Woman who helped develop NFP dies

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details, from CNS: Dr. Evelyn Billings, who with her husband, John, pioneered research that led them to develop a form of natural family planning supported by the Catholic church, died Saturday after a short illness. She was 95. The Australian pediatrician joined her physician-husband’s team in 1965 as he was researching a more reliable method to prevent pregnancies than the rhythm method, known as the “calendar” method, which was developed in the 1930s. By the late 1960s, the research team... Read more

Report: the man in white will stay that way

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

A report this morning, quoting his brother, indicates that the Holy Father will continue to wear his signature white cassock after he’s retired. (If you’re wondering why the pontiff wears white, Rocco had a good explanation a few years back: it is in honor of Pius V, who died in 1572. Writes Rocco: “As a tribute to the sanctity of the Dominican pontiff, who refused to shed his community’s habit on his election to the papacy, his successors have donned... Read more

Great moments in liturgy: the priest who has Superman on his vestments

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No … it’s SuperPriest! Catholic padre Humberto Alvarez of Saltillo, Mexico, is getting plenty of online love because of these images showing him wearing robes covered in superhero images when he celebrates children’s Mass. Not many members of the clergy would sport pictures of Superman, Batman and Spidey on their holy vestments, but Alvarez clearly knows something about keeping kids’ attention. The godly goofball also peps up the service by using... Read more

Historic: photographer Steve McCurry shoots the last roll of Kodachrome film ever produced

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I suspect there’s a good homily buried in here somewhere. But check this out: photographer Steve McCurry’s online album of images from the last roll of Kodachrome. (cue the Paul Simon music!) Below is an intriguing video account of his journey. How would he decide what shots to take, with only 36 images to choose from? Fascinating stuff—and a poignant tribute to the end of an age. Read more

VIDEO: The people and places of the conclave

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Robert Duncan over at CNS in Rome has put together this lovely meditative video, featuring some of the people and places that we’ll be hearing much about in the weeks to come. Consider this a preview of Coming Attractions, if you will—and, quite possibly, a peek at the next pope. Check it out below. Read more

Cardinal Roger Mahony, Suffering Servant

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Seriously? Mark Shea drew my attention to the cardinal’s blog post yesterday, in which the archbishop of Los Angeles continues his Lenten meditation on, well, himself. From the cardinal’s blog: The poem of the Suffering Servant is important for all of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ since we are called to imitate his words, actions, and life. Part of that journey will always entail suffering from time to time. But what makes Jesus’ suffering so different, and so important for... Read more

A hearty “Welcome” to another piece of furniture!

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The Bench is pleased to welcome The Couch—and Greg the Deacon welcomes Greg the Doctor, too! I invite you to pay a visit to Patheos’ newest blog, “Faith on the Couch,” presided over by the esteemed Dr. Greg Popcak. The good doctor has some wisdom on psychology, culled from his years of experience, and all filtered through the perspective of faith. A Catholic shrink? Who knew? In his inaugural post, Dr. Greg notes: There are any number of people on... Read more

So just how do they pick a pope?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Wondering just what goes on inside the Sistine Chapel? Where do the cardinals stay? How is the vote carried out? There’s an excellent interactive graphic at Vatican Insider that explains it, with some fascinating nuggets of history, to boot. Try it out and see. Read more

O’Malley rising?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

John Allen this morning has some buzz surrounding the cardinal archbishop of Boston: While the U.S. media has focused on Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as the most plausible, if still remote, American prospect, another name has generated a surprising degree of buzz in the Italian press: Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, partly on the strength of his profile as a reformer on the church’s sexual abuse scandals, and partly because of his Capuchin simplicity as a perceived antidote... Read more

Gomez and Mahony, a study in contrasts—UPDATED

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

With both men making headlines recently, the Los Angeles Times takes a closer look at their distinctive styles: In more than two decades leading the Los Angeles Archdiocese, Cardinal Roger Mahony headlined immigration rallies, marched for worker rights and made national news by announcing he would defy a congressional bill he regarded as anti-immigrant. But the man who replaced him in 2011 — Archbishop Jose Gomez — has shied away from such attention-getting actions. Instead, he plans to take 60... Read more