This is the greatest act of blasphemy that Putin could commit. This is worse than russia bombing the Vatican.

And it all began nearly 1,000 years ago, when a monk named Anthony returned to ancient Kyiv from a monastery on Mount Athos in Greece. He was seeking solitude and the life of a hermit, and so he secluded himself in small caves among the green hills on the banks of the Dnipro, where centuries earlier Vikings sought shelter while traveling far to the south along the great river had stopped and sought shelter. People learned of the piety of the hermit Anthony, and disciples began coming to him in the caves. Over many years, they dug entire labyrinths in those caves, where they prayed and labored in the half-darkness -- and reverently noticed that after death the bodies of the monks remained incorrupt (of course, this was due to the unique microclimate deep inside the caves). Thus was born the famous Kyiv Pechersk Monastery (that is, the “Cave Monastery”), which would later become the magnificent Lavra -- the foremost and greatest holy site of Christian Rus'. A real city within a city, with magnificent ancient churches built by rulers of different eras, monastic caves, gigantic crowds of pilgrims, and, in later times, the famous 97-meter bell tower, one of Kyiv's calling cards, visible for many dozens of kilometers along the banks of the Dnipro. Over its 1,000 years, the Lavra survived the internecine wars of the princes of Rus', the Mongol invasion, long years of decline and rebirth. It was the foremost center of learning and printing, and it was in its caves that the legendary monk Nestor wrote the famous Primary Chronicle -- the principal book of historical memory of the East Slavic peoples. It survived the barbarity of the Bolsheviks. It survived destruction during World War II. It survived centuries during which Moscow priests, having seized it, lorded over it. It will survive Putin and his fascist Russia as well -- no matter how the monster pukes blood in powerless rage because it cannot defeat Ukraine, and no matter how hard it tries to wipe from the face of the earth everything it cannot seize.

Russia is a terrorist state.

By striking the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, one of the greatest holy sites of Christianity, Putin has forever put his name on the list of history’s worst barbarians. He should be damned for centuries. And he will lose this war. From the Horde in the 13th century to the Nazis and Bolsheviks in the 20th century, Kyiv’s sacred monasteries have suffered numerous barbarically attacks. Now we are dealing with Russian terrorists who have already outmatched ISIS in their crimes against cultural heritage. Only Russian scum who have nothing sacred can deliberately damage the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a unique UNESCO heritage site under special protection. We will be urgently initiating all relevant procedures within UNESCO and all other international mechanisms, demanding immediate and adequate responses to this state barbarism. We expect strong reactions by international institutions and capitals. No vague words, silence, or weak steps. We need action now to stop Russian barbarism.

Mark Carney attended Sunday mass while in Ireland. He is a man of Faith, a man of conviction..

Former deputy PM John Manley: We used to always refer to the president of the United States as the leader of the free world. Donald Trump is not the leader of anything other than about the 37% of Americans that still support him. If anything, intellectually at least, Mark Carney has become the leader of the free world, the countries that believe in democracy and the rule of law.

It’s now been one year without my friend Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. Melissa was a true public servant who dedicated her life to serving Minnesotans with integrity and compassion. May we all be instruments of peace like Melissa.

We lost Melissa and Mark a year ago. Woke up to a sunny morning in their honor. They loved to go out with their dog Gilbert or garden or just hang out with friends and family. Remember them today and go out and do something good.

Alberta: "Have a drink at 6 a.m." Also Alberta: "We're closing the sites that reverse overdoses and keep people alive." You couldn't write a more backwards drug policy if you tried globalnews.ca/news/11902038/…

Donald Trump can’t open the Strait of Hormuz, so instead he’s blocking the Strait of Detroit theglobeandmail.com/business…

To everyone so eager to cancel someone for a tattoo they got at age 22, a drunk text, a selfie they took in the middle of a mental health crisis: Show us your laptop. Show us your iCloud. Open your entire digital life to your worst enemy. No context. No filter. No explanation. You won’t. You won’t because you know what I know. Any one of us, frozen at our worst moment, photographed in our lowest hour, looks like a monster. Looks like a stranger. Looks like someone who deserves to be cast out. That is not who we are. My mom and baby sister were killed in a car accident when I was just a kid. Cancer took my brother Beau, my best friend and my rock. I battled alcoholism. I battled addiction. I chose the coward’s way out more times than I can count. For years I believed the defining chapters of my life were written by tragedy, loss, and shame. I no longer believe that. Pain can shape us. Loss can humble us. Failures can leave scars that never fully fade. But none of them have the authority to define us. And it sure as hell ain’t the critic that counts. That authority belongs to us alone-the person in the arena. Every setback presents a choice. Play the victim, or cut the bullshit and take ownership for who we become next. Life does not determine our character. It reveals it. Again and again we are asked the same question. When shit happens, what next? We are not defined by what happened to us. We are not defined by the worst photo, the worst text, the worst tattoo, the worst night. We are defined by the person we choose to become. And by the courage to choose that person, every single day. So before you reach for the gavel - show us your laptop. You won’t. The whole world saw mine. And I am still here. Still becoming. Still choosing. Still standing. That is the only definition that matters.

