Hugh Macken, Jr.

Family man, catholic media man & tech advisor. Will travel long distances for a slice of NY pizza. I admire great listeners and aspire to be one!

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen: A Roundtable Discussion on America's Saint https://t.co/TfXbf0mtRP

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen: America's Saint https://t.co/xkcnxXFqii

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

@miroslavtok @Anoneemoose11 @BishopBarron Newman's Essay on the Development of Doctrine is relevant here too... (again, this from Truthly)

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

@miroslavtok @Anoneemoose11 @BishopBarron From Truthly, fwiw:

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

@miroslavtok @BishopBarron The anti-fragile nature of the Petrine office is utterly fascinating to me.

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

@status_is_down yes

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

@geerlingguy Feel better soon, Jeff! 🙏

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Beautiful reflection on Mother Teresa's secret for growing in love, from Marie Miller (@mariemillersing) in the Ascension App: https://t.co/M0BpepNzEx

[Catholic Arena @CatholicArena]

FRANCE 🇫🇷

The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Paris CONTINUES to cause a MELTDOWN with local secularists

Politician Alexis Corbière LASHED OUT on social media after members of the National Assembly were contacted about attending the Mass at La Concorde

[Catholic Arena @CatholicArena]

August 21st is the Feast Day of the great Pope Saint Pius X

One of his most impactful actions occurred because of the influence of a 4 year old

An Irish child by the name of Ellen Organ had her short life marked by suffering, both physical and, it would appear, spiritual. The latter is not something to be expected in such a young life, yet the evidence was so compelling that it led to Pope Pius X seeing her life as the instigation for dramatic changes in the First Holy Communion of children.

William Organ married had Mary Aherne in 1896, both of them Catholics living in County Waterford, in the South of Ireland. They had four children, of whom Ellen was the youngest. Nellie, as she came to be affectionately known, would often talk about ‘Holy God’ in a manner that suggested a deep affiliation with her Creator. She moved to Spike Island, where her father was stationed as a soldier. Her life quickly became tragically affected by the poverty of the time however, with her mother dying when Nellie was three, due to tuberculosis.

Struggling to maintain care of the family, William Organ placed Nellie and her siblings into the care of religious orders, the Good Shepherd Sisters in Cork welcome Nellie and her sister Mary into their care.

Under the care of the nuns, Little Nellie showed an understanding of the faith that made them startled. She had a fixation with Our Lord’s crucifixion and asked why it had been allowed.

Nellie became enchanted with the statues of the Little Child of Prague, stating that she could see images of him dancing for her amusement and becoming excited.

In late 1907, it became clear that Nellie would not have a long life. So sick was she that Bishop O’Callaghan administered the Sacrament of Confirmation upon her, in preparation for her inevitable death. Her response was striking, something that one might have expected from Saint Therese of Joan of Arc, she said ‘I am now a Soldier of Holy God’.

It was after this that she started to develop her most mystical insights, particularly in relation to the Blessed Sacrament. She repeatedly stated that God was ‘imprisoned’ and instinctively knew upon first seeing a monstrance that ‘there is Holy God’.

The Mother Superior decided to approach the priest to ask if she could receive Communion, which was an unusual request for one so young. The Jesuit priest quizzed the little girl on her knowledge of the Eucharist, with Nellie affirming that it was ‘Holy God’. She said that He ‘makes the nuns and everyone else holy’, before stating that ‘Jesus rests on the tongue then goes into the heart’. The bishop, hearing this report from the priest, agreed to let her receive her First Holy Communion.

Nellie would often claim to be talking to Holy God, with a peace coming upon her near the end of her short life, with serenity surrounding her as she gleefully told of God’s love for her.

Shortly before her death, she was praying the Rosary with one of the nuns when she asked to say a prayer for ‘The Pope, my Holy Father’.

On February 2nd 1908, the short yet profound mortal life of Little Nellie Organ came to an end, but her impact upon the world was only beginning.

Hearing of her life, the pope for whom she prayed, Pius X, said ‘She was an angel’.

Only two years after her death, Pope St. Pius X wrote Quam Singulari, his encyclical bringing about radical changes in the age of First Holy Communion.

The great pope wrote of the changes in 1910:

'to bring about that children even from their tender years may be united to Jesus Christ, may live His life... The age of discretion, both for Confession and for Holy Communion, is the time when a child begins to reason, that is about the seventh year, more or less. From that time on begins the obligation of fulfilling the precept of both Confession and Communion'

Her cause for canonisation has not yet been opened, Pius X was canonised in 1954

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Words of wisdom from Pope St Pius X on returning to Christ for rescue & salvation (screenshot from today's Magnificat prayer app daily meditation)

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Convincing an opponent to stop fighting is ultimately a political objective, not a military one. Few people in the world have greater potential than @Pontifex to help bring an end to the senseless fighting among Iran, the United States, Israel, and Palestine - and to help build the bridge toward a truly just and lasting peace. Sound biting him doesn't help. And he's not going to force his help. But you know the offer is on the table for those smart - and humble - enough to take it.

[Ankitha Poothavelil @RosaryQuotes123]

Internet’s beloved Catholic priest, Fr. Mike Schmitz, auditioned for the role of Robin in the 1995 film Batman Forever. He even made it to the final 12 candidates.

His performance made such an impression that he was subsequently recommended for the lead role in Hackers.

Alas, the casting directors missed out, but Christ won—and He made Fr. Mike His own. The rest is history.

[Fulton Sheen Movement @teamfultonsheen]

This will be the most epic preparation for the torrent of grace coming to the Church in America...the Beatification of Fulton Sheen.

Join us at the https://t.co/y2yLE36ZyW

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

@walkenstein 🙏

[Front Office Sports @FOS]

In July 2024, Jalen Brunson signed a four-year extension, intentionally leaving $113 million on the table to provide the Knicks salary cap flexibility.

Now in June 2026, the New York Knicks are NBA champions and Brunson is NBA Finals MVP.

[Lila Rose @LilaGraceRose]

In a world that destroys children with Down syndrome, listen to this brave girl:

“You can try to kill off everyone with Down syndrome by using abortion, but you won’t be any closer to a perfect society. You will just be closer to a cruel, heartless one."  

Charlotte Helene Fien speaks before the United Nations

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Invest in education... That is a prominent theme of Pope Leo's first encyclical, as highlighted in the @AscensionPress app here...

[Hugh Macken, Jr. @hughsonfirst]

Complicate the narrative.🙏 for dialogue between @realDonaldTrump & @Pontifex. #donotbeafraid