Check out this vocation story from The Marshall Independent in Minnesota: Travis Welsh of Ghent is experiencing those growth scenarios over the next 10 days. He and his wife, Jessica, were planning to have their third child last Saturday morning, the day Travis Welsh was due to be out of town for his last five days of retreat training for his ordination which is scheduled on Saturday. But this is something Welsh has been called to do since he was in... Read more
He concluded his homily this morning with these words—both timely and timeless: May the Lord grant us the grace of knowing how to resist that which we must resist, that which comes from the evil one, that deprives us of our freedom. May we know how to open ourselves to new things, but only those that come from God. May he grant us, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, the grace to discern the signs of the times in... Read more
From Vatican News: Pope Francis on Monday marked the feast of his namesake, Jorge (George), in his characteristic unassuming way, spending time with the needy and homeless of Rome, the Office of Papal Charities said in a brief note. It said that on this occasion it would distribute 3000 ice creams to the poor and homeless who daily come to soup kitchens, dormitories and other places run mostly by Caritas in the capital. Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio to parents of Italian descent on 17 December... Read more
I’m sure most deacons can relate to this. My wife and I attended Mass this morning at The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Queen of the Universe in Orlando—a popular destination for Roman Catholics on vacation, and a beautiful example of a church that manages to blend the old and the new with both reverence and joy. The music is always gorgeous and the liturgies consistently tasteful. And the place is always packed. It seats about 2,000, and... Read more
A refreshing and even inspiring reflection in America magazine by Karl Miller, who describes his journey to the apostolate Courage, and what it has given him: The numbness brought on by drink or drug was replaced with the reality of the loneliness I was experiencing. It was the loneliness that I imagine St. Augustine felt when he said to the Lord, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you”—the loneliness that led me to strangers’ arms and beds in... Read more
From UPI: A Roman Catholic priest was killed Friday in the west-central Mexican state of Jalisco, the second priest murdered within one week in the country. Juan Miguel Contreras Garcia, 33, was performing the sacrament of penance when attacked at a parish in Tlajomulco de Zuniga, on the outskirts of Guadalajara, according to a statement from the Mexican Bishops’ Conference. The attack, which took place immediately after the celebration of Holy Mass, is the latest in a series of attacks against priests... Read more
Details: In a historic decision, Pope Francis has appointed three women—two Italians and one Belgian—as consultants to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as part of his ongoing effort to give a greater role to women in the work of the Roman Curia offices, the central administration of the Catholic church. The Vatican announced today, April 21, that Francis has named three women and two priests as consultants to the C.D.F. The three women are Dr. Linda Ghisoni, undersecretary for... Read more
From the BBC: It is likely Catholics will outnumber Protestants by 2021 in Northern Ireland, according to a leading academic. Dr Paul Nolan, who specialises in monitoring the peace process and social trends, told BBC News NI that there could be more Catholics than Protestants in Northern Ireland by the centenary of the foundation of the state. However, he says unionists should not be too alarmed because you cannot necessarily equate being a Catholic with supporting a united Ireland. The... Read more
A great write-up of the recent convocation of deacons in Brooklyn by Ed Wilkinson of The Tablet: Permanent Deacons are the ones who will lead the Church in the New Evangelization. That was the message from Bridgeport Bishop Frank Caggiano as he addressed the annual Diocesan DiaconateConvocation in Douglaston. The April 15 meeting at the Immaculate Conception Center was a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the permanent diaconate to the Brooklyn Diocese and the 50th anniversary... Read more
From Canadian Catholic News: The Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Quebec have discussed the ordination of married men to the priesthood, but have reached no conclusions, said the Assembly’s president. “I don’t want people to have the impression a decision was made,” said Bishop Noel Simard of Valleyfield, referring to the bishops’ meeting in March where the subject was raised. “It was the beginning of a reflection. There was no statement.” Simard said the private but “free, open discussion” among... Read more
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