This video is really effective and moving—and I think it conveys a sentiment we all can agree on. It comes from the Apostolate for Family Consecration. Watch and share. And pray. We need it. Our new president needs it. Our country needs it. You can learn more about the apostolate and its history here.    Read more

Check out the remarkable video below, from Catholic News Agency, which tells her story. And then visit her family’s Facebook page, Pray for Joy, for more information. Keep praying! https://www.facebook.com/CatholicNewsAgency/videos/10153965887241486/ Read more

Details:  For all their differences, when Donald Trump takes the oath of office to succeed Barack Obama on Friday, one small but symbolic similarity will be on display. Trump will place his hand on the Bible that President Lincoln used at his first inauguration, the same one President Obama used at both of his swearing in ceremonies. The Lincoln Bible was purchased for the 1861 inauguration by Supreme Court Clerk William Thomas Carroll. Trump will also use his personal Bible,... Read more

From CNA:  Claude Paradis was impoverished and homeless, living on the streets of Montreal, Canada. He struggled with addiction to both alcohol and drugs, with a future so bleak, he considered ending his own life. He did not end his life, however, and today he is a priest who dedicates his time to serving the physical and spiritual needs of those trapped in poverty, prison and prostitution. “The street brought me to the Church and the Church in the end... Read more

From the Arlington Catholic Herald: A native of Colombia, two former Navy officers, a sales executive, a principal and an unmarried man joined the ranks of close to 90 deacons in the Arlington Diocese when they were ordained permanent deacons Jan. 14 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington. The church filled early with family and friends, some coming from as far away as Colombia. Family members described the journey of the deacons as a natural progression. The... Read more

This is pretty freaky:  The National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Japan claims that taking and publishing photos of subjects who are flashing the popular two-fingered ‘V’ or peace sign could lead to identify theft. It warns that fingerprint recognition technology is now so advanced that even casual snapshots can be used to retrieve fingerprint information. The report also says the technology is widely available and easy to use. According to the NII, the danger lies in a combination of... Read more

This is different:  Dutch clothing brand Byborre has collaborated with the Dominican Order of Preachers to create an updated unisex version of the friar’s habit. The New Habit capsule collection consists of several unisex garments, including tops, track trousers, tunics, hooded gilets and coats. When designing the collection, Byborre researched the history of the order, which was established over 800 years ago. They discovered that, while traditionally Dominicans would only wear a habit, these days followers wear it on top of... Read more

She’s creating some exceptional art in a monastery in Cleveland. A story from a couple years ago describes her remarkable gift: Sister Mary Thomas spends hours daily on her knees in prayer. A 56-year member of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, the diminutive nun and her fellow sisters take turns praying 24/7 in a cloistered chapel at the Shrine of the Conversion of St. Paul in Cleveland, ensuring that the Blessed Sacrament is never alone. Their ministry continues unbroken... Read more

From a couple years ago, an inspiring portrait of a the only African American deacon in Connecticut, from The Hartford Courant:  Earlier this month, Deacon Art Miller got himself arrested. He knelt down in the intersection of Bloomfield and Albany avenues in Hartford, one of about a dozen protesters purposefully breaking the law by blocking traffic as part of an effort to raise awareness that “black lives matter.” It wasn’t where you’d expect to find the 70-year-old director of the Office... Read more

Word has been circulating on social media this afternoon that a giant in evangelization, Deacon Alex C. Jones, has died. I haven’t heard additional details. He is something of a legend: a popular public speaker and congregational minister from Detroit who underwent a remarkable conversion experience that culminated with his entering into full communion with the Catholic Church—in the process, bringing along many members of his congregation. From his bio, in his own words: I am in my early seventies,... Read more