free markets because he says that they reject God and seek to rule rather than serve. Further, it is not the markets which are problematic so much as the people pulling the levers. They lack a non-ideological ethics which seeks to serve human persons.He quotes someone saying: “Not to share one's wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs (EG, 57).” Golly! Who said that? Karl Marx?! Some dirty communist or socialist? No. Actually it was St. John Chrysostom, the great Church Father of Eastern antiquity. Pope Francis ends this subsection by saying:“Money must serve, not rule! The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but he is obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor. I exhort you to generous solidarity and to the return of economics and finance to an ethical approach which favours human beings (EG, 58).”What the Pope is talking about here is principles of ethics and social life, not economic and societal structures, as such. Reading him uncharitably, I remember hearing - mostly American - conservatives mouth off that the Pope is anti-capitalist and therefore a SOCIALIST! Well, it seems more likely from Evangelii Gaudium that the Pope is lamenting any system which is based on greedy materialism which dehumanizes people. The Pope then turns his attention to secularization which he says “tends to reduce the faith and the Church to the sphere of the private and the personal (EG, 64).” It rejects the transcendent, deteriorates ethics, weakens a sense of sin, and increases relativism. Further, he mentions that: “The individualism of our postmodern and globalized era favours a lifestyle which weakens the development and stability of personal relationships and distorts family bonds (EG, 67).”I think that this is a fruitful approach because he is describing the problems he is seeing and then proposing the principles to deal with them effectively, from the mind and heart of the Church. This is not a support or condemnation of globalism, so much as a sober look at where we are currently. I highly recommend reading this document in its entirety to get the full picture. Suffice it to say, there is nothing in Evangelii Gaudium which supports the hypothesis that Pope Francis is a socialist or a globalist.Laudato Si (2015)Laudato Si was written about the care of our common home. It is an encyclical about environmental stewardship, but Pope Francis touches on several economic issues.The Pope is skeptical of international political responses to the protection of marginalized people and ecosystems. He says that too many special interests can “end up trumping the common good and manipulating information so that their own plans will not be affected (LS, 54).” He says that the consequence of this is that:“… the most one can expect is superficial rhetoric, sporadic acts of philanthropy and perfunctory expressions of concern for the environment, whereas any genuine attempt by groups within society to introduce change is viewed as a nuisance based on romantic illusions or an obstacle to be circumvented (LS, 54).”This is the same skepticism about international rule which he expressed in 2013. Quoting from St. John Paul II, Pope Francis defends the universal destination of goods, developmental policies which focus on human rights, and a defense of legitimate right to private property. His critique here is that God's gifts are being used for the benefit of only a few and that unjust habits need to be reexamined. Further, Pope Francis puts globalization in his crosshairs again when he investigates the creativity and power of technology. He writes: “​​The economy accepts every advance in technology with a view to profit, without concern for its potentially negative impact on human beings (LS, 109).” However, he then repeats the same concern of free market trickle-down economic approaches that he brought forth in Evangelii Gaudium. He says:“Some circles maintain that current economics and technology will solve all environmental problems, and argue, in popular and non-technical terms, that the problems of global hunger and poverty will be resolved simply by market growth. They are less concerned with certain economic theories which today scarcely anybody dares defend, than with their actual operation in the functioning of the economy (LS, 109).” He admits that those who espouse such views do not always do so in words, but he says their deeds run contrary to the items he thinks are important. Namely, these priorities are “more balanced levels of production, a better distribution of wealth, concern for the environment and the rights of future generations (LS, 109).” Pope Francis does not then offer tangible steps of what more balanced levels of production would entail, but a charitable read would suggest that he is referring back to materialism and people being treated as commodities. He does not seem to be referring to who should own the means of production. He calls for a better distribution of wealth, but he clarifies this earlier in the text. There are those who are destitute and do not have their basic needs covered, while a small percentage of people have more resources than they could ever use or even effectively manage. But he does not suggest that wealth be redistributed in a socialist way. As far as Laudato Si is concerned, there is a lot more to say related to a skepticism on the Pope's part regarding global and international approaches to the issue of environmental care. But I want to share one final passage on employment. The view of Pope Francis here is as far from Socialism and Globalism as one could possibly get. And yet, many more conservative readers bristle at any possible critique of the free market and are uncharitable in the rest of their reading. It is longer, but well worth reading carefully, especially if you are prone to saying unequivocally in a kneejerk way that Pope Francis is a socialist; here is the passage:“In order to continue providing employment, it is imperative to promote an economy which favours productive diversity and business creativity. For example, there is a great variety of small-scale food production systems which feed the greater part of the world's peoples, using a modest amount of land and producing less waste, be it in small agricultural parcels, in orchards and gardens, hunting and wild harvesting or local fishing. Economies of scale, especially in the agricultural sector, end up forcing smallholders to sell their land or to abandon their traditional crops. Their attempts to move to other, more diversified, means of production prove fruitless because of the difficulty of linkage with regional and global markets, or because the infrastructure for sales and transport is geared to larger businesses. Civil authorities have the right and duty to adopt clear and firm measures in support of small producers and differentiated production. To ensure economic freedom from which all can effectively benefit, restraints occasionally have to be imposed on those possessing greater resources and financial power. To claim economic freedom while real conditions bar many people from actual access to it, and while possibilities for employment continue to shrink, is to practise a doublespeak which brings politics into disrepute. Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving our world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the areas in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good (LS, 129).”Fratelli Tutti (2020)Pope Francis' 2020 document on fraternity and social friendship is excellent. It contains a lot of real gems. My favorite quotation, which I think shows Pope Francis' mind on the interconnectedness of man is: “We gorged ourselves on networking, and lost the taste of fraternity (FT, 33).” This is a fabulous turn of phrase that hearkens back to the Pope's desire to see people viewed as persons rather than commodities.As a social encyclical, Fratelli Tutti touches on society, persons, economics, and politics throughout. It is also quite long, in terms of encyclicals. As a social encyclical, it contains several prudential judgments, opinions, and non-definitive ideas; so, it is a bit different from the norm as far as encyclicals go. However, it is highly worth reading, in its entirety. I want to just touch on a few main points here.He begins the document taking swings against globalism, saying:“As I was writing this letter, the Covid-19 pandemic unexpectedly erupted, exposing our false securities. Aside from the different ways that various countries responded to the crisis, their inability to work together became quite evident. For all our hyper-connectivity, we witnessed a fragmentation that made it more difficult to resolve problems that affect us all. Anyone who thinks that the only lesson to be learned was the need to improve what we were already doing, or to refine existing systems and regulations, is denying reality (FT, 7).”The Pope seems to come down squarely against what globalism is doing. He says, in part quoting Pope Benedict XVI:“Local conflicts and disregard for the common good are exploited by the global economy in order to impose a single cultural model. This culture unifies the world, but divides persons and nations, for ‘as society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbours, but does not make us brothers' (FT, 12).”He then proceeds to provide a blistering critique of globalism and attributes to it the growing problem of loneliness. He writes:“We are more alone than ever in an increasingly massified world that promotes individual interests and weakens the communitarian dimension of life. Indeed, there are markets where individuals become mere consumers or bystanders. As a rule, the advance of this kind of globalism strengthens the identity of the more powerful, who can protect themselves, but it tends to diminish the identity of the weaker and poorer regions, making them more vulnerable and dependent. In this way, political life becomes increasingly fragile in the face of transnational economic powers that operate with the principle of ‘divide and conquer' (FT, 12).”The weak and the poor are the object of the Pope's concern, because they are precisely those with the quietest voice in society. And there are those who claim to speak for the poor for their own gain. As we look at the next quote, remember Juan Perón and the Pope's early experiences. He writes:“Lack of concern for the vulnerable can hide behind a populism that exploits them demagogically for its own purposes, or a liberalism that serves the economic interests of the powerful. In both cases, it becomes difficult to envisage an open world that makes room for everyone, including the most vulnerable, and shows respect for different cultures (FT, 155).”The Pope goes on to critique liberal approaches which speak of a respect for freedom without the roots of shared narrative. He says that leftist ideologies linked to individualistic ways of acting are ineffective and leave people in need. He calls for a greater spirit of fraternity as well as a “more efficient worldwide organization to help resolve the problems plaguing the abandoned who are suffering and dying in poor countries (FT, 165).” On first blush, this seems like an endorsement of a form of globalism. But what I think he is saying is that a more global pool of resources is needed to help the poorest nations move into a post-industrial phase. Rather than proposing socialism or a concrete form of globalism, the Pope rightly says:“It also shows that there is no one solution, no single acceptable methodology, no economic recipe that can be applied indiscriminately to all. Even the most rigorous scientific studies can propose different courses of action (FT, 165).”As the document progresses, there are more of the same critiques of trick-down economics, populism, and a materialism which diminishes the dignity of persons. Then, in paragraph 172 and following, Pope Francis enters into the few paragraphs with which I take most issue. He calls for agreements among national governments to form a “world authority regulated by law” which ought to “at least to promote more effective world organizations, equipped with the power to provide for the common good, the elimination of hunger and poverty and the sure defence of fundamental human rights (FT, 172).” I find this problematic because it seems to conflict with the principle of subsidiarity. But then the Pope takes things a step further into waters which I dare not wade. He says:“In this regard, I would also note the need for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institutions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth' (FT, 173).” The thought of the U.N. with “real teeth” is the stuff of nightmares. Globalist governments do not seem efficient or helpful. To give teeth to an organization which can so easily be ruled by only a few countries with real sway is a recipe for disaster. I think that the U.N. should continue to arbitrate disputes and be a diplomatic force for good, but I am inclined to let their power end there.Comments on the United Nations notwithstanding, Fratelli Tutti brings up a lot of great points worth contemplating. There are several other points with which I would like to have a productive conversation with the Holy Father. But these items do not fall under the category of Faith and Moral teachings of the Church; they are almost completely prudential matters. So, disagreement, within reason and in charity, is perfectly acceptable. Bottom Line: Is Pope Francis a Socialist or a Globalist?Here is my bottom line. Based on what he has taught in his ordinary and universal magisterium, Pope Francis is not a socialist or a globalist. His critics pick up on some sincerely problematic phrasings but are largely uncharitable in their approach. As a private individual, I know that Pope Francis has condemned socialism and communism, but is very sympathetic to those ideas and what they are trying to accomplish. But this does not mean that he is firmly in that camp. He is a harsh critic of capitalism, but he does not seem to be endorsing socialism as a viable alternative.As far as globalism goes, the Pope speaks to the need for adherence to subsidiarity and solidarity, but he also espouses certainly pointedly globalist views, especially regarding international organizations and interreligious cooperation. In my opinion, these actions and especially joint-statements with non-Christian religious leaders are often misleading and imprudent. But the course of this exploration has been his ordinary and universal magisterial teachings. In all things, we must read what people say with charity and an open-mind. Of course, we must do so within reason. As G.K. Chesterton said: “The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.”For a further look at what we here at Good Distinctions mean by being open-minded, check out Episode 3! Until next time: have a great week! And remember: Good Distinctions are the spice of life!If you enjoyed this episode, please consider becoming a paid subscriber here on Substack to help us sustain Good Distinctions! Get full access to Good Distinctions at www.gooddistinctions.com/subscribe

