Significantly, the commission is made up of both men and women—including one woman from a university in the United States, Phyllis Zagano. But surprisingly, the list doesn’t include a single deacon. It also doesn’t include anyone from the Eastern rites. From Vatican Radio: In the course of a dialogue during a meeting with the participants in the Plenary Assembly of Superiors General, which took place in May, Pope Francis expressed his intention to “establish an official commission that could study... Read more

Details:  United States Vice President Joe Biden officiated Monday the same-sex marriage of two White House employees at his official residence in Washington, D.C. In a tweet on his official account, Biden posted a picture of himself performing the wedding between Brian Mosteller and Joseph Mahshie. Mosteller is a special assistant to President Barack Obama and director of Oval Office operations, and has been referred to as “anticipator in chief” by the Washington Post. Mahshie, on the other hand, is a trip coordinator for... Read more

Here’s something you don’t see every day. This was first posted in 2012, but I hadn’t seen it until today. Meet Father Joseph, from the Fathers of Mercy. He gave a talk at BSU and then showed off his break dancing skills. If that’s too hip for you, check out this guy: an Orthodox priest who has more than a little Tevye in him. Some clergy are just born to dance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBPAiP7JiMg&feature=share Read more

Details: Wichita Police said Monday that the body discovered last week in the Arkansas River is that of missing seminarian Brian Bergkamp. Bergkamp’s family was notified Friday that the body found Thursday near Herman Hill Park was identified by the coroner as Bergkamp, Sgt. Nikki Woodrow said. Police have been searching for Bergkamp, 24, since he disappeared while kayaking on the Arkansas River on July 9. Bergkamp, a student at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland, fell into the water... Read more

Check this out, from Alaska: Alaska implemented a broad new education law that has Planned Parenthood hopping mad while making Common Core foes happy. HB 156 was passed back in May, but sat on the desk of independent Gov. Bill Walker while he considered whether to veto it. Finally, on Thursday, Walker allowed the bill to become law without signing it, saying the bill was a “very close call” for him. The law influences several different aspects of schooling in Alaska, but... Read more

Not from The Onion. From The Washington Post:  It’s a hot summer night, and leaders of the Satanic Temple have gathered in the crimson­-walled living room of a Victorian manse in this city renowned for its witch trials in the 17th century. They’re watching a sepia-toned video, in which children dance around a maypole, a spider crawls across a clown’s face and eerie, ambient chanting gives way to a backward, demonic voice-over. The group chuckles with approval. They’re here plotting... Read more

He had no way of knowing. When 85-year-old Father Jacques Hamel went to say Mass in a small village church last Tuesday morning, he had no way of knowing it would be the last Mass of his life. He had no way of knowing it would be the last time he would make that walk into the church, the last time he would see those faces in the pews, the last time he would gaze at the host in his hands,... Read more

Aleteia’s Jeffrey Bruno has been in Krakow snapping away some amazing photos from World Youth Day—and the experience had an impact. He reflects today on what all this means and why we should care. Take and read:  The evening of prayer and Adoration began, presided over by Bishop Robert Barron and led in song by Matt Maher and Audrey Assad, and I watched as these kids dropped drop to their knees, closed their eyes, many with tears streaming down their faces.... Read more

From the vault: my homily for this Sunday from 2007:  Back in the 1947 – 60 years ago — newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst bought an estate in Beverly Hills for the then-astounding sum of 120-thousand dollars. Hearst only lived there four years before he died. A variety of other people have owned it since then, and it acquired a colorful history. Well, last month, the Los Angeles Times reported that this property is now for sale. If anyone here... Read more