Hi PF, I was wondering about that myself while watching the video. There are a few other videos by the same guy, I think it's just the way he speaks. You're right though, it's hard to know what to trust these days.
I had a look at his Youtube channel and one of the videos is of his Baptism and Confirmation on Christmas Eve in Japan. It looks to be genuine.
I took a look at most of the 7 videos on his channel because I wanted to see if the actual footage was 100% generated AI. He rearranges his room a lot but the things in them seem consistent e.g. the pink microphone. The way he edits them is very odd with the short phrases and constant jumping every few seconds. But that being said, I think the footage for the most part (apart from a few stock clips) seems genuine to me. I tried reading some of the Japanese on the signs and I didn't see any obvious errors. There is continuity in Sapporo where he lives. There is footage of his baptism, confirmation, etc., that he shares. Given that he has lived in Japan for a very long time (19 years), likely alone, it's not too surprising that he comes across a certain way. In short it is peculiar but I agree with Dave and I think he is genuine and the videos are not 100% generated AI content.
Like salmon swimming upstream but it's happening. I pray for my children and god-children, may they fight the good fight! https://open.spotify.com/episode/7G0hrVZ4m1Kn7HbZRKusE1?si=ESxlPug_TT60MgcP_XE6Ig
From Totus Tuus page today: "From just around 500,000 Catholics in the 1960s, the Catholic population in South Korea has exploded to over 6 million today — that's a staggering 1,200% growth in roughly 50-60 years! Catholics now make up about 11.4% of South Korea's population. According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea and Vatican reports, the Church reached this milestone with 6,006,832 faithful as of late 2025, continuing steady (though slower) growth even as the overall population faces challenges like low birth rates. Recent years saw thousands of adult baptisms, reflecting deep spiritual hunger in a highly modern, tech-driven society. Why is the Church thriving in South Korea? Legacy of Martyrs: The faith took root through the blood of Korean martyrs in the 18th-19th centuries. In 1984, Pope St. John Paul II canonized 103 martyrs in Seoul — the first such ceremony outside the Vatican. Social Witness: The Church played a key role in Korea’s democratization, human rights, and social welfare, earning respect across society. Vibrant Community: Strong parishes, dedicated priests and nuns, and lay involvement have sustained growth alongside South Korea’s economic miracle. Global Spotlight: Seoul will host World Youth Day 2027, a huge moment for the Church in Asia! This growth is especially inspiring in Asia, where the Philippines leads in absolute numbers, but South Korea demonstrates explosive percentage growth and resilience in a secularizing context. It reminds us of the Gospel’s power to transform cultures — from ancient Korea’s Confucian roots to today’s bustling cities. "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians." — Tertullian. In Korea, this truth lives on. Have you visited South Korea or followed the Church there? What inspires you most about this story of faith amid modernity? Share your thoughts below. Let us pray for the Korean Church as it prepares for World Youth Day 2027 — may it continue to be a beacon of hope for all Asia and the world."
I listen to Return to Tradition about once a week just to examine Catholic news from the perspective of Catholics whose preference is the TLM. I was not expecting the opinion offered in the above. The claim in various news outlets is made that despite the Vatican's decisive move against the Society of Pius X, various Bishops continue to allow for the TLM to be offered and supported in their Diocese. However, the long-term prospect is very different according to Anthony Stine. Time will tell, but according to Anthony Stine, not too much time. If he is proven correct, I will be deeply grieved.
Those who might think they can hold back the dam that is about to break that is preventing real and true tradition (and the TLM must not become an idol in all this-the TLM did not exist when 11 of the 12 Apostles died for Christ, nor in the time of the many martyrs who joyfully died for Him without even having personally met Him) are discounting what has always been The Lord’s Trump card-their own deaths. This is not to say that the TLM is not man’s greatest human achievement in response to Christ’s salvation. But, this war will be won on Christ’s terms, not those of His creatures. At the end of the day, that’s all we are; mere wretched creatures. Some, many, ‘princes of The Church’ appear to have evolved beyond this. Where is that going to take them? Vive Christo Rei!!
The demographic cliff-fall that South Korea is about to undergo will mean that Catholics will assume a far greater proportion of the population, I’d be inclined to think. With respect to the Phillipines leading ‘in absolute numbers’, I wonder does that honour really belong to China? I don’t think that’s inconceivable, if currently unverifiable.
