Murphy's Energy Plan Could Cost TRILLIONS!

New Jersey State Senator Anthony Bucco said it could cost New Jerseyans a whopping $1.4 trillion to implement Governor Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan, according to a new estimate.

“The $1.4 trillion cost of Governor Murphy’s extreme green energy plan is absolutely jaw dropping,” said Bucco (R-25). “That’s an extra $5,000 per year in higher costs for every New Jersey resident through 2050. It’s yet more proof that the governor’s radical plan to ban affordable energy choices for New Jersey families and businesses is completely unrealistic.”

The new cost estimate was released today by Affordable Energy for New Jersey (AENJ).

AENJ worked with economist and energy policy expert Dr. Jonathan Lesser to calculate what residents and businesses could be expected to pay under the provisions of the Murphy’s administration’s Energy Master Plan (EMP), which calls, in part, for the phase out of natural gas that currently heats 75% of New Jersey homes.

The $1.4 trillion cost that was calculated by AENJ and Dr. Lesser comes out to nearly $140,000 per resident.

Bucco warned last year that a ratepayer impact study conducted by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) ignored the huge capital costs associated with the electrification of homes, businesses, and transportation in New Jersey as called for by the governor’s energy plan.

“Governor Murphy doesn’t want the public to know the true cost of his extreme green energy plan until it’s too late,” added Bucco. “He doesn’t want you to think about the massive expense of replacing your affordable gas appliances, the higher cost of electric, or the impact on ratepayers and taxpayers of fully electrifying everything, including their cars. The governor hasn’t been transparent with people, but they deserve to know.”

With the cost of his Energy Master Plan under increasing scrutiny, Governor Murphy announced last week that public hearings on his energy plan that were set to being this month would be pushed back to “later in the year.”

Bucco responded to the delayed hearings saying, “Let’s be clear that ‘later in the year’ means after Election Day.”

Where To Turn, Whatever You're Going Through . . .

 

And Now, Hypocritical Omar Feigns Ignorance!

 From Joshua Klein at the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)

Following Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) outrageous claim she was unaware of antisemitic tropes associating Jewish people with money, Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) head Morton Klein blasted the Somalia-born Democrat, accusing her of hating America “as much as Israel,” while commending House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for vowing to remove her from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Speaking with Breitbart News on Tuesday, Klein, who has headed the nation’s oldest pro-Israel organization for nearly two decades, accused the Minnesota “Squad” member, notorious for her antisemitic sentiments, of lying about her recent claims. “Rep. Omar is lying when she claims she didn’t know it was antisemitic to conspicuously claim it’s Jewish money (Benjamins) that buys support for the Jewish State of Israel, or that the only explanation of people supporting Israel is that Jews magically, through their evil powers, ‘hypnotize’ people into this support,” he said. The ZOA leader then called out Omar for her continuous hypocrisy when it comes to Israel. “Bigot Omar openly condemns boycotting sanctions against enemies like communist dictators of Cuba and Venezuela yet demands boycotting and sanctioning our friend, the Jewish State of Israel, and shows sympathy for enemies of America and Israel, such as ISIS,” he said. Noting that she has “never criticized the Jew-hating enemy of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, that pays Arabs lifetime pensions to murder Jews, in addition to glorifying Jew-killers,” Klein blasted Omar for having “absurdly claimed she’s not a Jew-hating Israel-basher.”

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The Sorry State Of Present Day Reporting . . .

 

In Philly, A Big Victory For The Pro Life Movement!

