From Vatican Radio:  Pope Francis gave an important address on the liturgical reform on Thursday, speaking to participants of the 68th Italian National Liturgical Week. The liturgical reform, he said, did not “flourish suddenly,” but was the result of a long preparation. It was brought to maturity by the Second Vatican Council with the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, “whose lines of general reform respond to real needs and to the concrete hope of a renewal; it desired... Read more

From the Buddhists:  A Japanese company has introduced a new role for SoftBank’s humanoid robot “Pepper” – a Buddhist priest for hire at funerals. Chanting sutras in a computerized voice while tapping a drum, the robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair – the Life Ending Industry Expo – in Tokyo. Nissei Eco Co., an unlisted plastic molding maker, wrote the chanting software for “Pepper”, which was introduced by SoftBank Group Corp. in 2014. With Japan’s... Read more

From CNS:  Saying there is an “urgent need” to address “the sin of racism” in the country and find solutions to it, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has established a new Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism and named one of the country’s African-American Catholic bishops to chair it. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, USCCB president, initiated the committee Aug. 23 “to focus on addressing the sin of racism in our society, and even in our church, and the... Read more

This is making news in the Diocese of Arlington: A Catholic priest in Arlington, Va., is temporarily stepping down after revealing he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and burned crosses more than 40 years ago before becoming a clergy member. The Rev. William Aitcheson wrote an editorial that was published Monday in theArlington Catholic Herald describing himself as “an impressionable young man” when he became a member of the hate group. He wrote that images from the... Read more

From CNS:  A Polish archbishop who inspected Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Medjugorje shrine for the pope predicted the Vatican will soon recognize its Marian apparitions. “The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has passed all documentation to the Secretariat of State — everything suggests the apparitions will be accepted before the year ends,” said Archbishop Henryk Hoser. “It’s difficult to believe the six visionaries have been lying for 36 years,” the archbishop said. “What they say is coherent, and none is mentally... Read more

This seems to be a spreading trend: When Western University graduate Heather Gingerich saw a news segment about an Ohio retirement home where music students lived alongside seniors, she was amazed at the electric atmosphere as the young residents conversed with and performed for their older neighbours. That kind of environment is one she wants to recreate in Canada with a program offering free room and board for a small group of Western University music students at a London, Ont.,... Read more

Who should I see greeting me but Archbishop (and, God willing, soon-to-be saint) Fulton Sheen? This handy little book, edited by Bert Ghezzi of Our Sunday Visitor, is a treasure trove of daily reflections by one of the great preachers of our time. Looking for a quick fix—a swig of spiritual caffeine at the start of your day? Consider these small cups of Sheen to be just the jolt to get you going. Here’s a jump-start for the new year,... Read more

Following her thoughts on yesterday’s scripture, Diana Macalintal posted this eloquent footnote. It strikes me as both timely and timeless. I post it here in its entirety with her kind permission: An added note, in light of the events of Charlottesville and the urgent need for our preachers to “interpret peoples’ lives in such a way that they will be able to celebrate Eucharist—or be reconciled with God and one another…” (Fulfilled in Your Hearing, #52): Dear Bishops, priests, deacons,... Read more

Some of you may remember a few postings from a couple years ago on Star of the Sea Church in San Francisco—and the administrator, Father Joseph Illo, who was raising eyebrows and blood pressures.  What’s happened since? Suffice it to say: whatever Father Illo is doing, it’s working. Details:  On the the solemnity of the Annunciation this past spring, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone dedicated the Star of the Sea Church’s renovated St Joseph Adoration Chapel, calling it “a pivotal... Read more

See how it’s done. This is the new organ being delivered to our parish a couple weeks back, lifted 20 feet or so into the choir loft. (And let’s face it, this isn’t something you see every day…) Below, you can see what it looks like. That’s our parish administrator, Father Frank Passenant, guarding the new instrument with his life. As our website notes: In 2017 we embarked on a project to enhance the music program at OLQM Church and... Read more