The saints' abandonment to Divine providence, and deep desire to cling to the hope of Christ, even (and especially) in the midst of hardship, provides a path for us to emulate. Terry Polakavic focuses on the lives of the four "Women of Hope." These four saints and doctors of the Church are extraordinary exemplars of living out the Christian life in Hope.  Terry Polakovic is cofounder of Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women)  (endowgroups.org) and served as president of the organization from 2003 to 2015. She worked in nonprofit leadership for more than 30 years and is now retired. In 2010, she received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross award (“For the Church and Pontiff”) from Pope Benedict XVI. In 2011, Terry was recognized as an “Outstanding Catholic Leader” by the Catholic Leadership Institute. Terry's book Women of Hope: Doctors of the Church is available from Our Sunday Visitor.

Most do not think of managed Wifi and security cameras when you mention Windstream.  Windstream has put forth great efforts in evolving and offering more of the tech stack.  In this episode, we discuss emerging tech and how they are meeting the need by focusing on " as a service" provider.  We touch on the importance of cyber security whenever you talk tech.  Windstream is one of the few suppliers that has all five of our advanced solutions focus- Cx, Cybersecurity, Cloud and Wireless. Learn more about John-https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonschlee/Learn more about Brett- https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-pontiff-ba713011/More on Windstream's managed WIFI and IP cameras for retail- https://www.windstreamenterprise.com/blog/business-challenge/why-retailers-should-use-wifi-and-ip-camera-heat-mapping/?backto=homeSupport the show

