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Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
Three upcoming shows offer variety at Stanley Theatre
UTICA — From the music of Phil Collins to a popular television game show and a Halloween-themed circus, The Stanley Theatre has a variety of entertainment lined up.
Man Utd a circus after Martinez comments
Lisandro Martinez's outburst shows Manchester United are in "chaos", says former captain Roy Keane.
Behind the makeup, the family legacy of a circus clown
For one circus family who stopped, the show isn't just a performance, it's a way of life.
Behind the makeup, the family legacy of a circus clown
For one circus family who stopped, the show isn't just a performance, it's a way of life.
Circus to bring family-friendly entertainment to Marlow
The Culpepper and Merriweather Circus will make a stop in Marlow for two shows Oct. 1.
Mets need to put a tent on this circus
The Mets dropped the series opener with an ugly performance in Washington.
When tickets go on sale for Cirque Musica holiday show in Topeka
Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland hits Topeka on Nov 24. Tickets for the holiday circus show go on sale Sept 25.
A holiday circus show opens an Oklahoma amphitheater, which includes a club built in partnership with Troy Aikman.
The preview uses a nearly 5,000-seat theater setup; full 12,500-seat capacity is anticipated for summer 2027. Tickets go on sale in coming weeks.
September 24 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts-Entertainment Source: Activities
The Zoppé Italian Family Circus runs Thursday through the weekend at the Solano County Fairgrounds.
‘Same Circus, Different Belt’
Alex Pereira is not a fan of Ciryl Gane. The Brazilian will tell anybody willing to listen how Gane only defeated him because of illegal shots to the back of the head (watch the finish here). He’s campaigned for a rematch and to have referee Herb Dean sacked. Despite Gane having won the first round, […]
'Water for Elephants' at the Pantages is a circus in a play
The touring production of Broadway's 'Water for Elephants' puts a circus on stage. It's not as easy as its highly trained acrobats make it look.
Hansi Flick sent strong Jose Mourinho message by Barcelona
Don’t get drawn into the circus.
UNC continues investigation into football program allegations
The circus rolls on despite any positive vibes from last week’s win.
What’s happening in Corridor? An adults-only circus and more
A Halloween-inspired take on the circus will arrive in Cedar Rapids this month, with Paranormal Cirque: Inferno promising a show in which “awe-inspiring aerial artistry and amazing acrobatics will set you ablaze.”
Cirque du Luxe set to bring four days of circus entertainment to Boone County Fairgrounds
'Paranormal Cirque' Comes to New Hartford
Paranormal Cirque: Specter is bringing its haunting blend of theater, circus and cabaret to Sangertown Square under a big top tent.
'Stamptown’s' Jack Tucker turns late-night clown carnage into Netflix special
Stamptown’s debut Netflix special out on Tuesday captures a chaotic mash-up of vaudeville, circus and clowning, filmed at Hollywood’s Montalbán Theatre during Netflix Is a Joke Fest.
Target apologizes for children’s clown Halloween costume after backlash
Target apologized on Monday and said it had pulled a Halloween costume from sale depicting a circus clown that critics said evoked Blackface and minstrel shows.
Rhea Lana's consignment event, Latino music comes to Victorville fairgrounds
August brings the Marinelli Bros. Circus, a consignment sale, and a Latino concert to the Victorville fairgrounds.
Sky Circus Cleveland brings family entertainment to Medina County Fair
From aerial performances high above the ground to juggling acts featuring glowing pins, Sky Circus Cleveland brought a new form of entertainment Wednesday afternoon to the Medina County Fair.
More Entertainment, More Fun: The Great New York State Fair Reveals 2026 Grounds Entertainment
A Returning Fan Favorite and Brand-New Attractions Comprise This Year’s Grounds Entertainment Lineup All Shows Included with Fair Admission! High-flying acrobatics and spectacular fireworks meet a one-man band and a mentalist…
New York State Fair announces grounds entertainment acts for 2026
The new attractions include a three-ring circus, corgi races and a drone show, as well as many returning favorites.
Flynn Creek Circus to bring high-flying entertainment to Ashland
A troupe full of artful and athletic acrobats, performers and entertainers will be heading up Interstate 5 and stopping in Ashland for a little over a week, bringing astonishing skill […]
Marinelli Brothers Circus returns to Victorville in August
Marinelli Brothers Circus returns to Victorville in August with jaw-dropping stunts, soaring aerialists, magic acts, and world-class performers.