 From catholicvote.org:

MARK HOUCK NOT GUILTY  In a rebuke to the Biden Justice Department’s aggressive prosecution, pro-life activist Mark Houck was found not guilty Monday on federal assault charges stemming from a shoving incident outside a Philadelphia abortion facility. Following his acquittal, Houck credited his lawyers, family, friends, and the Catholic faith with getting him through the ordeal. Houck’s case gained national attention when the Justice Department sent a team of FBI agents to arrest the Catholic husband and father of seven at his home in front of his wife and children, an event that stirred a national backlash against the Biden administration.  READ

CATHOLICVOTE RESPONDS TO HOUCK VERDICT  CatholicVote President Brian Burch celebrated Houcks’ acquittal, but also warned: “Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. The FBI and Department of Justice are continuing to persecute peaceful pro-life volunteers – while letting anti-Catholic, pro-abortion terrorists off the hook. …Today and every day, CatholicVote will continue to fight for equal protection under the law for all Catholics – as well as every pro-life activist wrongly charged by the Biden administration.”  READ

Last Night: Philly Eagles 'Celebration' Gets Physical

#Philadelphia

VIDEO: PPD OFFICER WINS FIGHT pic.twitter.com/EmGv3ExqAY

— PhillyCrimeUpdate (@PhillyCrimeUpd) January 30, 2023

And Yet Another Court Loss For NJ Gun Law

New Jersey State Senator Ed Durr (R-3) issued the following statement after a federal judge blocked the enforcement of additional sections of a new law signed by Governor Phil Murphy that establishes unconstitutional restrictions on the concealed carry of firearms in New Jersey:

Sen. Ed Durr responded after a federal judge blocked the enforcement of additional sections of a new law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy that establishes unconstitutional restrictions on the concealed carry of firearms in New Jersey. (©iStock)

“Governor Murphy and Trenton Democrats have not hidden the fact that they dislike the 2nd Amendment and are trying to circumvent a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reaffirmed the constitutional rights of New Jerseyans to protect themselves.

“Thankfully, several groups have challenged the Democrats’ unconstitutional new law and a judge has blocked enforcement of most of the law in a pair of rulings. It’s clear the law will ultimately be struck down.

“Had Democrats listened to any of the concerns we raised when they rushed the bill through the Legislature, they could have saved themselves the embarrassment, and taxpayers the cost, of defending a clearly unconstitutional law in federal court.”

The latest ruling comes less than a month after the federal judge blocked several sections of the law from being enforced. 

Well, Let's Just Call It 'Poetic Justice' . . .

 

Stunner: NJ's Oroho Will Not Seek Re-Election

Statement from New Jersey State Senator Steve Oroho (R-24) announcing that he will not be a candidate for re-election to the state Senate:

I recently announced my intention to seek reelection to the New Jersey State Senate, but circumstances have changed and I’ve made a personally difficult decision that I will not be a candidate for re-election. However, I am comfortable that I am making the right decision for my family and me.

Sen. Steve Oroho announced that he will not be a candidate for re-election to the state Senate. (SenateNJ.com)

It is hard for me to believe that I am now in my 16th year in the New Jersey Legislature, an honor I never anticipated, and my 22nd year in elected office. It is truly humbling.

I am also very much aware that when I first ran for the state Senate, if successful, I expected that I would serve no more than ten years, mainly because I believed in some sort of term limits. Having now served in different legislative roles, I have come to appreciate and understand that the opportunities and strategic knowledge that comes with legislative experience is very valuable.

I am also fully aware that no one elected official is indispensable, and many talented individuals are ready to take up the mantle when given the opportunity.

As I’ve been reflecting on my life with the recent passing of the new year, our family celebrating the birth of our 10th grandchild, and time praying and contemplating while recovering from a recent illness, I’ve come to the conclusion that I will not to be a candidate for re-election this year. I have made my decision for a number of personal reasons that I will mainly keep private. It was a difficult decision, however, one particular thought that kept gnawing at me was the commitment of completing a four-year term. If I cannot readily commit to completing the whole term, it’s not fair to the voters and inappropriate for me to run.

It’s time for me to be a more attentive Pop Pop.

I am very proud of my service in the State Legislature, and what I have worked to accomplish. Although admittedly frustrated at being in the minority, I felt I was still able to work collaboratively to affect positive outcomes for my constituents and state residents alike. There are many issues I wish I could have pushed further along, but I’ll leave knowing I was persistent and always tried my best.

