Ordination update: 8 new deacons for Springfield

Last updated on: June 30, 2015 at 12:16 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Eight men were ordained permanent deacons by the Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, on Saturday in St. Michael’s Cathedral. Most of them are married, reflecting a nationwide trend in the Church for active deacons, Ordained to assist the diocese’s 147 priests, who serve more than 217,000 Catholics in Western Massachusetts, the number of active deacons in the diocese is now around 83 out of a total of 93. “In the early church,... Read more

Did Pope Francis say he approves of divorce?

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 5:55 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Some people seem to think so. It popped up repeatedly in headlines last week. Huffington Post, for example, posted a story by RNS with this headline: “Pope Francis Says Divorce May Be ‘Morally Necessary’ To Protect Kids. The New York Post also reported: “Pope Francis: Divorce can be ‘morally necessary’” The story itself, however, is more nuanced: Pope Francis said Wednesday (June 24) that there are times when it is “morally necessary” for couples to separate, as part of the pontiff’s... Read more

Historic meeting between pope and patriarch could be near

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 5:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

[getty src=”469388024?et=fpLfVo64SN1wY5PIjiYP5Q&viewMoreLink=on&sig=Orx6uznk6cje2iUi7ubljceBov78JA7Oc8Qz7-XMjYU=&caption=true” width=”594″ height=”467″] View image | gettyimages.com Let us pray: An historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church is “getting closer every day,” a senior Orthodox prelate said in an interview published on Sunday. The unprecedented meeting would be a significant step towards healing the 1,000-year-old rift between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity, which split in the Great Schism of 1054. “Now such a meeting is getting closer every day but... Read more

From Canada, a pastor offers advice to the U.S. on same sex marriage

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 5:47 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

[getty src=”478671008?et=Vjum7TB2SY5lICfdB0DFGw&viewMoreLink=on&sig=9SuZxUVYrCGw9UhgmHNZt0XNIEx-me4GbEN8LTlRpSM=&caption=true” width=”594″ height=”405″] View image | gettyimages.com From Carey Nieuwhof: I write from the perspective of a pastor of an evangelical church in a country where same sex-marriage has been the law of the land for a decade. That does not mean I hold any uniquely deep wisdom, but it does mean we’ve had a decade to process and pray over the issue. …The purpose of this post is not to take a position or define matters theologically (for there is so much debate... Read more

Yabba dabba do: 41% of Americans say humans and dinosaurs co-existed

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 5:38 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Oh boy: “Jurassic World” may have been a documentary as far as millions of Americans are concerned. A recent survey by YouGov — a for-profit research firm that conducts all sorts of online polls — found that 41 percent of those queried think dinosaurs and humans “probably” or “definitely” once co-existed on Earth at the same time. The online poll (PDF) of 1,000 adults was conducted between June 15 and 17 and has a 4.4 percent plus-or-minus margin of error.... Read more

Yabba dabba do: 41% of Americans say humans and dinosaurs co-existed

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 4:24 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Pope approves decrees of canonization for St. Therese’s parents

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 4:00 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Pope Francis approved on Saturday the decrees allowing for the canonization of Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (of Lisieux). The Holy Father approved the decrees allowing Louis and Zelie Martin to be canonized during the Ordinary Consistory in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. The couple will be the first to be canonized together as husband and wife, giving testimony to their ‘extraordinary witness of conjugal and familial spirituality’, said Cardinal... Read more

From Canada, a pastor offers advice to the U.S. on same sex marriage

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 1:19 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

View image | gettyimages.com From Carey Nieuwhof: I write from the perspective of a pastor of an evangelical church in a country where same sex-marriage has been the law of the land for a decade. That does not mean I hold any uniquely deep wisdom, but it does mean we’ve had a decade to process and pray over the issue. …The purpose of this post is not to take a position or define matters theologically (for there is so much debate around that). Rather, the... Read more

Historic meeting between pope and patriarch could be near

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 12:08 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

View image | gettyimages.com Let us pray: An historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church is “getting closer every day,” a senior Orthodox prelate said in an interview published on Sunday. The unprecedented meeting would be a significant step towards healing the 1,000-year-old rift between the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity, which split in the Great Schism of 1054. “Now such a meeting is getting closer every day but it must be well... Read more

Did Pope Francis say he approves of divorce?

Last updated on: June 29, 2015 at 10:06 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Some people seem to think so. It popped up repeatedly in headlines last week. Huffington Post, for example, posted a story by RNS with this headline: “Pope Francis Says Divorce May Be ‘Morally Necessary’ To Protect Kids. The New York Post also reported: “Pope Francis: Divorce can be ‘morally necessary'” The story itself, however, is more nuanced: Pope Francis said Wednesday (June 24) that there are times when it is “morally necessary” for couples to separate, as part of the pontiff’s... Read more