Presented by TwinSpires NTRA President Tom Rooney talks about his love of racing and reflects upon breeding Preakness contender Coffeewithchris.  Trainer Bill Boniface remembers the last Maryland-bred to win the Preakness, Deputed Testamony 40 years ago, and Hall of Fame jockey Darrel McHargue remembers his 1975 Preakness victory aboard Master Derby, the longest shot ever to win horse racing's middle jewel. Plus, the Pontiff of the Pick 4 Jude Feld shares his Preakness day selections, and Michael Blowen from Old Friends remembers past Preakness winners. Dale Romans & Tim Wilkin get their Preak on in this week's 'I Ask, They Answer' presented by the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, Scott Shapiro provides this week's TwinSpires Triple Play, Kurt Becker takes you on his weekly Stroll Through Racing History presented by Keeneland  

For our final show of the 2022/23 season, we debut a somewhat new format—working title: 'the RADAR'

The Blood Pope dies, leaving a holy-shaped hole in the Lost Angeles landscape. Meanwhile, President Skullgore commences a manhunt for Hart Fisher, who is slippery as all get-out. Plus, a pulsating brain menaces a local neighborhood. How will that possibly affect traffic? Find out. Visit our shop at NPRmageddon.Etsy.com and follow us on Twitter @NPRmageddon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Blood Pope dies, leaving a holy-shaped hole in the Lost Angeles landscape. Meanwhile, President Skullgore commences a manhunt for Hart Fisher, who is slippery as all get-out. Plus, a pulsating brain menaces a local neighborhood. How will that possibly affect traffic? Find out. Visit our shop at NPRmageddon.Etsy.com and follow us on Twitter @NPRmageddon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first episode on Mortalium Animos of Pope Pius XI, His Excellency Bishop Donald Sanborn joins us to provide commentary on this most "anti-Vatican II document" that preexists Vatican II. Pope Pius XI's encyclical blasts false ecumenism with broadside after broadside of Catholic truth. Nobody who listens to the voice of the Pontiff can be in any doubt as to the proper Catholic position regarding false ecumenism. Join host Matthew Gaskin and His Excellency Bishop Donald Sanborn, rector of Most Holy Trinity Seminary (http://www.mostholytrinityseminary.org/) in Brooksville, Florida on this episode of Popes Against the Modern Errors. Episode Notes: Pope Pius XI's Mortalium Animos: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius11/p11morta.htm Original Air Date: September 26, 2016 Show Run Time: 1 hour 5 minutes Show Guest(s): Bishop Donald Sanborn Show Host(s): Matthew Gaskin Season 5 Sponsor: Novus Ordo Watch novusordowatch.org/ Episode: https://www.truerestoration.org/season-5-popes-against-the-modern-errors-episode-10-mortalium-animos-part-1/ Popes Against the Modern Errors: www.truerestoration.org/category/radi…odern-errors/ Subscribe: www.truerestoration.org/member-signup/ Popes Against the Modern Errors℗ is a production of the Restoration Radio Network. Copyright 2016. All Rights are Reserved.

Scott Lechner is the king of Christmas trees in Manhattan, nicknamed the “Pontiff of Soho.” But when his business runs afoul of the mob, he gets an offer that he can't refuse. And a covert operative is assigned to extract a high-level target from Russia, and it's about to ruin his holiday plans. STORIES The Christmas Tree Mafia Scott Lechner is the king of Christmas trees in Manhattan, nicknamed the “Pontiff of Soho.” But when his business runs afoul of the mob, he gets an offer that he can't refuse. The crazy true story of the New York Christmas tree industry, full of turf wars, karate fights, and the mafia. This story contains explicit language, sensitive listeners please be advised. This story is dedicated to the memory of Scott Lechner, the pontiff of Soho and the emperor of New York city treemen. Thanks as well to Russ and Little Scott. Produced by Ilana Strauss, John Fecile & Annie Nguyen. Original score by Renzo Gorrio. Secrets in Siberia Mike Ramsdell is a covert operative for the federal government. He's assigned to capture and extract a high-level target from Russia, but the mission goes horribly wrong. Find Mike's book here. Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio. Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 13 – Episode 41

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