He’s scheduled to be beatified this Saturday. His life story, via Wikipedia, is remarkable—among other things, his godmother was his mother’s owner—and his legacy stands as a study in perseverance, humility and faith: Francisco de Paula Victor (12 April 1827 – 23 September 1905) was a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest. He is the first black Brazilian national to be beatified in the Roman Catholic Church. Francisco de Paula Victor was born on 12 April 1827 in Brazil to a former slave: Lourença... Read more

Here’s something you don’t see in The New York Times every day. It’s an account of how one man battled stress after the stock market crash by visiting a doctor—and returning to the Catholic Church: Dr. Kimmel began with word definitions. He said it was natural to be “concerned” about my family, but “worrying” represented a higher level of concern, and too much worry could lead to “anxiety,” which could be very unhealthy. He also reminded me that I could... Read more

After ticking off some of the wild headlines of the last few weeks, the AP notes:  Hollywood couldn’t make this stuff up — and yet Francis is taking it in stride. On Tuesday, the pope sat with a few dozen people at a Florence soup kitchen, tucking into a bowl of Tuscan ribollita bean soup as if there were no place he’d rather be. That may well have been the case, given the intrigue swirling back home and the trip... Read more

Monday morning, I rolled out of bed and onto the radio: I was one of the guests on “Seize the Day,” hosted by Gus Lloyd on the Catholic Channel.  I’ve been on the show a couple times before, and Gus is always an engaging and enjoyable host. Now, America Magazine has an interview with him: You work as a Catholic apologist. What is that?  First, let me tell what it isn’t. It’s not someone who apologizes for being Catholic. (Though some... Read more

The donut giant (which also brews a great cup of coffee) is either sending a signal to Starbucks, or betting that most of the people buying coffee will be named Joy. Details.  The question remains: is this enough? I see no manger, no magi, no Virgin, no angels, no star, no shepherds. For all we can tell, they’re celebrating the joy of pine needles. For my money, the best comment on this fracas remains the image below, which has been... Read more

Wednesday evening, he was sitting on the sidewalk outside Macy’s in Rego Park, Queens, not far from where I live, holding that sign.  He was young, smoking a cigarette. He had a short beard and wore a tight ski cap. I saw him there and stopped. I asked if I could take a picture of the sign. He said okay, but that he didn’t want to show his face. I pulled out my phone and snapped this shot. I crouched... Read more

Jenna Cooper writes in Crisis Magazine: One idea which I would respectfully propose to bishops interested in discussing the possibility of women deacons is: instead of spending the time and resources necessary to explore the question of a feminine diaconate, why not channel that pastoral concern into further developing and promoting the restored Order of Virgins? Consecrated virgins could easily fulfill most of what seems to be envisioned for women deacons in terms of engaging in works of mercy in... Read more

From yesterday’s visit to Florence, via Rome Reports:  After his meeting with Italian bishops at Florence’s cathedral, Pope Francis had lunch at a Caritas food bank. He was accompanied by several people that were being helped by the ecclesial organization. Video below. Photo: Vatican Radio Read more

This was news to me, until I stumbled on this story a few days ago: At precisely 11:11 a.m. each Veterans Day (Nov. 11), the sun’s rays pass through the ellipses of the five Armed Services pillars to form a perfect solar spotlight over a mosaic of The Great Seal of the United States. The Anthem Veterans Memorial, located in Anthem, Arizona, is a monument dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of the United States armed forces. The pillar... Read more