Don’t need anything from Canada? Well... U.S. refineries have imported 1.65 billion barrels in the last 12 months from Canada… and the Champlain Hudson Power Express from Quebec to NY powers 25% of NYC (Go Knicks!). Facts are stubborn things.

We are blessed to have Canada as an ally & trading partner. I’ve spoken with local businesses, and talking down to our neighbor or making “51st state” comments has not helped Nebraska or gained America one advantage. We should treat this relationship with the seriousness & respect it deserves.

Pope Leo gives a lesson on rediscovering silence to fight the "idolatry of profit and performance," and recognizing the quiet work of the Holy Spirit in daily life today at Catalonia's Olympic Stadium. The vibrant party city of Barcelona seemed to just travel into a different galaxy when the pontiff arrived for a dialogue with people sharing their powerful testimonies, often full of sorrow. Answering a young man who said he was raised "hearing that the only goal in life is to be productive," and faced with "immense emptiness" he found way to God and was baptised this Easter, the pope said that "amid life’s joys, successes and defeats, we realize that we need a different kind of water to quench our deepest thirst. Our desire for truth and happiness requires wider horizons. This restlessness is a gift that God himself gives: We are made for the infinite, and that is why every finite horizon, every step, every achievement -- while satisfying us -- also propels us forward and invites us to keep searching." "In our societies, the idolatry of profit and performance, the drive to always produce and win, as well as the cult of self-image, are nothing more than anesthetics designed to numb our conscience and mold it to a certain vision of society," the pope told those gathered at Barcelona's Olympic stadium. "When people learn to pause and value what is important, appreciate time in a new way and reflect on their own lives while allowing themselves to be enlightened by the Gospel, they also develop a critical perspective on a social system that does not put people first and creates situations of injustice and existential poverty at various levels." "We believe that the Holy Spirit acts and works silently in all situations of life and history, even the most difficult ones. However, we must nurture this restlessness and make room for it. As I said, 'look within' and try not to be overwhelmed by the pace of life and external temptations. Cultivate moments of silence, perhaps pausing for a few minutes each day to read the Gospel and speak with God." Video: Vatican Media

Again… life is terrible, Canada is broken, etc. apple.news/AAp18iVJbSBWyxnJG…

PM Carney: In order for a society to be free, its institutions must be held to account. That laws are the rampart between the powerful and the disadvantaged. That the dignity of every human being must not depend on random factors such as where you live, your citizenship or expediency. And that Canada's role in this world is to put these principles into practice and help other countries to do the same.

When I see photos like this, I always imagine the feelings of the people in them. Today a woman at CEDIA 24 Hours, a social service agency in Madrid, encountered Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex. Perhaps she has difficulty speaking and asked for this sign to be written, so that Pope Leo could understand her. Perhaps she was worried that she would be too nervous to get the words out once the Pope was passing by. Perhaps those are her daughters, or caretakers, behind her, looking on, grateful that she has had this moment with the Pope. Once she heard the Pope would be visiting, perhaps she prayed for weeks that she would be able to meet him. Maybe she has a photo of him in her room, like my own mom did. Think of how much time she and her daughters spent getting her dressed and ready this morning. Look at her elegant dress, maybe her favorite one, and how lovely her freshly painted nails look. She seems to use an IV and so getting ready would have been an even more arduous task, but worth it. At the same time, when I see photos like this I also think of passages from the Gospels. In the story of Bartimaeus, a man who is blind and a beggar, is sitting by the roadside in Jericho, when Jesus passes by. Bartimaeus cries out "Son of David, have pity on me!" The woman's sign reads: "Please, Your Holiness, could you bless my family, especially my grandson Will, all my friends, and the sick throughout the world?" Jesus, busy in Jericho, on his way to Jerusalem to face his Passion, stops to listen to Bartimaeus, and heals him of his blindness. Pope Leo of course doesn't have the same kind of power to heal, but he offers Christ's love to all he meets. How blessed we are to be able to see photos like this, just a few hours after the event. Still more blessed are we to have Pope Leo as the Vicar of Christ. Thanks to @vaticannews_it for this photo.)

Juno Beach, France.

We wanted to understand what’s happening with the Strait of Hormuz. So we talked to five raw milk drinkers at an emergency room in Idaho.

Polling Canada Federal Model Update: 🔴 LPC: 220 ( 51) 🔵 CPC: 88 (-56) ⚜️ BQ: 22 (-) 🟠 NDP: 11 ( 4) 🟢 GPC: 2 ( 1) (Seat Changes With 2025 Federal Election) - June 6, 2026 - Full model article here: open.substack.com/pub/canadi…