John W. Farrell
@JohnWFarrell
Author @BasicBooks @Prometheusbks, Contributor @commonwealmag @WSJ @aeonmag @NautilusMag @USCatholic My latest book now available in audio format.
My review of @gareth_gore's OPUS in @USCatholic.
Perhaps the most disturbing revelation is about Opus Dei recruiting and trafficking women from poverty-stricken regions of South America to serve as indentured servants for numerary residences. As of this writing, four priests face trial for trafficking. uscatholic.org/articles/20241…
Three kinds of people are hailing the US-EU deal as a win: 1) Hired flacks 2) Chumps 3) Those who need to preserve access to Trump administration contacts
"Trump took a very latitudinarian attitude toward Epstein’s conduct...When Maxwell was facing prosecution for grooming teenagers, Trump said he wished her well. He declined to rule out pardoning Maxwell. Some scourge of pedophiles he turned out to be." thebulwark.com/p/the-maga-rev…
Qatar's gift to Donald Trump of a luxury jet for his post-presidential use will cost taxpayers almost $1 billion in carefully concealed Pentagon funds. That's money straight from your taxes to Trump's personal benefit. nytimes.com/2025/07/27/us/…
Trump Targets NGOs to Dismantle Civil Society talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo/t… via @TPM
Hulk Hogan and the Lawsuit That Changed Journalism and America talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/hulk-ho… via @TPM
Post of the Day.
Many people have been asking why I have described the recently fired seminary professors in Detroit as heterodox or said they dissent from the Magisterium. In a nutshell: they have been teaching an erroneous definition of "Catholic orthodoxy" for years. In their vision,…
"From the time Gast painted it, American Progress has been interpreted as a representation of the concept of manifest destiny..." Richardson for July 27, 2025 open.substack.com/pub/heathercox…
Helpful and very balanced assessment. I know one of the 3, and believe this is a prudent (and courageous) decision by the Detroit archbishop who fires 3 Sacred Heart Seminary theologians who criticized Pope Francis ncronline.org/node/307121 via @NCRonline
Indeed.
The removal of three outspoken critics of Pope Francis from Sacred Heart Seminary exposes a deeper crisis in the U.S. Church—where dissent from the Magisterium is masked as fidelity and ideology masquerades as orthodoxy. wherepeteris.com/false-orthodox…
"Vought was central to the cuts made by the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) and has recently pushed Congress to put its stamp of approval on $9.4 billion of those cuts." Richardson for July 26, 2025 open.substack.com/pub/heathercox…
I’m proud to call @AlinejadMasih a friend and colleague—and now also a guest on my Autocracy in America podcast! If anyone was born to be a dissident, it’s Masih, a true fighter for human rights in Iran and now America. She has much to say, please listen and act. Link 👇
Good riddance.
Peters, in addition to his open opposition to Pope Francis and his teachings, is best known for his nonsensical insistence (contrary to the Church’s unanimous teaching and practice) that married deacons are not allowed to have sex with their wives.
"“You’re funny, bro,” one officer says to another, apparently the one who used the stun gun. The officers laugh." Richardson for July 25, 2025 open.substack.com/pub/heathercox…
"The Epstein list made it into last night’s premiere of the twenty-seventh season of the television series South Park when Satan, in bed with Trump, commented, “It’s weird that whenever it comes up, you just tell everyone to relax.”" Richardson: 7.24.25 open.substack.com/pub/heathercox…
It's been a little disheartening to hear so much confusion in the reporting on Trump's new trade deal with Japan. So let me try to clarify.
Pope Leo will continue Francis’ push for synodality, author says - Chicagoland - Chicago Catholic chicagocatholic.com/chicagoland/-/…
Excellent: "Shake-Up in Detroit: New Archbishop Fires Ralph Martin and Eduardo Echeverria| National Catholic Register" ncregister.com/news/ralph-mar…
I haven't found a single peer-reviewed paper covering AI-powered productivity increase that also takes into consideration the additional work required to review, correct, and oversee AI outputs. The "increased productivity" and "socially beneficial" claims have been at the core…
Today's private meeting between Trump's defense lawyer and one of his DOJ coverup organizers, Todd Blanche, and Ghislaine Maxwell, stinks to high heaven.