It is, perhaps, instructive to read how our country’s leadership faced the last great threat of nuclear war. From the televised address of President John F. Kennedy on October 22, 1962: The 1930’s taught us a clear lesson: aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war. This nation is opposed to war. We are also true to our word. Our unswerving objective, therefore, must be to prevent the use of these missiles against this or... Read more

My friend Father Austin Fleming posted this on his Facebook page today. I repost it here with his permission. Here is timeless wisdom for anyone, at any time, of any faith: USA Today posted a check list of 7 things to do upon turning 50 years old. Sensing some missing things, I’d add this eighth check point: Having personally passed 50 and 60… and now 70…and (full disclosure) acknowledging the bias my profession brings to bear on such matters, I’d... Read more

A new report by CARA at Georgetown University has some answers:  CARA has finished crunching the numbers for the National Diocesan Survey: Salary and Benefits for Priests and Lay Personnel, 2017. One of the many questions explored in the 203-page report is how much the Catholic Church in the United States pays its priests. The median annual salary of a diocesan priest in 2017 is $29,619. The median annual salary received by a newly ordained priest is $26,760 and the... Read more

Ladies and gentlemen, the musical stylings of Albany Bishop Ed Scharfenberger. (H/T to Mary DeTurris Poust for passing this on). He sang “Bring Him Home” from “Les Misrables” at a concert for vocations yesterday. The sound quality here isn’t the best, but you get the idea. If this whole bishop thing doesn’t work out, he could have a career in Vegas. https://www.facebook.com/DioceseOfAlbany/videos/1873052776347622/   Read more

From USA TODAY comes this glimpse into the faith life of The King—whose death 40 years ago will be commemorated by fans next week: Elvis was baptized, undoubtedly, as a child by a Trinitarian Pentecostal preacher in Tupelo, Miss. He was re-baptized, reportedly, as a young teenager by a Oneness Pentecostal preacher in Memphis. He also was baptized, posthumously, by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Multiple baptisms aren’t uncommon here in the land of religious... Read more

The Holy Father had some pointed comments to make during today’s General Audience, which focused on mercy and forgiveness: Francis closed his address telling pilgrims that it would do them well to think about how “God did not choose people who have never done wrong as the first dough to form his Church.” Rather, “the Church is a people of sinners who experience the mercy and forgiveness of God,” he said, adding that St. Peter understood the truth about himself... Read more

The news this Tuesday should give all of us pause—and reason to pray. It should also draw us to reflect more deeply on the Church’s teaching regarding the waging of war. From the catechism:  2302 By recalling the commandment, “You shall not kill,”our Lord asked for peace of heart and denounced murderous anger and hatred as immoral. 2303 Anger is a desire for revenge. “To desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is illicit,” but it... Read more

And now for something altogether different: Britain’s first church on wheels has hit the open road – with a bishop celebrating Mass on a double-decker bus. The idea is to take the church out into the world and get people to change their lives for the better. Britain’s first church on wheels has hit the open road – with a bishop celebrating Mass on a double-decker bus. The idea is to take the church out into the world and get people to... Read more

It didn’t get much attention, but in June the USCCB approved “Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities.” It merits some attention, particularly from priests, deacons and EMHCs who regularly minister to those who are sick or hospitalized. You can read it all here.   One section, on the Eucharist: 21. The Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ the Lord himself is contained, offered, and received, and by which the Church constantly lives... Read more

This news seems a little farfetched to me, but anything is possible, I guess: Hillary Clinton wants to preach. That’s what she told Bill Shillady, her longtime pastor, at a recent photo shoot for his new book about the daily devotionals he sent her during the 2016 campaign. Scattered bits of reporting suggest that ministry has always been a secret dream of the two-time presidential candidate: Last fall, the former Newsweek editor Kenneth Woodward revealed that Clinton told him in... Read more