Horror: Catholic priest shot dead while blessing children after Mass

Last updated on: April 29, 2018 at 7:05 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It happened in the Philippines: Catholic priest known for his anti-mining advocacy was shot dead on Sunday after celebrating Mass in the northern Philippines, police said. Father Mark Ventura was shot twice in a public gymnasium in the town of Gattaran in Cagayan province, 396 kilometres north of Manila, where the Mass was held. Ventura, 37, was blessing children and chatting with choir members after the Mass when the suspect shot him from behind, Gattaran police chief Rodel Tabulog. The... Read more

‘Young Catholics are interested in our Catholic heritage’—including the rosary

Last updated on: April 29, 2018 at 7:00 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

A surprising report from a secular source, The Telegraph: Young Catholics are returning to the traditional rosary as they react to “technological advances”, the organizers of a new event have said. John Mallon, 27, said 20,000 people are expected to take part in a Rosary on the Coast event on Sunday afternoon throughout the British Isles across 350 locations. “Young Catholics are increasingly interested in our Catholic heritage and patrimony,” he told the Sunday Telegraph. “Personally I believe young people crave stability... Read more

Hymn of the week: ‘At the Lamb’s High Feast’

Last updated on: April 28, 2018 at 1:07 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I love this video of this classic hymn, from 2008, with Pope Benedict celebrating vespers with the U.S. bishops in Washington. I especially love that he sings along, in English. The words: At the Lamb’s high feast we sing praise to our victorious King, who hath washed us in the tide flowing from His piercèd side; praise we Him whose love divine gives His sacred blood for wine, gives His body for the feast, Christ the Victim, Christ the Priest.... Read more

A poignant and surprising moment of respect goes viral

Last updated on: April 28, 2018 at 11:12 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

H/T to Deacon Daniel Dozier for alerting me to this! Details: A photo of a group of teens playing basketball is going viral – not because of the game, but of what they did as a funeral procession passed by. It stopped sisters Johannah Stroud and Lynn Bickham Bienvenu in their tracks. It was a procession for their cousin, Velma Kay Crowe, WAFB reports. The group of kids put down their basketball and took a knee as the procession passed by. They... Read more

Alfie Evans dies: ‘My gladiator lay down his shield and gained his wings’

Last updated on: April 28, 2018 at 6:49 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the BBC: Alfie Evans, the 23-month-old toddler at the centre of a High Court legal battle, has died, nearly a week after his life support was withdrawn. The boy from Merseyside, who had a degenerative brain condition, died at 02:30 BST, his father Tom Evans said. On Facebook he wrote: “My gladiator lay down his shield and gained his wings… absolutely heartbroken.” Alfie’s parents lost all legal challenges to a court ruling allowing the hospital to withdraw ventilation. The boy had his... Read more

The story of the pope’s late crossbearer, a seminarian who wanted to ‘make holiness normal’

Last updated on: April 27, 2018 at 8:18 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Countless people know Anthony Freeman as the young seminarian who died tragically and unexpectedly the day after Easter, hours after carrying the cross in the procession for the papal Mass. After an autopsy, doctors determined that he suffered from an undiagnosed congenital heart condition. He was 29. But what many may not know—and what needs to be known—is that Brother Anthony was just beginning to have a profound impact on millennial Catholics through social media, videos and a new book... Read more

A modest proposal: choose a Catholic deacon for the next House chaplain

Last updated on: April 27, 2018 at 7:51 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Why not? Meantime, this report indicates they are searching for a married man for the job: Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.), one of the leaders of the committee searching for a replacement for the ousted House chaplain, said the next spiritual leader of the House should be someone with a family who can better relate and counsel lawmakers with spouses and children. Father Patrick Conroy, who was forced out by Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), is celibate by virtue of his Catholic faith. “I’m looking for somebody who... Read more

Catholic chaplain for House of Representatives asked to resign—UPDATED

Last updated on: April 27, 2018 at 6:41 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The Hill: House Chaplain Patrick Conroy’s sudden resignation has sparked a furor on Capitol Hill, with sources in both parties saying he was pushed out by Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Conroy’s own resignation announcement stated that it was done at Ryan’s request. “As you have requested, I hereby offer my resignation as the 60th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives,” the April 15 letter to Ryan, obtained by The Hill, states. Through his office, Conroy, who has served as... Read more

WATCH: When a Catholic marries a Muslim in Iowa

Last updated on: April 25, 2018 at 7:02 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From Slate: What happens when a devout Muslim and devout Christian commit to each other to build something new—and neither have any intention of converting? Laura and Kamal invited me here to their restaurant and home in small-town Iowa, where they raised grown three boys, to tell me how they did it. Check out the video report by Aymann Ismail below. Read more

Crunch time: Pittsburgh to announce major consolidation of parishes, resources

Last updated on: April 24, 2018 at 11:06 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh counts 632,138 people as members of its fold, though less than a quarter of those congregants attend Mass weekly. Half of the diocese’s 188 parishes are running operating deficits. And the diocese anticipates the number of active diocesan priests to drop 50 percent within seven years, to 112. When Bishop David Zubik sees these numbers, he doesn’t take it as a sign of a church in crisis, but rather a side effect of Rust... Read more