I pledge that I will continue to work incessantly to try to achieve a Republican majority in the State Legislature. If we are ultimately successful, that will be an accomplishment for me to cherish. If we come up short, then it will naturally be time for someone else to take up the task.

I look forward to working as hard as I usually do for the remainder of my term. I value the work we perform in the joint district office that I share with Assemblymen Parker Space and Hal Wirths, and I will always be grateful to the extraordinarily talented staff that I’ve had the pleasure to work with in the District 24 Legislative Office as well as the Senate Republican Office. I know we have touched many lives.

I pray for God to bless you all, our State and our Country.

Trump Holds Lead In GOP South Carolina Primary

The Trafalger Poll asked: "If the South Carolina Republican presidential primary were held today and the following were the candidates, for whom would you most likely vote?"

Trump is the favorite, garnering 43.4 percent support. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is second with 27.8 percent support. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott comes in third with 14.3 percent support followed by former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley with 11.6 percent, former Vice President Mike Pence with 1.8 percent, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with 1.1 percent.

Philly Celebrants Crash Through Bus Shelter Roof!

Last night in Philly . . .

And Now, The View From Philly: 1/30/23

 

Colbert: NEVER Funny And Often Disgusting!

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A post shared by Adam Jacobs (@adamjacobsnyc)

He somehow finds a way to comingle the infamous Proud Boys with "Proud of Your Boy" from the celebrated Broadway musical Aladin, thus offending numerous groups and individuals on multiple levels. Not only is this NOT funny but it's also clueless, witless and in bad taste. Go away, Colbert!

Philly, The Iggles And The Whole Damned Thing

Philadelphia is a hard luck town.

It's always been that way -- or at least as far as any of us can remember.

So, anytime Philly wins anything there's a sort of unexpected delight that turns into incandescent jubilation. It's sort of like: "OoooohhhWOW! This is happenin' to US? TO US? REALLY!"

And for Philly to find teams going to the World Series and the Super Bowl within the course of just a few months is nothing sort of overwhelming.

Which makes today's Eagles (aka Iggles) win and tonight's celebration all the more special.

Because Philly is the preverbal underdog. It's the whole Rocky thing, 'ya know? And Philadelphians love the role of the underdog. So, when they start to win too much, they get a bit suspicious. They start to worry. They start to think that some kind of ultimate jinx might be in the mix. Because underdogs can only win so much. Otherwise, they might lose their unique distinction as underdogs. I mean, how much can you defy the odds before you become an overwhelming favorite? And Philly types don't know how to inhabit the role of the favorite. They wouldn't know where to begin.

Maybe it has something to do with being stuck between the nation's financial center (New York) and its capital (Washington). But whatever it is, Philly almost always feels a bit left out  -- somehow a bit diminished. Well, the world's most exciting city casts a huge shadow from the north and the world's most powerful city looms ominous to the south. And neither one of those places is particularly demure. How would you feel?

But now Philly's Eagles are going to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years. And they're had one of the winningest seasons in NFL history. And they're the National Conference champs. And they're won the last two BIG Games handily, swamping their opponents.

So, Philly -- what now?

Stay scrappy, keep your fingers crossed, huff 'n puff and pray, I suppose.

He's Not Always Who You Think He Is . . .

 

Tax Cuts? Everywhere EXCEPT New Jersey . . .

From Regina Egea, President of the Garden State Initiative:

New Jersey is getting left behind – again!

Over the last 2 years, states across the county, 38 states to be exact, have enacted significant reforms to their state tax codes. Overwhelmingly, those reforms have resulted in significant tax cuts for residents and to help businesses recover from the pandemic.

While those tax-cutters were a combination of “Red and Blue” states, New Jersey was not among them.

In the latest edition of our podcast, The GSI Briefing, I had the opportunity to speak with Katherine Loughead, a Senior Policy Analyst with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation, who covered all of the significant tax reforms across the country and what it means for our state.

