It started in Mexico, evidently: It’s hard for young children to sit still for two hours, and that can turn a trip to the movies into an ordeal for parents. So what if the solution were to let the kids play at the cinema? Mexico-based movie theater chain Cinepolis is betting it can lure more families back to the multiplex with its new in-theater playground concept, Cinepolis Junior, which makes its U.S. debut at two Southern California locations next week.... Read more

This is unusual for a number of reasons: he’s a late vocation—very late—and he’s only been ordained for 10 years. On top of that, he began his vocational journey by studying to become a permanent deacon—but then discerned that God had something else in mind. Details:  Pope Francis has named Father Roy Edward Campbell Jr., pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Largo, Maryland, as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington. The appointment was announced in Washington on March... Read more

Must reading from Sojourners:  The work of pastors in this season is to encourage church members to engage deeply, and to resist the culture that has reduced Lenten fasts to easy fads and crash diets. Clergy have the responsibility to cultivate a healthy understanding of repentance, and to reject destructive theologies of suffering and negation. Christians will look not only to their pastors’ sermons for these lessons, but also to how their pastors live their lives. This reality — that... Read more

Adorableness doesn’t get more adorable than this:  In Catholic tradition, St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals — so perhaps it’s only fitting that one of the newest followers to join his order is quite literally a dog. The Franciscan monastery of Cochabamba, Bolivia, recently announced that a furry pup, named Carmelo, had joined their sacred fold, where he quickly distinguished himself as its cutest member. In honor of his new position, the dog even earned a... Read more

From The Monterey Herald: Our Lady of the Assumption Church is so small parishioners overflow into the halls and courtyard during Sunday Mass. Despite being relegated to narrow side rooms, the flock can still hear the reading of the scriptures and the sermon through speakers. The choral voices come through distinctly as they sing “Señor, has venido a la orilla,” — Lord, you have come to the seashore. The sound is also clear when, at the end of Mass, just... Read more

From The New York Times:  The White House, concerned about the possible political repercussions of the Republican effort to defund Planned Parenthood, has proposed preserving federal payments to the group if it discontinues providing abortions. The proposal, which was never made formally, has been rejected as an impossibility by officials at Planned Parenthood, which receives about $500 million annually in federal funding. That money helps pay for women’s health services the organization provides, not for abortion services. “Let’s be clear,... Read more

From The Washington Post:  Cardinal Donald Wuerl,  leader of the Washington Archdiocese’s 620,000 Catholics, said Thursday that the church’s values compel it to oppose the deportation of people already living in the United States. But Wuerl expressed caution about the idea of churches acting as sanctuaries for those seeking to avoid deportation, as some congregations across the country have offered. “When we use the word sanctuary, we have to be very careful that we’re not holding out false hope. We... Read more

I’m going to be preaching for CNEWA at a parish on Long Island Sunday, talking about our work in India, but here’s something from the vault: my homily for this Sunday from 2010.  + Lent is a time of penitence and confession. So today, I want to begin with a confession: I love “Undercover Boss.” This reality show debuted on CBS right after the Super Bowl. The premise is surprisingly simple: the CEO of a Fortune 500 company agrees to... Read more