From the vault: my 2008 homily for today, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome: This is one of the more unusual feasts on the church calendar. It doesn’t commemorate a saint, or a biblical event. It celebrates a building. Specifically, the Lateran Basilica, in Rome. It’s the oldest of the four major basilicas in Rome, and as such serves as the official “home” of the pope – the seat of the bishop of Rome. St.... Read more

I’m not kidding:  Pope Francis has shown he is ready to take on the religious world, now he is set to take on the music world with a progressive rock album. Entitled Wake Up!, the 11-track album was launched at a fairly sombre ceremony within the Vatican walls – unfortunately not attended by the frontman himself. The pontiff’s foray into the music world is a selection of his public speeches, put to various styles of music ranging from pop and... Read more

From Reuters:  Pope Francis on Sunday condemned the leak of sensitive Vatican documents as a deplorable crime but said it would not distract him from forging ahead with reforms at the Holy See. The leaks are one of the biggest internal scandals to hit Francis’ papacy and were reminiscent of the “Vatileaks” furor that preceded the resignation of former Pope Benedict in 2013. The Italian media has dubbed the latest episodes “Vatileaks II”. Making his first public comment about the... Read more

A glimpse at a different kind of Catholic marriage preparation that could change the idea of what “pre-Cana” means, from The National Catholic Register:  “Witness to Love” is a virtues-based and Eucharist-centered model of parish marriage ministry. The core feature is that the engaged couple chooses a mentor couple they admire from the parish that meets certain criteria: married at least five years, preferably with children already, and active in the parish life and regularly attending Mass for the past year.... Read more

Some say yes:  Starbucks invited controversy this week with new cups that are solid red with the green Starbucks logo in the middle. While the cups’ design may not seem objectionable on its face, the absence of snowmen, reindeer, candy canes and other iconography has prompted some to accuse the coffee company of waging a ‘War On Christmas’. Breitbart London reports that MP David Burrowes, a conservative Christian of the British Parliament, has criticized Starbucks, saying “The Starbucks coffee cup change smells more... Read more

I’ve spent the last couple of days in scenic Portland, Maine, where I gave the keynote address to the Northeastern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. [img attachment=”75057″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”IMG_3763″ /] They held the investiture Mass Saturday afternoon at Portland’s lovely Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. [img attachment=”75063″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”IMG_3751″ /]   [img attachment=”75054″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”IMG_3765″ /]   [img attachment=”75055″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”IMG_3768″ /] Before Mass, we gathered in the cathedral rectory to vest.... Read more

This image here comes via the diocese’s Facebook page, from the ordination today. Details:  If Deacon Paul Fifer had to sum up the ministry of the Permanent Diaconate in one Bible verse, it would be Psalm 116:9: “I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.” “That’s what the diaconate aspires to — bringing Christ out into the everyday world,” he says. Fifer, a deacon himself since 2006, would know;  he serves as the director... Read more

Really?  Really:  Following a vote from the Board of Trustees, Susquehanna University is the latest institution whose mascot, the Crusaders, must go due to concern over potential offensiveness and negative connotations. Citing “growing concern and sensitivity” to ensure sure the campus remains “welcoming and inclusive,” SU President L. Jay Lemons addressed the student body in a video sent via e-mail September 25 explaining the history and use of the mascot. …History professor Linda McMillan explains in the video that the “historical... Read more

It’s the fourth incident in recent weeks:  On Monday morning, red paint was found splattered on the door of the Santa Cruz Mission, with graffiti accusing Father Junipero Serra of genocide painted on the walls. One young student at the school at the mission, Eli Moody, 8, told KSBW, “When we got to school everyone was talking about it.” He added that his teachers tried to explain why vandals would have targeted the church, but he and his fellow students... Read more