Without giving too much away, perhaps the most important commentary was offered at the 20 minute mark, where I asked Katherine what New Jersey can do to compete. Her response should illuminate the discussion over our state’s budget next month – “Stop being such an extreme outlier” – when it comes to our high taxes.

You can listen to our complete conversation by clicking below and be sure to subscribe.

On The Occasion Of Our [Almost] Sweet 16 . . .

This blog/website will be 16 years old later this year. It will indeed be a Sweet Sixteen and we're already planning for a celebration that's tout glacé! 

This whole thing started on a dare from Aimee Cirucci (now Aimee Lorge) who told us we could set up a blog in ten minutes. We barely knew what a blog was. But we went to a place called Blogger (the best known of very few such platforms at that time) and, after a few easy steps we were up and running. In the beginning we were just this side of rudimentary. But over time became more sophisticated, more technologically advanced and more up to date. We did this, and we continue to do it, to compete as best we can. Still, the basic structure and purpose of this site haas not changed. Though we've added much more video and become more of an aggregator of items culled from many sources, we've retained our distinctive look and view of the world filtered through our own gimlet eye. We plan to keep it that way as long as you keep following us.

Anyway, our first post on this site in November, 2007 was all about authenticity. The people and events we mentioned at that time were very much of the era and are now somewhat dated. But the point of the whole essay remains: authenticity is a rare commodity and our nation still thirsts for it just as it did then. Here's what we said:

Ed Rendell seems to have it, but Jon Corzine probably wouldn't recognize it if he tripped over it.
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has it. Justice Anthony Kennedy doesn't. Thomas Eakins had it. Thomas Kinkade doesn't. Barbra Streisand had it a long time ago, then lost it. Martha Stewart lost it, but got it back again.
Though it's a hot commodity, Charles Schwab can't sell it, and Donald Trump can't buy it.
I'm talking about authenticity. And right now it's the one thing we seem to crave more than anything else.
Without our quest for authenticy, Ralph Lauren would never have prospered and plastic slipcovers would never, mercifully, have died. Our thirst for all things authentic gave birth to shabby chic, recycled paper products, the rise of Northern Liberties and the demise of Styrofoam.
It's also why expensive new items of clothing or furniture have been distressed, weathered, stone-washed, frayed and even torn so that they'd look like they've been used or worn for years. Authenticity is the father of retro. It's what inspires automakers to design cars like the PT Cruiser and the Scion and the Chevy HHR.
Our nation yearns for the faded colors of Old Glory, the familiarity of a real neighborhood, the intimacy of a corner bar, the security of an old armchair and the taste of almost anything that's in season and fresh cooked.
The philosopher Kierkegaard said: "No authentic human life is possible without irony." In recent times, what then is more ironic than the emergence of Ronald Reagan as an authentic American hero? Reagan was a movie star, steeped in the artificiality of Hollywood. But he understood and wisely embraced the yearnings of small-town America.
He not only knew how to tap into something deep within our collective soul but he also trusted us with that soul. At the same time, he always remained true to his core beliefs. And over the long haul, this combination of confidence and constancy proved comforting. It won our affection and, more important, our trust.
Being authentic is hard work.
It takes discipline. Authentic leaders know who they are. They are comfortable in their own skin. Their own quiet, practiced belief in themselves is what moves them to inspire others.
And they do that by first spending lots of time really listening to the people they hope to inspire. In a world full of cowards, genuine leaders are called on to chart new paths, take risks and even show a bit of old-fashioned courage now and then.
AUTHENTIC leaders are imperfect. They're distinctive, quirky and even eccentric.
And because they aren't afraid to trust their instincts, they can surprise us as well. There's little doubt that Churchill was authentic. So, too, was Harry Truman.
But what about those who aspire to lead us today? Is Mitt Romney really too good to be true? Will Barack Obama be able to find his own voice and summon the maturity to lead?
Is John McCain truly unique or just plain cranky? When Rudy Giuliani accepts a phone call from his wife in the middle of a speech, is that real - or simply rude? And in the end, is there anything at all about Hillary Clinton that's genuine?
Right now, we don't know the answers to these questions.
We only know that we yearn for authenticity.
But always, we must be careful what we wish for. And we must pay close attention to all that we see and hear and experience while the spinmeisters and image-makers toil away.
For while we continue to crave authenticity, some of us suspect that George Orwell may have been right nearly 60 years ago when he said: "We have a hunger for something like authenticity, but are easily satisfied by an ersatz facsimile." 

