Father of Teenage Girl Harassed by Rep. Brian Sims Speaks Out

Last updated on: May 9, 2019 at 11:29 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From Relevant Radio: On Holy Thursday, a trio of teenage girls (accompanied by an adult woman) were praying outside of a Planned Parenthood in Philadelphia when Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Sims approached them, recording the interaction, and called them “pseudo-Christian protesters who have been out here shaming young girls for being here.” Rep. Sims then offered to donate $100 to Planned Parenthood for any viewers who identified the three high school girls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=69&v=G7-HmFFFmSQ This tactic of publishing private or identifying... Read more

Pope Francis Issues New Laws, Requiring Clergy to Report Any Suspicions of Abuse

Last updated on: May 9, 2019 at 11:45 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Pope Francis issued sweeping new laws for the Catholic Church on the investigation of clergy sexual abuse May 9, mandating for the first time that all priests and members of religious orders worldwide are obligated to report any suspicions of abuse or its cover-up. The pontiff has also established a new global system for the evaluation of reports of abuse or cover-up by bishops, which foresees the empowering of archbishops to conduct investigations of prelates in their local regions... Read more

WATCH: Pennsylvania Pol Brian Sims Explains That Video — But Doesn’t Apologize

Last updated on: May 8, 2019 at 10:33 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

A few days ago, the Pennsylvania politician, Brian Sims, made headlines and sparked outrage when he verbally assaulted a woman praying the rosary outside a Planned Parenthood clinic. Tuesday, he thought better of that — after being flooded with angry reactions — and posted this followup video on Twitter: I will fiercely protect a woman’s right to make the best choices for her health & her body, unimpeded. I also know that two wrongs don’t make a right, especially on the... Read more

How About Parish Missions on Contraception?

Last updated on: May 8, 2019 at 12:41 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

My friend Father Matthew Schneider offers a modest proposal: In the 1930s or 1950s, how often did the parish priest talk about contraception in homilies? Only occasionally. It might be proposed once a year by the diocese, but generally they didn’t preach much on it. Instead, they would bring mission preachers in regularly and get them to take on hard topics like this. We have lost these parish mission preachers for the most part. Leslie Woodcock Tentler, author of Catholics and... Read more

“Proclaiming ‘God Bless America’ Each Day Must Cease…”

Last updated on: May 8, 2019 at 11:29 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details from Springfield, Pennsylvania: Students at Sabold Elementary School will no longer proclaim “God bless America” every morning — and the change is drawing some national attention. Each morning Principal Peter Brigg used the public address system to lead the children in the Pledge of Allegiance, which conforms to state law. He followed that by saying “God bless America,” which has become a Sabold custom for several years. As students recited the pledge, they were inclined, but not compelled, to... Read more

Pope Says Study on Women Deacons Was Inconclusive — UPDATED

Last updated on: May 8, 2019 at 1:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From his flight home today: The commission Pope Francis appointed to study the history and identity of women deacons did not reach a unanimous conclusion about whether deaconesses in the early church were “ordained” or formally “blessed,” the pope said. “What is fundamental is that there was no certainty that there was an ordination with the same form and same aim as the ordination of men,” the pope told reporters flying with him from North Macedonia to Rome May 7.... Read more

RIP, Jean Vanier — UPDATED

Last updated on: May 7, 2019 at 4:04 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

A great light has dimmed. A man some hailed as a living saint has gone to his reward: Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, has died in Paris, aged 90. In a statement on L’Arche’s website announcing Vanier’s death, its leaders said: “Jean passed away peacefully today . . . In recent days, while remaining very present, he had declined quickly. “We all know Jean’s place in the history of L’Arche and Faith and Light and in the personal stories of many... Read more

Ordination Update: 13 New Deacons for Jefferson City

Last updated on: May 6, 2019 at 2:29 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The very deacon-friendly Bishop Shawn McKnight just ordained a new batch of deacons for Jeff City — his first, I believe. The picture is above. The press release: Bishop Shawn McKnight, bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, will ordain 13 men to the order of deacons during a Mass on Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, 2305 W. Main, Jefferson City. The men, all of whom are married, join 70 other permanent deacons... Read more

WATCH: Pennsylvania Politician Verbally Attacks, Harasses Woman Praying the Rosary

Last updated on: May 6, 2019 at 3:33 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

If you want a glimpse at what pro-life activists can face today, click on the video in the tweet below. It includes video shot outside a Planned Parenthood clinic last week, where a lone woman was performing the dangerous and clearly threatening act of silently praying the rosary. WATCH: Pennsylvania State Representative @BrianSimsPA harasses an elderly woman who is peacefully advocating for the lives of preborn human beings and women who are considering abortion. This is shameful. https://t.co/Xb9pkFZSXC — Live... Read more

A Priest Writes: ‘How Can I Love My Gay Uncle?’

Last updated on: May 5, 2019 at 7:38 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the Rev. Joshua Whitfield in The Dallas Morning News, wrestling with questions for which there are no easy answers: My uncle took my father’s place when my parents divorced. I was nine when my mom’s younger brother filled the paternal gap. In those poor, stressful, single-parent years, he was our strength. He was a young man, bright and full of life, a gay man and HIV-positive. I loved him deeply because he was there when I needed him. That is,... Read more