From Facebook, a remarkable picture and post from Lady Gaga: Thank you Father Duffell for a beautiful homily as always and lunch at my pop’s restaurant. I was so moved today when you said.. “The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect but the food that God gives us.” – Father Duffell, Blessed Sacrament Church Father John Duffell was profiled in The New York Times a few years back, and gained some media attention for growing his parish using innovative... Read more

He posted these images on Facebook today, with these words: I finally finished seminary! Thank you all for your support and prayers! I hope to be ordained a priest in early January 2017. This is, in so many ways, a miracle. OSV took note of this two years ago, when it honored this young seminarian from the Diocese of Raleigh as one of their “Catholics of 2014”: Johnson was on the brink of a shining time in his young life when... Read more

Actually, he sent it to all of us:  Pope Francis marked World Communications Day with a Message and with words of encouragement to Catholic communicators during his Regina coeli remarks. He also used his Twitter and Instagram accounts to spread the word, which he composed by hand and photographed digitally for worldwide sharing. The text of the Holy Father’s handwritten note says, “To you, who from the great digital community, ask for my prayers and blessing, I wish to say that you... Read more

Wow:  Rima Fakih is believed to be the first Muslim to win the title of Miss USA when she was crowned the winner in 2010. Now, the beauty pageant winner has converted to Christianity, recently sharing a verse from Philippians on Twitter. Fakih converted to Christianity last month in preparation for her marriage in Lebanon next week to Wassim Salibi, a wealthy Christian music producer, Christian Today reports. At the time of winning the Miss USA title, Fakih said, “I’d like... Read more

Almost heaven, in West Virginia! The above picture was posted on the Facebook page for The Catholic Spirit, the diocesan newspaper. The caption: Congratulations to the 13 men ordained to the permanent diaconate by Bishop Bransfield today in Charleston. They are pictured here before their ordination with Msgr. Cincinnati. (Colleen Rowan Photo) Congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Ad multos annos! Read more

From The New York Times:  In the last few months, a spate of faith-based films including “Risen” (released in February) and “The Young Messiah” (from March) has come to present never-told or newly imagined chapters of Jesus’ existence, offering biblical back stories aimed at an audience of roughly 200 million Americans who self-identify as Christians and attend church at least once a month. What’s more, several other such films are in Hollywood’s pipeline. Sony Pictures Animation recently announced it would... Read more

Details:  The bucolic Mundelein campus that houses a theological university and the largest Roman Catholic seminary in the U.S., there are 220 men studying to be priests — plus one woman about to join a small cadre of female faithful blazing new paths. On Saturday, Dawn Eden Goldstein is expected to graduate from the campus’ University of St. Mary of the Lake with a doctorate in sacred theology, which will allow her to help train aspiring priests. The feat marks... Read more

This weekend, those of us who aren’t celebrating the Ascension on this 7th Sunday of Easter will hear once again the reading from Acts, describing the stoning of Stephen and with it, the creation of Christianity’s first martyr—a man who just happened to be a deacon. A few days ago, I posted the news on my blog and on social media that the Diocese of Sioux City had ordained four new permanent deacons. Not everyone found this to be glad tidings of... Read more

Here’s story about a church closure with a happy ending —and a church transformation that you don’t hear about very often: A Yonkers Roman Catholic church shuttered last year in a parish consolidation will celebrate its rebirth Saturday  as an Eastern Rite congregation. The Rev. Sunny Mathew, 43, the new congregation’s pastor, said the move to Yonkers realizes a longtime dream for his parishioners, who began their congregation in 1984 in New York City. Most Holy Trinity Church at 18 Trinity Plaza will be occupied by St.... Read more