COVID: Most Voters Want CDC Investigated

Many voters have concerns about risks from the COVID-19 vaccine and a majority want a congressional investigation of how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has handled the issue.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 57% of likely U.S. voters believe Congress should investigate how the CDC dealt with issues of COVID-19 vaccine safety. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow Rasmussen on Facebook. Let Rasmussen keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

Who's Still Alive? Check This Star-Studded List

 

Crime Funds Misused? Domb Demands Investigation

 

VIDEO: Pelosi Home Break-in And Hammer Incident

WARNING: DISTURBING IMAGES!

And then there's this audio as well:

Next Time You Go To A Game, Remember THIS!

 

Right Now, Let's Protect NJ's Farmland!

New Jersey State Senator Doug Steinhardt has introduced legislation that would prohibit foreign ownership of New Jersey farmland amid rising concerns about a Chinese buying spree of American farms.

Sen. Doug Steinhardt has introduced legislation that would prohibit foreign ownership of New Jersey farmland amid rising concerns about a Chinese buying spree of American farmland. (Wikimedia Commons)

“We need to pay attention to the fact that China and its proxies have been buying up farmland across the United States,” said Steinhardt (R-23). “When you recognize that food security is national security, it quickly becomes clear that we need to prevent our agricultural lands in New Jersey from falling under the control of hostile foreign governments.”

The Wall Street Journal highlighted last year how state-owned Chinese companies were spending billions to buy farmland and agricultural enterprises across the United States, including the purchase of the largest pork producer in the world, Virginia’s Smithfield Foods.

In other states, including North Dakota and Texas, China has been purchasing farmland in close proximity to sensitive U.S. military installations, raising spying concerns.

Steinhardt’s new legislation, S-3534, would prohibit any foreign government or foreign person from acquiring, purchasing, or otherwise obtaining an interest in any agricultural land in the State, with limited exceptions.

Further, the bill requires any foreign-owned farmland to be sold within five years of the bill’s enactment to an individual, trust, corporation, partnership, or other business entity that is not a foreign government or foreign person, with a deed easement attached to the land requiring the land to remain devoted to agricultural use.

With tensions rising in the Pacific, Steinhardt warned that Chinese control of our food supply could be disastrous should a military conflict occur.

“We can’t make the same mistake with our farms that we made with other industries like manufacturing that we handed over to China and other adversaries and competitors,” added Steinhardt. “You can live without your iPhone if China shuts off the supply from its factories, but you can’t live without the food that comes from our farms. It’s that simple.”

Steinhardt is also drafting legislation that would require the State Investment Council (SIC) to do an expedited review of its investments in Chinese companies. The SIC manages the investment of $95 billion in assets for the public employee pension funds of hundreds of thousands of active and retired state and local government workers.

Looking At The World Now From Then . . .

 

Testa: Dems' Used Emergency $$$ For Limos!

New Jersey State Senator Michael Testa issued the following statement after it was revealed that Governor Phil Murphy and Democrat legislative leaders spent $522,783 of federal pandemic relief funds on a fleet of new Chevy Suburbans for the State Police’s Executive Protection Unit:

Sen. Michael Testa said it’s disturbing that Gov. Murphy and Democrat leaders chose to spend more than $500,000 of pandemic relief funds to buy new SUVs for the State Police to chauffeur them around the state. (Pixabay)

“It’s disturbing that Governor Murphy and Democrat leaders chose to spend pandemic relief funds to buy new SUVs for the State Police to chauffeur them around the state. Instead of putting the billions in unspent relief funds that have sat idle in state accounts for two years to effective use, Democrats prioritized their own comfort and convenience over helping people. It’s despicable.”

