Found in translation: meet the pope’s English translator, bracing for the spotlight

Last updated on: September 16, 2015 at 3:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The New York Times: On a blustery day in January this year, Pope Francis appeared before thousands of worshipers in Tacloban City, the Philippines, and asked for permission to give his address in Spanish. “I have a translator, a good translator. May I do that? May I?” he asked in heavily accented English. When the crowd cheered its approval, Msgr. Mark Miles — a trim, bespectacled official from the Vatican’s Secretariat of State — discreetly materialized at the pope’s side and began... Read more

Found in translation: meet the pope’s English translator, bracing for the spotlight

Last updated on: September 16, 2015 at 12:46 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Trump names his favorite Bible verse, but there’s just one little problem…

Last updated on: September 16, 2015 at 11:52 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The Washington Post: Nearly three weeks after Donald Trump was first asked to name his favorite Bible verse, he finally has an answer: He likes what the Book of Proverbs says about not bending to envy. “Proverbs, the chapter ‘never bend to envy,'” Trump said in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network’s The Brody File on Tuesday evening in California. “I’ve had that thing all of my life where people are bending to envy.” It was not clear whether Trump appreciated the passage because he had struggled... Read more

Pope Francis will be speaking to “the most Catholic Congress ever”

Last updated on: September 16, 2015 at 10:20 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Some interesting observations from Roll Call: It will be the most Catholic Congress ever that hears from Pope Francis — and, as of this month, the first with as many Republican as Democratic members of the church. Two decades ago, the year before Speaker John A. Boehner initially became part of the GOP leadership and started working to arrange a papal visit, 27 percent of lawmakers were Roman Catholic but only a third of them were Republicans like him. One generation and... Read more

Great moments in journalism: pope has proposed gay marriage? Really?

Last updated on: September 16, 2015 at 9:12 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Worst Lead of the Week, from NBC in Chicago: Archbishop Blase Cupich on Monday addressed reforms Pope Francis has proposed, including gay marriage and whether priests should marry. Get me rewrite. And then, fire the editor. Read more

Study: half of U.S. Catholics have left the Church “at some point”; but 70% say they could never imagine leaving

Last updated on: September 15, 2015 at 5:21 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Some older American Catholics might remember a time when people thought of the Catholic Church like a family: hard to ignore and even harder to leave. But a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. Catholics shows that at least some of these perceptions may no longer be entirely true. Indeed, about half (52%) of all U.S. adults who were raised Catholic have left the church at some point in their lives. A significant minority of them returned, but most (four-in-ten of... Read more

“Long before I became a priest, I encouraged my girlfriend to have an abortion…”

Last updated on: September 15, 2015 at 4:57 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Here’s something you don’t read every day, from Aleteia: I write today as a priest who was guilty of an abortion decades ago. No sooner had I heard about Pope Francis’ letter giving universal faculties to priests to absolve the sin of abortion and lift any excommunication, did I find myself being interviewed on the radio and being asked curious questions about the Pope’s letter. Is this a new teaching? Is the Church finally forgiving people who have been guilty... Read more

Ordination update: 4 new deacons for Palm Beach

Last updated on: September 15, 2015 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I got this email Tuesday morning from Deacon Martin Serraes, Episcopal Delegate for Permanent Deacons: “Bishop Gerald ordained four men to the Permanent Diaconate on Saturday September 12 at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.” Congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Ad multos annos! Pictured left to right: Deacon Martin Serraes (Episcopal Delegate), Deacon Raymond Neubauer, Deacon John Bartalini Jr., Bishop Gerald Barbarito, Deacon Normand Etienne, Deacon Jose Guardiario,Jr., Deacon Dennis Demes ( Formation Director) . Read more

Pope names bishop to replace Finn in Kansas City-St. Joseph

Last updated on: September 15, 2015 at 4:45 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the website of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph: The Holy See Press Office this morning reported Pope Francis has appointed Springfield – Cape Girardeau Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. as 7th Bishop of Kansas City – St. Joseph. Bishop Johnston was Consecrated as Bishop for the Diocese of Springfield – Cape Girardeau on March 31, 2008. He will continue as Administrator of that diocese until his Installation as Bishop of Kansas City – St. Joseph on November 4.... Read more

Pope appoints 18 married couples to attend Synod

Last updated on: September 15, 2015 at 4:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The list keeps getting longer: More than 360 participants, including 18 married couples from around the world, were expected to attend October’s Synod of Bishops on the family. In addition to the 166 synod members elected by their national bishops’ conferences, 22 heads of Eastern Catholic churches, 25 heads of Vatican congregations and councils and 10 heads of men’s religious orders, the pope appointed an additional 45 synod fathers to take part in the Oct. 4-25 gathering. The complete list... Read more