The Moynihan Letters

The new St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, canonized yesterday, September 7    The new St. Carlo Acutis, also canonized yesterday September 7     Pope Leo XIV at yesterday's canonization in Rome. Leo will turn 70 in one week, on September 14, Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross     Letter #59, 2025, Monday, September 8: Two New Saints [...]

    Crux’s Elise Ann Allen and Pope Leo XIV at the Villa Borghese, the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, on July 10, 2025 (Credit: Cruxnow.com.)     Letter #60, 2025, Monday, September 8: Pope Leo XIV's 1st Book     It was announced this morning that Pope Leo earlier this summer granted his first interview (in two parts) to [...]

    Pope Leo XIV meets Israel President Isaac Herzog inside the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace September 4, 2025. (link, Credit: Vatican Media (link)     Letter #59, 2025, Monday, September 8: Gaza     In the Vatican, Pope Leo, 69, met four days ago with the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, on Sepetmber 4, to speak about Gaza's plight, and the [...]

    The left angel symbolizes God the Father. He blesses the cup, yet his hand is painted at a distance, as if passing the cup to the central angel. Viktor Lazarev suggests that the central angel represents Jesus Christ, who in turn blesses the cup as well and accepts it with a bow as if saying, [...]

    Above, left, the then-young Cardinal Joseph Malula (1917-1989), of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), who, as a young bishop, had participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Malula's theological assistant ("peritus") during the Council was Archimandrite Boniface Luykx (1915-2004), right, who also served on the liturgical commission which, under the direction of [...]

    Letter #56, 2025, Thursday, July 31: A Perfect Essay     Sometimes one reads an essay that really hits the mark.     An essay that is a whistling arrow of truth that strikes the bulls-eye perfectly, vibrating in the very center of the target.     The words of such an essay are ordered, calm, clear; the ideas and concepts [...]

    St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890), depicted here in a tapestry which hung from the facade of St Peter's Basilica during his canonization in 2019, will become the newest "Doctor of the Church," Pope Leo has decided. It is a significant decision...     Letter #55, 2025, Thursday, July 31: Newman to be declared a "Doctor of the [...]

Photo Grzegorz Galazka | June 4, 2025     Letter #54, 2025, Tuesday, July 29: Who Leo is... and why he needs us     As I write these words, on the early evening in July 29, Pope Leo XIV has entered St. Peter's Square to greet some 200,000 young people who have come to Rome for [...]

Pope Leo XIV at General Audience June 4, 2025 (@Vatican Media)     Letter #52, 2025, Thursday, June 5: The June 4 phone call between Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin     Just as the dangers of expansion of the war in Ukraine seemed to reach a new pitch — with many observers warning [...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmFWToNIZNM&t=137s    Above, a video in which Pope Leo XIV speaks his prayer intention for the month of June, 2025 (link)     Letter #52, 2025, Thursday, June 5: The Pope's June Prayer intention     Pope Leo XIV, 69, has released his monthly prayer intention for the month of June, 2025.     June is the month dedicated to the Most [...]