We Had A Fantastic Time At THIS Event

Last night, in Atlantic City . . . 

 

Hmmm . . . Maybe YOU Feel The Same Way . . .

 

New Jerseyans: Internet Taxes Ahead For You?

The Republican members of the New Jersey Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee blasted a new report issued by the New Jersey Division of Taxation that calls for the taxation of cloud computing and software subscription services.

“The latest report from Taxation makes it clear that the Murphy administration is looking at new taxes on many Internet-based services,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-13), the Republican Budget Officer. “So much for Governor Murphy’s recent statements that there would be ‘no new taxes.’ That certainly didn’t last long.”

During a recent Bloomberg interview following his State of the State address, Governor Murphy said there would be “absolutely no new taxes” this year for New Jerseyans.

“Governor Murphy continues to parse words when he talks about tax increases,” said Senate Republican Leader Steven Oroho (R-24). “He might not enact the new taxes on Internet services right away, but he’s clearly doing the planning. Maybe it’ll be after Election Day, maybe 2024, but these new taxes on cloud services are almost certainly on the governor’s drawing board.”

The proposed tax increases were included in a report issued by the Division of Taxation, “Studying the Impact of Digital Economy.”

One section of the report broadly recommends taxing cloud services that “allow a customer to access and use the software of a service provider through the internet.”

“Popular cloud services that many people use to back up their phones and computers could end up being taxed,” said Senator Michael Testa (R-1). “If you pay for extra storage through services like iCloud, Google One, OneDrive, or Dropbox, get ready to pay more if Murphy’s proposed cloud tax is enacted.”

Another section of the report notes that Software as a Service (SaaS) is currently not taxed and recommends a tax be considered “in the context of contemporary software practices and the market growth of SaaS.”

With most software now distributed online, software subscription services have grown increasingly common. Instead of a one-time purchase, consumers pay a monthly or annual fee in exchange for access to the latest version of a program and product updates.

“‘Software as a Service’ is what people are paying for when they subscribe to Office 365, Adobe Creative Suite, and other popular software products used on their phones, laptops, and tablets,” said Senator Doug Steinhardt (R-23). “Adding new taxes to these increasingly popular software subscriptions is just one more way Governor Murphy will nickel-and-dime New Jerseyans.”

The Republican Budget Committee members challenged Governor Murphy to state clearly if the tax increases proposed by his administration’s Division of Taxation are in the works.

“New Jerseyans deserve to know if new taxes on cloud services and other digital products will be advanced by the Murphy administration as the Division of Taxation is proposing,” added Senator Sam Thompson (R-12). “If Governor Murphy plans on considering or adopting these cloud taxes at any point in the future, even if not this year, he should have the decency to be honest about it.”

Historic Philly Shrine Gains Basilica Designation

The Miraculous Medal Shrine, a Marian devotional destination and ministry of the Vincentians of the Eastern Province in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, has been elevated by the Vatican to Minor Basilica status. This designation is shared by only one other church in the City of Philadelphia, the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, and 91 others across the United States. The Shrine, along with the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception that houses it, are now known as the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

The new designation followed an application process of multiple years and culminated in a decree issued by Pope Francis. The Shrine is now promoted as an exemplary site of liturgical and pastoral activity within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Minor Basilicas are given prominence among other churches and shrines, receive certain honorifics, and are tasked with special responsibilities.

Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, said, “I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father for bestowing this tremendous honor on the Miraculous Medal Shrine. This moment is one of great joy for the entire Church in Philadelphia. The Miraculous Medal Shrine is a great gift drawing souls closer to Christ through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. I congratulate the Vincentians and all those working to sustain the Shrine and its ministry. May their work continue to bear great fruit.” 