Freaks & Sideshows: New American Sign Museum exhibit features vintage circus banners
A new exhibit at the American Sign Museum shines a spotlight on a unique piece of American entertainment history.
MINNEAPOLIMEDIA PRESENTS | This Weekend in the Twin Cities: Entertainment Guide: July 26, 2026 Edition
Golf, jazz, art, baseball, theater, circus and family entertainment fill the Twin Cities Sunday, with extreme heat requiring careful planning.
He was 400 pounds, ridiculed and a revered Wisconsin leader
Ex-circus performer Krueger was a curiosity in 1947 when he arrived in Wisconsin Senate. His bipartisan approach to governance made him a legend.
5 of 10 questions policy researchers—and all healthcare stakeholders—should be asking this year and next
In healthcare policymaking, priorities are like flaming swords to a circus juggler. It’s easy to take on one too many—and overlook the overreach until a burn or laceration halts the show. The word picture is suggested between the lines of a peer-reviewed paper published this month.
Mark Madden: Fans keep paying for sports’ biggest bait-and-switch
“The customer is always right.” That’s a business model to adhere to. But sports have chosen one provided by circus impresario P.T. Barnum: “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Sunday’s game between the Pirates and Milwaukee was supposed to be a classic pitching matchup: Paul Skenes vs. Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski
Potter Center announces 2026-27 entertainment lineup with country, rock and circus acts
Jackson College's Potter Center has unveiled its 2026-27 entertainment season, featuring 11 shows spanning country music, rock tributes, circus performances and wildlife education.
Nigel Farage's political rivals rule out standing in Clacton by-election
The Reform UK leader says he wants an "establishment versus the people by-election" but Labour calls it a "circus".
‘It had no impact’: USMNT insist Balogun political circus did not affect World Cup exit
The US had big problems in their last-16 defeat, but Mauricio Pochettino and his team said that the discourse around the red-card ban reversal wasn’t one of them
Paranormal Cirque ‘Specter’ bringing dark big top circus entertainment to Galleria at Crystal Run
WALLKILL- Paranormal Cirque 'Specter' is set to bring its dark, theatrical big top circus experience to the Hudson Valley from June 3 through June 6 at Galleria
LECOM Event Center unveils new concerts, monster trucks, rodeo, circus
From a monster truck show to a legendary pop band, the LECOM Event Center hopes to appeal to a wide variety of tastes with its slate of live events.
Business Monday: Aerial Arts Hawaiʻi helps build strength, confidence for aerialists at every skill level
While circus artists don’t always fit the mold, Aerial Arts Hawaiʻi has become a safe space for youth and adults who are ready to take on a challenge.
Souls and songs take flight in circus musical 'Water for Elephants'
A national tour of the 2023 musical tours to Madison this week, combining a memory play, circus acts and a bluegrass-style score.
'The Amazing Digital Circus' winning streak continues at box office
With a big opening weekend for "The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act," digital-native stories prove they can resonate at the box office — if they're authentic.
Circus Circus Las Vegas Offers Iconic Family Fun, Entertainment and Unforgettable Summer Memories
Circus Circus Las Vegas, the iconic Las Vegas Strip resort and the city's premier family-friendly destination, is welcoming in guests this summer to experience the Las Vegas that started it all: coin-operated slots, paper bingo cards, mesquite-grilled steaks, circus acts, carnival midway, and a five-acre indoor theme park all under one roof.
Rubio torches Democrat after bizarre hearing questions about his shoes: 'Is this a circus?'
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing "a circus" after Democratic California Rep. Sara Jacobs questioned him about shoes gifted by Trump.
Why Trump’s Pathetic Circus Act Is Falling Apart
“It feeds the correct view that I think is spreading among more and more and more people that, wow, he’s kind of incompetent, isn’t he?” Kurt Andersen said.
Fernandes keen to 'have a word' with Keane
Bruno Fernandes was a key figure for Manchester United during the 2025-26 campaign, helping the club secure a third-place Premier League finish and a return to the Champions League after a two-season absence. Fernandes has defended his character and achievements after ex-United captain Roy Keane described him as being at the centre of a "circus act" following the victory over Nottingham Forest on the penultimate weekend of the season.