From Totus Tuus page: "In a moving story of conversion and vocation, 41-year-old Senad Mrkaljević — who fled the horrors of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Muslim refugee — was recently ordained a Catholic priest in Germany. Born into a Muslim family amid conflict, Senad arrived in Germany seeking safety. There, he encountered the Catholic faith. He began reading the Bible, visited churches, and experienced a profound call from Christ. After years of formation, he was ordained by Archbishop Heiner Koch at the historic St. Hedwig’s Cathedral in Berlin just a few weeks ago. Father Senad’s journey is a beautiful reminder that God writes straight with crooked lines. From the chaos of war to the altar of sacrifice, his life shows the transformative power of the Gospel and the Church’s welcoming embrace of all who seek truth. In a world often divided by conflict and migration, this ordination shines as a beacon of hope — proving that faith can heal wounds, bridge divides, and turn refugees into shepherds of souls. Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Father Senad’s priesthood. Bless all who flee war and persecution. Draw many more hearts to Your Son, Jesus Christ. May the Church continue to be a home for all nations. Amen."
I read an article on The Catholic Thing website some months ago which stated that huge numbers of Muslims are converting to Christianity in Europe and that it is the devout ones who are doing so. Perhaps God has set an ambush?
"John Pridmore grew up in London’s East End. When his parents divorced when he was just 10, the pain was so deep that he made a quiet decision in his heart: he would never love again, to avoid ever being hurt like that. That wound shaped everything that followed. He began stealing at 13 and was sent to youth detention at 15. At 19 he was imprisoned for violence and spent long stretches in solitary confinement — sometimes 23 to 24 hours a day. In that isolation, he came face to face with the angry, violent man he had become. After his release, crime was the only life he knew. He worked as a paid fighter and bouncer in London clubs, then rose into organized crime, dealing drugs for major gangs. He carried hidden machetes and brass knuckles, made serious money, and used violence to impress his bosses. People on the streets feared him. Yet behind the power and the wealth, there was only a deep, aching emptiness. One night, everything changed. In a brutal fight outside a nightclub, John struck a man so hard he thought he had killed him. As he fled the scene, a terrifying realization hit him: he didn’t even care. For the first time, he saw the monster he had turned into. That moment cracked something open in his heart. Later, at a youth retreat, standing before a large crucifix, John wept for the first time since he was ten. In that sacred silence he felt Jesus speaking directly to him: “John, I love you so much that I’d go through this over and over again for you.” At age 27 he went to Confession for the first time. As he poured out the sins of his life, the priest wept with him. When he received absolution, John knew with absolute certainty that it was Christ Himself forgiving him. He walked out a free man. Soon afterward, at Mass, he received a powerful confirmation of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. John left his criminal life behind completely. Today he travels the world as a Catholic evangelist, telling everyone who will listen that God’s mercy is greater than any sin. No one is beyond redemption."
One of my favourite conversion stories. This version from Totus Tuus page today: "In January 1842, 27-year-old Alphonse Ratisbonne, a wealthy French Jewish banker and outspoken skeptic, arrived in Rome. He strongly opposed Catholicism, especially after his own brother converted and became a priest. Full of worldly ambitions and engaged to his niece, he was on a pleasure trip when he met Baron Théodore de Bussières, a fervent Catholic. To humor the Baron, Alphonse agreed to wear a Miraculous Medal and recite the Memorare prayer daily. What he didn’t know was that many devout souls, including a dying Count who offered his own life, were praying intensely for his conversion. On January 20, while waiting alone in the Church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, the church suddenly flooded with brilliant light. Alphonse saw a majestic vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, exactly as she appears on the Miraculous Medal. Without speaking a word, her loving gesture invited him to kneel. In that instant, all his skepticism, pride, and hatred melted away. Grace overwhelmed him. When the Baron returned, he found Alphonse in tears, clutching the medal and repeating, “I saw her! I saw her!” Just eleven days later, on January 31, Alphonse was baptized in the Church of the Gesù, taking the name Marie-Alphonse. The Holy See officially declared the event a miracle. He gave up his fortune, broke his engagement, entered the priesthood, and co-founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion. He later moved to Jerusalem, where he built convents, schools, and orphanages to bring the Gospel to the Jewish people. A man who entered the church to mock the Faith left completely transformed. “God’s ways are not our ways” (Isaiah 55:8). ------------ This powerful story reminds us that no heart is too hardened for Our Lady’s intercession. Have you ever witnessed a sudden, life-changing conversion? Share your stories below."
