From The New York Times:  When Stephen K. Bannon was still heading Breitbart News, he went to the Vatican to cover the canonization of John Paul II and make some friends. High on his list of people to meet was an archconservative American cardinal, Raymond Burke, who had openly clashed with Pope Francis. In one of the cardinal’s antechambers, amid religious statues and book-lined walls, Cardinal Burke and Mr. Bannon — who is now President Trump’s anti-establishment eminence — bonded... Read more

From the BBC:  Sister Monica and Siervas are a Peruvian-based rock’n’roll band comprised entirely of nuns. With several of the members of their convent already able to play musical instruments, this group of nuns in Lima decided to form a band. The nuns were invited to play for Pope Francis in Juarez, Mexico. “We prepared a variety of songs to encourage people,” Sister Monica Nobl said, adding that “our rhythms are well motivated,” since they are a mix of pop,... Read more

Wow:  Shelia Fedrick said she instinctively felt something was wrong the moment she saw the girl with greasy blonde hair sitting in the window seat of aisle 10 on a flight from Seattle to San Francisco. The girl “looked like she had been through pure hell,” said Fedrick, 49, a flight attendant working for Alaska Airlines. Fedrick guessed that the girl was about 14 or 15 years old, traveling with a notably well-dressed older man. The stark contrast between the... Read more

From an interview with Catholic News Agency: CNA: You’re very outspoken about your faith. Does it have an influence on the show? Connick: I’m sure it does influence my decisions. The decisions I make and my faith and values are entwined. All I really want – when I pray , I don’t really ask for anything. All I want to do is God’s will and make the best decisions I can. I don’t go out and preach. This show is... Read more

This may be a first. After a Google search, I couldn’t find other president who had done this. Text below, which was released on Friday: In recognition of National Catholic Schools Week, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all of the dedicated Catholic school administrators, teachers, priests, and support organizations who work tirelessly to build and sustain quality Catholic schools across the Nation. The theme of this year’s National Catholic Schools Week is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith,... Read more

Details: A Franciscan Friar within the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis was badly beaten not far from the church where he spreads the message of love and peace, over $1. The Serra Club of St. Louis posted a prayer request on social media for Friar Ed Mundwiller of St. Anthony Padua Church in south St. Louis. According to the post, Friar Ed was attacked at 3:30 p.m. Thursday as he was walking down Michigan Avenue, not far from where he... Read more

Awesome:  The vibrant, 35-foot-tall mural has caused passersby to stop, cross themselves, and take pictures of the massive image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, painted on the side of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in the Home Gardens community between Riverside and Corona. It’s been two weeks in the making, and Mexican artist Antonio Martínez Guzmán, on Thursday, Feb. 2, was painting the finishing details, adding red roses and decorating the virgin’s mantle. He leaves for Mexico on Saturday, Feb. 4.... Read more

From Intermountain Catholic: With a standing-room only crowd of people from all over the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City gathered to join in the celebration, 15 men were ordained deacons in the Cathedral of the Madeleine on Jan. 27. For more than four years the 15 men endured harsh weather, long driving distances, family problems, health problems and even the death of one of their own, but despite the challenges they kept on going, following the special call they... Read more

How’d they do that? More importantly: how’d they get these people to lend their voices to it? Read more

I think this is an effort we can all support, don’t you? Read more