Rep._Tim_Ryan_Congressional_Head_Shot_2010

Catholic congressman Tim Ryan: “Why I changed my thinking on abortion”

January 29, 2015 By

From HuffPo:  Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), a longtime opponent of abortion, announced in an op-ed on Tuesday that he now supports abortion rights after having talked to women in difficult circumstances throughout his home state."I have sat with women from Ohio and across the nation and heard them talk about their varying experiences: abusive relationships, financial hardship, health scares, rape and incest," wrote Ryan. "These women gave me a better understanding of how complex and difficult ce … [Read More...]

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Pope Francis will not confer palliums on bishops at the Vatican

January 29, 2015 By

From CNS: When Pope Francis celebrates the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in June, he will set aside an element that has been part of the Mass for the past 32 years; the Vatican confirmed he will not confer the pallium on new archbishops during the liturgy.Msgr. Guido Marini, the papal master of liturgical ceremonies, said Jan. 29 that the new archbishops will come to Rome to concelebrate the feast day Mass with Pope Francis June 29 and will be present for the blessing of the palliums, … [Read More...]

Bishop Coyne in the driver’s seat

January 29, 2015 By

As Burlington's new bishop gets ready for his installation on Thursday, he's continued blogging—and posting some unusual videos.The guy is a social media junkie. I'm not aware of any other bishops doing something quite like this: brief "On the Road" segments, that he evidently shoots with a s … [Read More...]

American Bible Society leaving New York

January 28, 2015 By

American Bible Society headquarters in New York via Wikipedia  A big deal, from The Philadelphia Inquirer: The American Bible Society will give up its tony Broadway address for one in Philadelphia's historic district.The society, which has had its headquarters in New York City for 199 years … [Read More...]

At General Audience, Pope Francis speaks of the dignity of fathers

January 28, 2015 By

"St. Joseph with the Infant Jesus" by Guido Reni (c. 1620) via Wikipedia From Vatican Radio: Pope Francis called on fathers to be present in the lives of their children pointing out that the absence of a ‘father figure’ can have grave consequences. Speaking on Wednesday during the weekly Gene … [Read More...]

One priest’s stunning pro-life witness

January 28, 2015 By

Fr. Mario Majano by Pete Baklinski / LifeSiteNews From LifeSite News:  When he was a young boy, Fr. Mario Majano, 28, used to think a hero was someone out of an action comic book, a “flash, bang, superpower” kind-of-person.As he grew older, Fr. Majano believed a hero to be someone who put them … [Read More...]

Pope Francis a “headache” for GOP presidential hopefuls?

January 28, 2015 By

Rick Santorum prays at a fundraiser in 2012 by Gage Skidmore / Wikipedia Commons From Bloomberg: It is a new era for the Roman Catholic church, much to the dismay of three of its Republican members who are poised to run for president. On issues ranging from climate change, lifting the U.S. emba … [Read More...]

Remembering the priests of Dachau—and the roots of the restored diaconate

January 27, 2015 By

Dachau entrance, 1945, from National Archives / Wikipedia Lest we forget:Seventy years ago today, the concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated.  Many countries mark this date as Holocaust Memorial Day. My blog neighbors Kathy Schiffer, Diane von Glahn and Marge Fenelon have wri … [Read More...]

Inspired: school principal announces snow closing with “Let It Go”

January 27, 2015 By

It happened in Rhode Island: The storm has forced multiple businesses and schools to shutdown, including Moses Brown School in Providence. Head of School Matt Glendinning made a creative cancellation announcement by reworking Frozen‘s smash hit “Let It Go” into a snow day anthem. Aptly dressed in mi … [Read More...]

Now I’ve seen everything: ladies and gentlemen, the hip hop pope

January 27, 2015 By

This is a scream.From the mischievously creative mind of Fr. Darryl Millette, from the Diocese of Saskatoon—who obviously has far too much time on his hands.Enjoy! … [Read More...]

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More from Fr. Joshua, the rapping priest—and a simply sensational vocations video, to boot—UPDATED

January 27, 2015 By

Jack Maguire, Social Media Coordinator at Ascension Press, dropped me a line today: Ascension Press just released a vocations video featuring Fr. Joshua. I thought you may be interested in sharing this as a followup to your initial post. The video goes into greater detail on Fr. Joshua's conversion … [Read More...]

How did the ad orientem experiment turn out in Lincoln?

January 27, 2015 By

You may remember that Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska announced he would celebrate Mass at the cathedral during Advent ad orientem, facing liturgical East.Here's an interesting follow-up from a priest in Philadelphia, who reports some reaction he received to the experiment:A number … [Read More...]

UPDATE on SF parish banning altar girls: “A lot of the people who are upset are not parishioners”

January 27, 2015 By

A follow-up on this story from last week, from SF Gate: The Rev. Joseph Illo, pastor at Star of the Sea Church since August, said he believes there is an “intrinsic connection” between the priesthood and serving at the altar — and because women can’t be priests, it makes sense to have only altar … [Read More...]

Report: Pope Francis met with transgendered man at Vatican

January 27, 2015 By

From The Washington Post:  There are reports in Spanish publications that Pope Francis has accepted a transgender person into the Vatican — and embraced him — after the man who was once a woman wrote him an anguished letter last year. The Vatican hasn’t corroborated the accounts, but it hasn’t denie … [Read More...]

That blizzard? “It’s a bust”

January 27, 2015 By

That was the three-word assessment from our doorman this morning when I went outside to take a look.While places further east and north got more, we were lucky in Queens; we didn't get as much as they predicted. I've seen worse. We may end up with a foot or so, but not much more. (It's still … [Read More...]

St. Matthew’s wife? — UPDATED

January 26, 2015 By

"The Calling of St. Matthew" by Caravaggio (1599-1600) via Wikipedia My friend Fr. Scott Hurd in Washington spotted this reference in one of Pope Francis's talks in Manila and was startled. He'd never heard mention of a spouse of the evangelist:Think of St Matthew. He was a good banker. But he … [Read More...]

As the blizzard approaches: “A Prayer Against Storms”

January 26, 2015 By

By all accounts, we're in for a whopper in New York City.As we await its arrival, I offer this popular prayer against storms. Lord, hear our prayer:Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace. + God became man, + and the Word was made flesh. + Christ was born of a  virgin. + Christ … [Read More...]

Fr. Richard McBrien dies

January 25, 2015 By

From NCR: Fr. Richard McBrien, who as a scholar brought distinction to a university theology department and who as an author and often-interviewed popular expert explained the Catholic church to the wider world, died early Sunday morning. He was 78. McBrien had been seriously ill for several … [Read More...]


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