From Totus Tuus page: "Steve Ray was raised in a devout Baptist home. His parents came to Christ through a Billy Graham crusade. He grew up loving Scripture, teaching the Bible, and even working to “save” Catholics from what he believed was error. Then in 1993, his closest friend — Evangelical pastor Al Kresta — announced he was becoming Catholic. Steve and his wife Janet were stunned. They set out to prove Al wrong by studying the early Church Fathers. What they found changed everything. The Fathers spoke clearly of the Real Presence in the Eucharist, apostolic succession, the primacy of Rome, and baptismal regeneration — teachings Steve had always rejected as “unbiblical.” The more they studied Scripture and the first centuries of Christianity, the more the Catholic Church looked like the historic Church founded by Christ. On New Year’s Day 1994, after months of intense reading, Steve sat on the floor of their living room and began to weep. “Nothing is wrong,” he told Janet. “I just realized… I am a Catholic.” The next day she said the same. Neither had ever set foot inside a Catholic church before that moment. On Pentecost Sunday, May 22, 1994, Steve, Janet, and their four children were received into the Catholic Church at Christ the King Parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They have never looked back. Steve later wrote a letter to his father explaining their decision. That letter became the powerful book Crossing the Tiber. Today he is one of the Church’s most effective apologists, authors, and Holy Land pilgrimage leaders — still driven by the same love for Scripture that first led him home. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. Amen!
"A record 85 people entered the Catholic Church at St. Paul’s Catholic Church across the street from Harvard University. Of those, 45 were Harvard students or faculty. Father Nathaniel Sanders, the undergraduate Catholic chaplain, says this was the largest class of converts in their history. And the growth is continuing — already 65 people have registered for the current year. Sunday Mass attendance has also risen, now averaging around 300 students (up from about 200 just a few years ago). Fr. Sanders points to the Holy Spirit and a wider movement among young people searching for truth. Many conversions are coming through the roughly 30 Bible studies on campus, often led with the help of FOCUS missionaries. The two largest groups entering the Church are young adults from culturally Catholic but unchurched backgrounds, and former evangelical Protestants who began reading about the Catholic faith. “We have very intelligent, high-achieving students,” Fr. Sanders said. “I am really grateful for what God is doing here.” Even at one of the world’s most elite and secular universities, the Catholic faith is attracting serious young minds. The same hunger for depth, beauty, and truth that is stirring on campuses across the country is alive at Harvard. God is still calling. Young people are still answering. Have you noticed a similar revival among young Catholics or converts in your area? Share your thoughts below. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. Amen!"
From Totus Tuus Fb page: Dr. Ricardo Castañón Gómez was a clinical psychologist and scientist who specialized in brain chemistry. For years, he lived as an atheist. In the late 1990s, he was asked to lead a scientific investigation into a series of reported Eucharistic miracles that had taken place at a parish in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 1992 and 1996. At the time, the local archbishop was Jorge Bergoglio—the future Pope Francis. One consecrated Host, which had been placed in water after being found discarded, did not dissolve. Instead, it developed reddish stains that grew over time. The Host remained intact for years without decomposing. Castañón assembled a team of scientists from multiple countries. Samples were examined by independent experts, including forensic pathologists and cardiologists who were not told the origin of the material. The findings were striking: • The substance was identified as human heart tissue—specifically, myocardium from the left ventricle • White blood cells were present and appeared to be living at the time of collection • The tissue showed signs of inflammation and severe stress, as if the heart had been under intense suffering • DNA fragments of human origin were detected One of the pathologists, Dr. Frederic Zugibe of Columbia University, was left speechless when he learned the sample had come from a consecrated Host. He stated that what he observed was naturalistically impossible under ordinary conditions. According to reports from Catholic sources, Castañón began the investigation as an atheist. By the end of the study, the evidence had so deeply affected him that he converted to the Catholic faith. He later went on to investigate other reported Eucharistic miracles, including the case in Tixtla, Mexico, and became a strong public advocate for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Lord Jesus, truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us. Amen!
A small but growing number of young Vietnamese Catholics are seeking the Traditional Latin Mass—not because they remember the pre-Vatican II Church, but because they never inherited it. EWTN News, citing UCA News (Aug. 25), reports that the 1962 liturgy and older Vietnamese prayers and catechisms written by missionaries before the Council are drawing Catholics in their 20s and 30s. Most grew up with Mass in Vietnamese. Many first met the older rite only as adults. In Hanoi, a living room becomes a chapel. A visiting priest celebrates the Latin Mass. Incense rises. Gregorian chant fills the room. Worshippers follow with bilingual missals. The scene looks like another century. The faces do not. Vietnam has no parish dedicated to the Latin Mass. Groups gather when bishops allow it and when visiting priests can help. The movement grows through friendships, study abroad, and online networks. One community leader Joseph Christopher Nguyen Thien Tuan Hoang said chant first drew him because it taught him that sacred music is also about silence. What kept him was deeper: the older liturgy echoed the faith of elderly Catholics in his childhood parish. “It felt like rediscovering the way my ancestors had lived their faith.” Young Catholics are also recovering pre-conciliar Vietnamese prayers already adapted to local culture. “Few Catholic communities in Southeast Asia still possess such a rich heritage,” Hoang said. The main obstacle, he added, is not hostility but misunderstanding—the assumption that love for the older rite means rejecting Vatican II or the Pope. They speak less first of Latin, and more of silence, beauty, and continuity.