Father Timothy V. Lyons, CM, now rector of the Basilica Shrine, said, “It is an esteemed honor to be recognized by the Vatican as a Minor Basilica. We are both overjoyed and humbled by this recognition. This historic proclamation marks the next chapter in the Shrine’s history and recognizes the significant role it has played in the Catholic Church, the Philadelphia Archdiocese, and the Shrine community.”

The Nature, Function, and Symbols of a Minor Basilica
 
 The central functions of a basilica are rooted in the sacramental life of the Church as a site of pilgrimage, an historical landmark, and a house of significant sacred art. The basilica title gives the Shrine certain privileges and responsibilities, principally the celebration of the feast of the Chair of Saint Peter; the solemnity of the Holy Apostles, Peter, and Paul; and the anniversary of the pope’s election into pastoral ministry. Additionally, since the designation denotes a special bond of communion with the residing pope, the Basilica Shrine can remove all temporal consequences of sin to individuals, which remain even after the person’s sin has been forgiven (plenary indulgence).

As a basilica, the Basilica Shrine will be outfitted with an umbrellino, a canopy of yellow and red silk; and together with a tintinnabulum, a bell mounted on a pole used for papal visits, forms the Papal Insignia. The Basilica Shrine is also granted the privilege of displaying Vatican City’s coat of arms on its facade and the crossed keys of Saint Peter on all its furnishings and liturgical appointments.

Background on the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian) Priests and Brothers and their Service in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
 
 As a ministry of the Congregation of the Mission priests and brothers—commonly known as the Vincentians—the Basilica Shrine has held historical significance in the Philadelphia area, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and the Eastern United States for more than 140 years.

The Vincentians, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul in 1625, arrived in Philadelphia in 1841, where they established a seminary in the city’s Germantown section, including construction of a chapel for use by the priests and seminarians. At the request the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Vincentians modified their plans for the chapel and in 1878 opened its doors for liturgical celebrations and pastoral assistance for the poor, working-class, and largely immigrant residents of the surrounding neighborhood, who at the time did not have a parish church.

When they initially opened the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception as a parish church, it predominantly served Irish immigrants. A decade later, the Vincentians established a second parish, Holy Rosary, serving Italian immigrants. They also helped establish the first Catholic church in Germantown, Saint Vincent de Paul, and later built Saint Catherine of Siena Church, to serve the needs of the city’s African American community.

In 1927, under the leadership of Father Joseph A. Skelly, CM, the Vincentians commissioned an expansion of the chapel for the creation of a shrine to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, a title of the Blessed Mother originating with her apparitions to Saint Catherine Labouré at the Rue du Bac Chapel in Paris in 1830. 

In 1930, Father Skelly established the Perpetual Novena of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, a devotion that has been prayed at the Shrine every Monday since then and continues every Monday at the Basilica Shrine.

During their presence in Philadelphia, the Vincentians have served as faculty members at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary and as pastors at parishes throughout the Archdiocese as well as other dioceses in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 

The building’s Romanesque-style architecture, murals, stained-glass windows, marble altars, sculptures, sanctuary floor, Mary’s Central Shrine, side altars, minor shrines, and exquisite artwork, could not be replicated today. Craftsmen, artisans, and local laborers helped to build the Shrine and create its stunning religious artwork.

Note: The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, a ministry of the Vincentians of the Eastern Province of the United States, is a sanctuary of prayer and an inspiration of Marian devotion for Roman Catholics throughout the world. Established in 1927 on the grounds of Saint Vincent’s Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Shrine, and the Romanesque church that houses it were elevated to a Minor Basilica by the Vatican in 2023. 

Visitors come to the Basilica Shrine daily for Holy Mass, solemn prayer and meditation, and pilgrimage to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, while beholding its breathtaking artwork, sculptures, stained glass, altars and architecture. The Basilica Shrine is also home to the Perpetual Novena, a prayer of devotion to Our Lady recited in person and livestreamed on Facebook and Instagram every Monday. 

Please visit www.miraculousmedal.org to learn more.

Oscar Nominations 2023: Complete List!

