On “honoring the communion line”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Last week, the Catholic Standard in Washington posted an editorial on receiving communion — clearly pegged to a story in the news — and it’s worth a read: In his last encyclical letter, “Ecclesia de Eucharistia,” Blessed John Paul II reminds us, “When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, the memorial of her Lord’s death and resurrection, the central mystery of salvation becomes really present and the work of our redemption is carried out” (11). The celebration of the Eucharist culminates... Read more

Private Catholic funeral for Davy Jones

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Monkees singer Davy Joneswas remembered in a small private Florida funeral as a laid-back daydreamer who brought fans into a world blissfully free of worries. The service was held behind locked doors Wednesday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Indiantown, close to Jones’ home. The Rev. Frank O’Loughlin, who presided over the service, said several of Jones’ own songs were played, including “I’ll Love You Forever” and “Written in My Heart.” In his own remarks to mourners, the priest compared the singer... Read more

Why do you want that new iPad so badly?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

There’s evidently a good reason for it: For a certain breed of consumers, the arrival of Apple’s third-generation iPad is an occasion of monomaniacal focus and intense anticipation. Visions of how the shiny new gadget will revolutionize their lives fill their heads. They’re willing to sacrifice hours waiting in line and hard-earned cash that they can ill afford to spare, all to get their hands on Apple’s hot new toy. Just like they did, most likely, for assorted iPads and iPhones... Read more

Fixed!

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Just an update: the link for the “must-watch video” from the other day is now watch-able again. Check the link. Read more

Diocese halts funding of charity over director’s views on abortion and gay marriage

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: The Catholic Diocese of Sacramento no longer will fund programs at Francis House, a nonprofit agency that serves homeless people, because of its new director’s views supporting abortion rights and gay marriage. In a letter last month, the diocese’s director of social services said the Rev. Faith Whitmore’s public statements on the issues clash with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Therefore, said the Rev. Michael Kiernan, the social services director, it is “impossible for the diocese to continue... Read more

Saved: Vatican reverses Cleveland decision on closing of 13 parishes

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It’s a rare reversal — and one that should give other parishes around the country cause for hope. Details: In an extraordinary move, the Vatican has reversed Bishop Richard Lennon’s closings of 13 churches in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, saying the parishes must be restored and the sanctuaries reopened for worship, according to activists who fought the closings. The diocese could appeal the reversals. The 13 parishes had filed appeals with the Vatican after Lennon, between 2009 and 2010,... Read more

Patricia Heaton, Hollywood conservative and Christian

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Everybody loved Raymond, but we all really loved his wife, played by the insanely talented Patricia Heaton. Now the Los Angeles Times looks at another side of Mrs. Barone: Patricia Heaton‘s rush to support Rush Limbaugh this week shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has closely followed her rise as one of the most successful comedic actresses in Hollywood. Heaton, a Twitter power-user who dubs her more than 69,000 followers “Tweatons,” used the social media platform to join... Read more

Going for brogue: renewed interest in Irish language at CUA

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day comes this story about growing interest in the ancient language of the Irish: Fifteen students gathered inside a basement classroom at Catholic University on a recent evening to ponder a laminated vocabulary list that looked like some language instructor’s cruel joke. The words were jumbles of seemingly random letters, strings of unpronounceable consonants, like the work of a touch typist who inadvertently plants his fingers on the wrong keys. But for these students,... Read more

Analyst: Catholics may account for Romney win in Ohio

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It seems to be the continuation of a trend: Rick Santorum, a conservative Catholic who is outspoken about faith-based issues, lost Catholic voters by a wide margin in Ohio on Tuesday, potentially a key factor that allowed Mitt Romney to squeak out the narrowest of victories overall in the state. According to CNN’s exit polls, Romney took 43% of Ohio Catholics on Super Tuesday, compared to 31% for Rick Santorum, and Romney beat Santorum overall by 38% to 37%. Catholic... Read more

Joe Biden visits shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: As the sun set over Mexico City, the Vice President of the United States toured the shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe. After a tour, VPOTUS walked across the square to the Antigua Parroquia de Los Indios (Old Church of the Indians), part of the pilgrimage for millions of Catholics. Later, under a full moon, when reporters asked his assessment of the candidates he had met earlier, VPOTUS said, “I rather not talk about the candidates … I had... Read more