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I was confirmed a year ago today on Easter vigil. Best decision I ever made 🙌🏼

Fury as Christian martyr St Sebastian is depicted as an Asian transgender man in National Gallery exhibit trib.al/jNP9H1R

A Hub of the Hub: NYU’s Catholic Center The Catholic Center at New York University is more than just an inviting space. For many, it’s a way into (or for some students, a return to) the Catholic Church.⬇️ ncregister.com/news/a-hub-of-…

REBEL RANKS: Sen. John Fetterman says "moral clarity" over his support for Israel and opposition to the ongoing government shutdown drives his widening break with the Democratic Party. "Democrats have to decide, whose side are you in?"

Illinois-born Archbishop Fulton Sheen receives Vatican's blessing for beatification | Family shares story of birth miracle that paved way for Sheen's steps to Catholic sainthood abc7chicago.com/post/illinois-…

The Holy Spirit Is Moving in Manhattan Young adults are turning out in droves at Masses and other faith-centered gatherings at a trio of parishes in the heart of New York City.⬇️ ncregister.com/news/the-new-c…

Pope Leo XIV sent Easter greetings to Catholics in Gaza, offering prayers and support to a community living amid war and uncertainty. osvnews.com/pope-sends-eas…

@CarriePrejean1 @BishopBarron Do you think your actions and incessant nastiness towards Bishop Barron is leading anyone to the truth of the Catholic Church?

I knew where @BishopBarron stood the moment he accused me of “hijacking” a hearing simply for asking a basic question of what is the definition of antisemitism and for daring to challenge Zionism. He falsely accused me of brow beating witnesses and hijacking the meeting for my own political agenda. He refused to speak to me. As Catholics, we are called to pursue truth, even when it is uncomfortable. I knew where he stood when Paula White compared Donald Trump to Jesus Christ and it was met with applause instead of correction. No statement was made by Bishop Barron, and no criticism. Simply, go along to get along. There was no clear, public moral voice regarding the genocide in Gaza or the unjust war in Iran. No statement when the all girls school in Iran was bombed. The Church gives us a framework to speak about these things with both truth and charity. When that clarity is absent by shepherds, the flock are left searching, and wondering. I knew where he stood when he told Ben Shapiro he was not “screwed” out of heaven for denying Christ. Christ is not one path among many, but the way, the truth, and the life. That truth must be spoken boldly. Even if it offends someone. Where was Bishop Barron’s statement regarding the threatening war crime message Trump put out on Easter Sunday. To use that day for language that is vulgar, threatening, and evil is not just inappropriate, it was blaspheming. This is the same man Bishop Barron and other faith leaders were clapping and applauding for being compared to Jesus Christ. Easter is the day Christ conquered sin and death. It’s absolutely shameful and disgraceful what Trump posted. Where is the statement from Bishop Barron in moments like this? He was willing to attack me and my character but not make a statement jeopardizing his position of influence within the Trump administration? It’s tempting to stay quiet to protect a position or maintain access. I felt that temptation. But I couldn’t remain silent. I had to speak. I had to speak about the genocide in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli government, I had to speak about being called an “antisemite” for not being a Zionist as a Catholic. I had to speak up for the unjust war in Iran. I had to speak for the innocent priest who was killed in Lebanon. I had to risk losing my position in order to stand for the truth. I couldn’t sit there and go along to get along. When I chose to speak, I was attacked for it. I was publicly accused by Bishop Barron in a way that misrepresented what actually took place. It hurt deeply, especially coming from someone entrusted to shepherd the flock like Bishop Barron. But the Lord did not leave me there alone. The Lord sent me @CforCatholics to pick me up when I was down. They helped me when I was being attacked by ravenous wolves in need of a shepherd. In that moment, when I was praying for a shepherd, The Lord provided. A courageous bishop @BishStrick and several faithful priests @Joseph_DeMarzo @frmatteomata @joaosilveiraaa as well as friends @USAYep @JendersII @timotheeology @McBrideLawNYC @MattGaspers @KhalilJeries @RealCandaceO @LifeSite @JhWesten stepped forward to defend me. I saw clearly that Christ does not abandon His Church. He raises up shepherds and laity who will stand in truth, even when it costs something. This is about whether Bishop Barron will speak with the fullness of truth entrusted to him or remain silent to preserve his position and access to Trump, and his “yes-men”. The flock are watching. They are longing for Bishop Barron to use his influence to speak truth to power. He was given a temporary position of influence and I pray he uses it to stand for the truth, correct error, call out injustice no matter the cost. “To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamor is raised against truth, is the part of a coward.” -Pope Leo XIII

