The deacon who announces the Good News—and sports scores

Last updated on: October 25, 2015 at 11:47 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The National Catholic Register: Dan Borné is a deacon at St. Jean Vianney parish in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, La. He is one of a growing number of deacons serving the Church. He is also the public-address announcer for Louisiana State University’s football and basketball games and president of the Louisiana Chemical Association, which represents 66 chemical-manufacturing companies in the Bayou State. He recently spoke with Register correspondent Kelly King Alexander about his love of the diaconate and witnessing to Christ in... Read more

Notre Dame becomes first Catholic university in U.S. to offer regular Byzantine liturgy on campus

Last updated on: October 27, 2015 at 10:59 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

How cool is this? From Aleteia: Students and faculty at the University of Notre Dame who go to the university’s chapel on Sundays may be hearing something different from the usual Mass opening of “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” “Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever,” Father Khaled Anatolios recently chanted, as he made the sign of the cross with the book... Read more

Ordination update: 3 new deacons for Portland

Last updated on: October 25, 2015 at 8:27 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

And one of the new deacons is the father of a monsignor. From the Catholic Sentinel: At October’s ordination to the permanent diaconate at St. Mary’s Cathedral, the front pews were filled with the wives, children and grandchildren of the three men being ordained — a lively and attentive group. On the altar, among the priests, was yet another son of one of the men: Msgr. John Cihac, who had flown back from his post at the Vatican, at Pope... Read more

Final Synod report urges “accompaniment”

Last updated on: October 24, 2015 at 2:58 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

View image | gettyimages.com From CNS: While not specifically mentioning the controversial proposal of a path toward full reconciliation and Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried, members of the Synod of Bishops on the family handed Pope Francis a report emphasizing an obligation to recognize that not all Catholics in such a situation bear the same amount of blame. The 94-paragraph report approved Oct. 24, the last working day of the three-week synod, highlighted the role of pastors... Read more

Homily for October 25, 2015: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last updated on: October 24, 2015 at 1:06 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Last week, as I was walking home from work, heading up Third Avenue, I saw something you see often in New York: a woman sitting on the sidewalk, with a cup, asking for money. She was young, I’d guess in her early 30s. She didn’t look like someone I’d think of as “homeless” or destitute. She was clean, well dressed, reading a newspaper. As I got closer, I noticed a cardboard sign in front of her. Scrawled on the sign... Read more

Sexism at the Synod?

Last updated on: October 24, 2015 at 12:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Over at America’s blog “In All Things,” Fr. James Martin points out a significant oversight at the Synod: all the voting members are men, including one — Brother Herve Janson of the Little Brothers of Jesus—who is not ordained and is considered, technically, a layman. Why were there no laywomen? Read on: Brother Janson said (my translation from the French): “That is a big question….I felt very uncomfortable (malaise)….Before, the distinction was between cleric and lay. And now, it became... Read more

Final Synod report urges “accompaniment”

Last updated on: October 24, 2015 at 12:45 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Sexism at the Synod?

Last updated on: October 24, 2015 at 12:23 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Homily for October 25, 2015: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last updated on: October 24, 2015 at 12:36 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Ordination update: 4 new deacons for Detroit

Last updated on: October 23, 2015 at 8:13 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

They were ordained by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on October 3 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. You can find profiles of them here. And this piece in Michigan Catholic points out that all are Knights of Columbus: There are a select few who can partake in all seven sacraments in the Holy Catholic Church. Most Catholics either participate in matrimony or accept holy orders, but five married men at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament on... Read more