Tallahassee's Mimi Shaw discovers how the big top got in her blood
Party house founder Mimi Shaw learned that her great-uncle was the owner of Sol's Liberty Shows — a circus that toured the country circa 1920.
All Of The Best Cosplay From Lvl Up Expo 2026
With fantastic cosplay from Clair Obscur, Dispatch and The Amazing Digital Circus
Savannah Bananas pack 102,000 fans into Texas A&M's Kyle Field for biggest game ever
Barnstorming baseball circus that is the Savannah Bananas pack stadiums across the U.S. But they've never seen anything like what they saw Saturday.
Cirque du Luxe brings circus entertainment to Spartanburg
News, weather, sports for Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, and Pickens, SC and Asheville, Hendersonville, NC. CBS affiliate, Channel 7
Cirque du Luxe brings circus entertainment to Spartanburg
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – The circus is bringing high-flying acts and more to Spartanburg this weekend. Cirque du Luxe brought their big top tent to the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds to da…
Weekend Pulse 4/10-4/12
Live music, circus performances, film screenings and fundraisers highlight a busy April weekend across southwestern New Hampshire and southern Vermont.
Record-Breaking Indie Series “The Amazing Digital Circus” From Glitch Productions Heads to U.S. Theatres with Fathom Entertainment for ‘The Last Act’ Finale June 4-7
Record-Breaking Indie Series “The Amazing Digital Circus” From Glitch Productions Heads to U.S. Theatres with Fathom Entertainment for ‘The Last Act’ Finale June 4-7 - Record-Breaking Indie Series “The Amazing Digital Circus” From Glitch Productions Heads to U.S. Theatres with Fathom Entertainment for ‘The Last Act’ Finale June 4-7
Earth Day celebration, Garden Bros. Circus and 2 big plant sales: 3 things to do this weekend
Take your pick
Ringling Bros. brings reimagined circus to Cleveland this fall
Ringling Bros. brings a revamped, high-energy circus to Cleveland in October, featuring stunts, acrobats, and interactive pre-show events.
Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey makes grand return to CT visiting two arenas with brand-new acts
The legendary circus continues its 21st century makeover featuring 65 performers, from aerialists to acrobats to trick cyclists to people who dive through hoops.
ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum questions Trump’s college sports reform meeting as potential 'circus'
Paul Finebaum expressed doubt over President Donald Trump’s White House roundtable on college athletics reform, cautioning that delays in action could lead to major turmoil in college sports.
'Lights, Rides, and Fun Nights!' 2026 St. Lucie County in full swing
The fair features a carnival midway, fair food, petting zoo, racing pigs, a cowboy circus, live music and other entertainment. The last day is March 8.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Richard Ruelas on the Guthrie media circus
Arizona Republic reporter Richard Ruelas joins the pod to talk about the media circus in Tucson for the Guthrie case.
Margo Price talks AI, bro-country and meeting Joan Baez at the circus
Ahead of her Boston show, the Grammy nominee discusses her inspirations — and reveals her unexpected Massachusetts connection.
Do Portugal Circus brings family entertainment to Richmond
The Do Portugal Circus continues through Feb. 22 in Richmond.
Circus and Mardi Gras-themed stage shows are coming to New Orleans theaters this week
Get ready for a thrilling week of theatrical performances in New Orleans, from the Carnival spirit in "And the Ball and All" to the circus magic of "Water for Elephants."
Circus returns bringing lots of entertainment to local schools
Photos by Tom Rivers MEDINA – Ian and Claudia perform on aerial silks at the Clifford Wise Intermediate School. Billy Martin’s Cole All Star Circus did two shows on Friday at Clifford Wise with some of the proceeds going to the Orleans Community Health Foundation. The circus is led by Billy Martin, who is now […]
'Circus,' 'crapshow,' 'stupidity': lawmakers describe the the 119th Congress
After a historic year on Capitol Hill, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle didn't hold back when asked to describe this past year.
Look again at the Nuzzi affair. Because when our politics and media are so debased, the joke’s on us
There is a bread and circuses feel to this scandal. A wise public would see red flags; instead it sees entertainment, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
Holiday arts and entertainment: Classics get reimagined for the holidays
From Andean folk celebrations to circus-infused classics, local stages are offering a diverse slate of classical and traditional music performances that reimagine and re-enliven familiar tunes and …