Madeleine Kearns asks: Self-identified Catholic influencers have twisted church teaching to justify antisemitism, slander, and other ‘sins of speech.’ How are church leaders supposed to respond? Read the full story here: bit.ly/4chkyOS

DECLINED: A new analysis finds that a proposed 10% cap on credit card interest rates could limit access to credit for over 100 million Americans, with economists warning lenders may cut off higher-risk borrowers and reduce credit lines. The report also cautions the cap could lead to fewer rewards and push some consumers toward higher-cost alternatives like payday loans.

@madeleinekearns has taken a deep, much-needed dive into the problematic discourse of "influencer" Catholics online. She quotes TCA podcast chaplain @FrRogerLandry for her piece in @TheFP. 🧵

On Easter Monday, the Catholic Church celebrates what’s called “Monday of the Angel.” In many countries in Europe and South America, this day, also known as “Little Easter,” is a national holiday. In a Vatican Radio recording in 1994, Pope John Paul II gave an explanation for Monday of the Angel: “Why is it called that?” the pope asked, highlighting the need for an angel to call out from the depths of the grave: “He is risen.” These words “were very difficult to proclaim, to express, for a person,” John Paul II said. “Also, the women that were at the tomb encountered it empty but couldn’t tell ‘he had risen’; they only affirmed that the tomb was empty. The angel said more: “He is not here, he has risen.” The Gospel of St. Matthew puts it this way: “Then the angel said to the women in reply, ‘Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you” (Mt 28:5-7).

Around 10,000 people from across the country attended special Easter services at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. nbc4dc.com/uc5sjaz

“The Resurrection of Christ” (1593) by Annibale Carracci at the Louvre

“The Dead Christ” (1879) by Jean-Jacques Henner at Musee d’Orsay

“Martyrdom of St. Agatha” (16th century) by Sebastiano del Piombo at Palazzo Pitti

Raphael, one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance, is now the subject of the first comprehensive exhibition of his work ever in the U.S., at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. "Raphael: Sublime Poetry" examines the life of an artist who, at a young age, was influenced by Leonardo da Vinci and was commissioned by the Vatican to create works rivaling those of Michelangelo. cbsn.ws/4dOnV2b

The Sunday night Catholic Mass at St. Joseph’s in New York is a magnet for young people. “The pendulum is swinging,” one Catholic content creator wrote in a caption. “Gen Z is turning back to God.” wapo.st/4dq7tVs

"The Easter message is a message of radical liberation...It is a permanent revolutionary power, this claim that Jesus, in fact, was raised from the dead." @BishopBarron shares his Easter message, reflecting on faith, renewal, and the meaning of the season for Catholics around the world.

My column in this week’s @CatholicHerald is on the fascinating story of one of pre-reformation England’s most important places of pilgrimage and the statue of ‘Our Lady of Grace/Our Lady of Ipswich’ and how the iconic sculpture escaped being burned (by order of King Henry VIII), was secreted out of England and on to the safety of Italy and now, may soon be returning for a one month visit to England after nearly five hundred years of exile. Researching this was deeply moving.

Oscar Yuill reflects on the highs and lows of crossing the Tiber from Protestantism into full communion with the Catholic Church. ✍️ Oscar Yuill Article | ow.ly/eTLZ50YC13r

Under L.A. mayor's $300-million homeless program, 40% have returned to the street latimes.com/california/sto…

@JimVandeHei You’re naive if you think the top 2028 contenders for the Democratic Party nomination move an inch from the far-left ideology of their activist base.

🚨🚨 Dem Leaders and would-be leaders have shifted their views on border security, DEI, crime, climate change, COVID-era lockdowns and more — all with an eye on this year's midterms and the 2028 presidential election. axios.com/2026/04/05/dem…