Best Picture

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Malte Grunert, Producer

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers

“Elvis,” Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, Producers

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers

“The Fabelmans,” Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers

“Tár,” Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, Producers

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers

“Triangle of Sadness,” Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers

“Women Talking,” Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, Producers

Best Director 

Martin McDonagh (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) 

Todd Field (“Tár”) 

Ruben Östlund (“Triangle of Sadness”)

Best Lead Actor

Austin Butler (“Elvis”) 

Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 

Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) 

Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”) 

Bill Nighy (“Living”) 

Best Lead Actress

Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) 

Ana de Armas (“Blonde”) 

Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”)

Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”) 

Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Best Supporting Actor

Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 

Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”) 

Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”)

Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 

Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

Best Supporting Actress

Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) 

Hong Chau (“The Whale”) 

Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) 

Jamie Lee Curtis (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) 

Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”)

Best Adapted Screenplay

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” Written by Rian Johnson

“Living,” Written by Kazuo Ishiguro

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks

“Women Talking,” Screenplay by Sarah Polley

Best Original Screenplay

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Written by Martin McDonagh

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

“The Fabelmans,” Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner

“Tár,” Written by Todd Field

“Triangle of Sadness,” Written by Ruben Östlund

Best Cinematography 

“All Quiet on the Western Front”, James Friend

“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” Darius Khondji

“Elvis,” Mandy Walker

“Empire of Light,” Roger Deakins

“Tár,” Florian Hoffmeister

Best Documentary Feature Film 

“All That Breathes,” Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer

“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov

“Fire of Love,” Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman

“A House Made of Splinters,” Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström

“Navalny,” Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris

Best Documentary Short Film 

“The Elephant Whisperers,” Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga

“Haulout,” Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev

“How Do You Measure a Year?” Jay Rosenblatt

“The Martha Mitchell Effect,” Anne Alvergue and Beth Levison

“Stranger at the Gate,” Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones

Best Film Editing

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Mikkel E.G. Nielsen

“Elvis,” Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Paul Rogers

“Tár,” Monika Willi

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Eddie Hamilton

Best International Feature Film 

“All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany) 

“Argentina, 1985” (Argentina) 

“Close” (Belgium)

“EO” (Poland) 

“The Quiet Girl” (Ireland) 

Best Original Song 

“Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman,” Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop

“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler

“Naatu Naatu” from “RRR,” Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose  

“This Is a Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne 

Best Production Design 

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole

“Babylon,” Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino

“Elvis,” Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn

“The Fabelmans,” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara

Best Visual Effects

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett

“The Batman,” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher

Best Animated Feature Film 

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley

“Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” Joel Crawford and Mark Swift

“The Sea Beast,” Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger

“Turning Red,” Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins

Best Animated Short Film

“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud

“The Flying Sailor,” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

“Ice Merchants,” João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano

“My Year of Dicks,” Sara Gunnarsdóttir and Pamela Ribon

“An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It,” Lachlan Pendragon

Best Costume Design 

“Babylon,” Mary Zophres

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Ruth Carter

“Elvis,” Catherine Martin

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Shirley Kurata

“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” Jenny Beavan

Best Live Action Short

“An Irish Goodbye,” Tom Berkeley and Ross White

“Ivalu,” Anders Walter and Rebecca Pruzan

“Le Pupille,” Alice Rohrwacher and Alfonso Cuarón

“Night Ride,” Eirik Tveiten and Gaute Lid Larssen

“The Red Suitcase,” Cyrus Neshvad

Best Makeup and Hairstyling 

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová

“The Batman,” Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Camille Friend and Joel Harlow

“Elvis,” Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti

“The Whale,” Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley

Best Original Score 

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Volker Bertelmann

“Babylon,” Justin Hurwitz

“The Banshees of Inisherin,” Carter Burwell

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Son Lux

“The Fabelmans,” John Williams

Best Sound

“All Quiet on the Western Front,” Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte

“Avatar: The Way of Water,” Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges

“The Batman,” Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson

“Elvis,” David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor