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Angelo Stagnaro (“Erasmus”) performs as a stage magician and mentalist and divides his time between Europe and North America. He is the editor of “Smoke & Mirrors,” the Net’s largest e-zine for professional magicians. He’s also the Guildmaster of the Catholic Magicians’ Guild and a professed member of the Secular Franciscans (Third Order Franciscans)
Angelo has published articles in most of the major Catholic journals in the United States and Great Britain and had worked as a correspondent for the Catholic News Service having served as principle liaison for the wire service to the United Nations and to the Holy See’s Office to the United Nations.
Angelo has authored six books on mentalism/cold reading including Conspiracy, Something from Nothing, The Other Side, Shibboleth and his upcoming Spur of the Moment. This series has been translated into four languages and is considered seminal in the art of mentalism. He is also one of the world’s experts in cold reading. In addition, he’s written an instructional book for catechists which uses stage magic as a teaching tool for children and young adults entitled The Catechist’s Magic Kit. (Crossroad) His other books include How to Pray the Dominican Way (Paraclete) and The Christian Book of the Dead. (Crossroad) His most recent book was released through Tau Publishing and is entitled A Lenten Cookbook for Catholics.
All of his theology books have received imprimaturs and nihil obstat from Bishop Nicholas DeMarzio of Brooklyn.
Angelo has traveled extensively and has worked, studied, performed and/or traveled in 70 countries.
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“As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers, subject to ignorance, suffering and the domination of death, and inclined to sin…” (CCC 418)
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“To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him forever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called ‘hell.’” (CCC 1033)
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“The harvest of misery is before our eyes, and the dreadful projects of the most disastrous national upheavals are threatening us from the growing power of the socialistic movement.” —Pope Leo XIII
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Omnipotence doesn’t mean breaking the laws of logic
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“Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, rule and guide. Amen.” —Prayer to Your Guardian Angel
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Remember: The heliocentric theory was advanced by Nicolaus Copernicus, a Catholic priest who was encouraged by the Catholic Church and opposed by the early Protestants.
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“Chandrakanta Pradhan, a young soldier… always wore faith and love for the country. We salute him.”
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“The main point of Christianity was this: that Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister. We can be proud of her beauty, since we have the same father; but she has no authority over us; we have to admire, but not to imitate.”—G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
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Bruno was burned at the stake in 1600 in the Campo de’ Fiori in Rome — but not for the reasons most people think.
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“King Louis IX was always compassionate as if he had always been unhappy.” —Voltaire
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As queen, St. Radegundes dedicated herself to prayer, the sacraments, her own personal penance and the care of the poor.
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Happy Feast of St. Lawrence everyone! Remember — a cheerful heart is good medicine.
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The Catholic Church has always been open to science.
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“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” —St. John Damascene
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Pope Benedict XIV solemnly approved and recommended the use of the medal to the faithful in 1742.
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“I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45)
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“Since the Ascension Christ's coming in glory has been imminent, even though ‘it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.’” (CCC 673)
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St. Anthony of Padua is a friend of God and a friend of ours.
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Astrology contradicts the honor, respect and loving fear that we owe to God alone.
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The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady help put our current sorrows into perspective.
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Herein lies a difference between the Catholic worldview and the secular one.
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Why would Our Lord say ‘Be not afraid’ to us so many times unless he wanted us to take him seriously in anxious times like these?
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Each repetition adds another layer of understanding of our Lord’s character until we see his form perfectly.
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Today as in the days of Moloch-worshippers, unborn innocents are sacrificed selfishly.
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“The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it.” (CCC 1718)
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“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light.” — St. John of the Cross
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“When you do not receive Communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you.” ―St. Teresa of Ávila
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“If souls are humble, they will be moved to give thanks.” —St. Teresa of Ávila
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Atheism sets itself in opposition to Christianity and abortion is the line in the sand.
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In Sweden, it’s tradition to eat waffles on the Solemnity of the Annunciation.
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“The sole Church of Christ which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic... subsists in the Catholic Church.” (LG 8, CCC 870)
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A society of laws means we shouldn’t aim toward mob rule. Democrats like Chuck Schumer, apparently, have different plans for us.
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The horrors perpetrated upon humanity by atheists are unparalleled.
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The Church’s Just War Doctrine describes four conditions for a legitimate defense by military force.
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“Once a person has come to faith, it is faith that must have the primacy in the relationship between faith and reason.” —Pope St. John Paul II
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Ask your parish priest to bless the main door’s lintel with the Epiphany blessing.
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“When you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back.” (Proverbs 19:17)
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“We do not really want a religion that is right where we are right. What we want is a religion that is right where we are wrong.” —G.K. Chesterton
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Without the right to life, no other right has any meaning at all.
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Babies have the right to life. It is the job of all men and women speak for and defend these voiceless victims.
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The architectural message of the church’s beautiful interior is, “I’d seriously reconsider my religion if I were you.”
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Moral relativists hate living next door to other moral relativists.
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October 3 is the vigil of St. Francis of Assisi's death and bears a special name — the Transitus.
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No one really believes in moral relativism — including the very people who advocate for it.
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All too often Catholics will be called upon to defend the Church’s stance on homosexuality. Here’s a short primer.
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How can they be so sure what they’re saying is good and what we’re arguing for is evil?
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“A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.” —G.B. Shaw
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“Nothing is more beautiful than to know all.” ― Fr. Athanasius Kircher
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Murder is murder. There is no moral difference between infanticide and abortion.
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We are all required as moral agents to help those who can’t help themselves.
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“Superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God. It is manifested in idolatry, as well as in various forms of divination and magic.” (CCC 2138)
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If abortion is not killing, what could it be?
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Several recent polls have shown a great preponderance of Americans are in favor of heavily restricting abortion, including those who label themselves “pro-choice.”
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Before we talk about life with the Culture of Death, let’s get a few things straight
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“If the baby isn’t a human, what species is it?”
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Offer a prayer for the repose of Tim Conway’s soul and ask St. Lawrence of Rome ― the patron saint of comedians ― to watch over him.
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Holy Saturday is also known as the Feast of Our Lady of Solitude, for it was on this day, Mary was separated from her Son and Savior
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11 ways to demonstrate that science is grand but God is grander still.
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All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
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A review of Steven R. Hemler’s Search No More: The Keys to Truth and Happiness
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“All practices of magic or sorcery ... are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion.” (CCC 2117)
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Nancy Pelosi tells a young woman who had been adopted that her mother should have had the choice to murder her
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Bingo arose in the U.S. during the Great Depression. By 1934, Americans were organizing 10,000 Bingo games a week.
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This is the new normal and that just means we have to fight all the harder.
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“Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity.” (CCC 2415)
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The world has its problems and God is the solution.
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Algorithms reflect the human bias behind them.
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Rhetoric might temporarily win an argument, but it starts more trouble than it solves
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St. Pantaleon, (c. 275-305) whose name in Greek means “mercy for everyone,” was one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
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“Those who are pure are temples of the Holy Spirit.” —St. Lucy of Syracuse
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Only something infinite will suffice to satisfy our infinite emptiness.
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Perhaps Nessie never existed. Or perhaps St. Columba managed to rid us of the monster permanently.
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“Redemption is a wondrous work ― God's masterpiece. By it, man disfigured by sin is remade.”
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“The Christian who unites his own death to that of Jesus views it as a step towards him and an entrance into everlasting life.” (CCC 1020)
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Christ is calling you to repent and reform your life. It's never too late — that is, until it’s too late.
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I recently stumbled on the biggest religious goods shop I’ve ever seen — in Saigon, Vietnam.
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A Review of Steven R. Hemler’s The Reality of God: The Layman’s Guide to Scientific Evidence for the Creator
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This amazing and little-known saint is a model for our broken world.
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Our demands aren’t without precedent.
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The lesser-known Franciscan Crown Rosary is a unique spiritual devotion
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There’s a big difference between judging others and turning a blind eye to their sins.
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In his biography of St. Francis, St. Bonaventure mentions the pope giving a sermon in which he attests to having seen the wounds with his own eyes.
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How to out-humble even the humblest of Christians
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A group of priests and lay Catholics are working to save the endangered Komodo dragon
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The Dogma of the Assumption of Mary Lives Loudly in Us!
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“There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who have no need of repentance.” (Luke 15:7)
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Fr. Georges Lemaître’s calculations were correct. So were his physics and his faith.
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The feast day of Saint Simeon on July 1―a good reason to proclaim and enjoy ‘Fool for Christ Day.’
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Christ is the only Light of the World and the only light of our hearts
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The Buddhist craftsmen handled the crucifix as if it were a holy item in their own religion
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