Pope asks forgiveness for “recent scandals both in Rome and in the Vatican”

Last updated on: October 14, 2015 at 9:22 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

And John Thavis is wondering just what he’s talking about: The problem in interpreting his remarks was that there are several scandals to choose from. The gay official of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation who recently came out with his partner, saying the climate at his workplace was homophobic? Accusations of sexual impropriety made by a group of Catholics against priests and an official of the Carmelite religious order in Rome? The resignation of Rome’s leftist mayor, Ignazio Marino, following press... Read more

“Attention, sinners: Confessions now being heard outside Cinnabon…”

Last updated on: October 14, 2015 at 9:03 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From Catholic News Agency: In the South American nation of Colombia – where an estimated 70 percent of the population identifies as Catholic – it is not unusual to encounter Catholic priests at a cathedral, or perhaps at a religious school or hospital. Seeing scores of priests at a shopping mall, on the other hand, is a less frequent occurrence. But for thousands of shoppers at Gran Estación Mall in Bogota, Colombia last week, that’s exactly what happened. Some 350... Read more

Dominican Sisters returning to Oprah: “I think she was open to God’s grace”

Last updated on: October 14, 2015 at 7:11 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

The scoop, from Aleteia: t was the last year of the Oprah show in Chicago and production staff were discussing what stories they hadn’t covered in their 25 year history. One woman spoke up. An “authentic” women’s religious community, she said. Oprah was hesitant. “Do you really think a community like that would be willing to be on my program?” she asked. She gave her staff permission to make some calls. All of the communities they contacted said “no,” except... Read more

In memo to priests, NJ archbishop sets guidelines for “preserving and protecting the Catholic faith”

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 10:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

David Gibson at RNS has details: Even as Pope Francis and Catholic leaders from around the world debate ways to make the Catholic Church more inclusive, Newark Archbishop John Myers has given his priests strict guidelines on refusing Communion to Catholics who, for example, support gay marriage or whose own marriage is not valid in the eyes of the church. In the two-page memo, Myers also orders parishes and Catholic institutions not to host people or organizations that disagree with... Read more

From the Synod: “Is there someone out here who knows how a perfect marriage takes place?”

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 10:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

[getty src=”491495060?et=lAQv1eCjSjFblRs8OwUtOw&viewMoreLink=on&sig=07ymJ5RACUknuQ3xP1ms3ET3XUi8s62O_moWjONL6qA=&caption=true” width=”594″ height=”395″] View image | gettyimages.com Some interesting commentary last week, from an Indian couple discussing their interfaith marriage, via Vatican Radio: The 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the family, currently taking place in the Vatican Oct. 4-25, heard from of an Indian couple on Saturday how inter-faith marriage can be lived. Penelope and Ishwarlal Bajaj from Mumbai, who have been married for over 38 years, are among 18 couples from around the... Read more

Lombardi on the “Letter from 13 cardinals”

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 10:50 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Vatican Information Service (VIS) reports: The director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., has given the following clarification regarding the publication yesterday of a “Letter to the Pope from thirteen cardinals”: As we are aware, at least four of the Synod Fathers who were included in the list of signatories have denied their involvement (Cardinals Angelo Scola, Andre Vingt-Trois, Mauro Piacenza and Peter Erdo). Cardinal Pell has declared that a letter sent to the Pope was confidential... Read more

A letter from the Vatican…

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 10:47 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Well, here’s something you don’t get every day. It arrived by email last week from Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization: I guess that phone call I got last summer wasn’t a mistake after all, and this makes it official. Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor. I’ve been invited to be one of the speakers at the Jubilee for Deacons to be held in Rome on May 27-29.... Read more

Hell freezes over: Playboy to stop publishing photos of nude women

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 10:44 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

No, this news isn’t from The Onion. It turns out that very soon, men really will be buying the magazine for the articles. Via The New York Times: Last month, Cory Jones, a top editor at Playboy, went to see its founder Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion. In a wood-paneled dining room, with Picasso and de Kooning prints on the walls, Mr. Jones nervously presented a radical suggestion: the magazine, a leader of the revolution that helped take sex in America... Read more

In memo to priests, NJ archbishop sets guidelines for “preserving and protecting the Catholic faith”

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 3:39 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the Synod: “Is there someone out here who knows how a perfect marriage takes place?”

Last updated on: October 13, 2015 at 11:11 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

View image | gettyimages.com Some interesting commentary last week, from an Indian couple discussing their interfaith marriage, via Vatican Radio: The 14th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the family, currently taking place in the Vatican Oct. 4-25, heard from of an Indian couple on Saturday how inter-faith marriage can be lived. Penelope and Ishwarlal Bajaj from Mumbai, who have been married for over 38 years, are among 18 couples from around the world invited to the... Read more