From The Boston Globe: Three years ago, Cardinal Sean O’Malley designated the Holy Trinity Church in the South End for secular purposes – in official church language, “for profane but not sordid use.” That decree triggered a $7 million sale of the building to developers and a plan — just approved by the city — to turn it into luxury condos. The design features a glass and steel structure rising from the base of puddingstone and granite that was created by 19th century architect... Read more
From Vatican Radio: Pope Francis asked the faithful and all persons of good will to receive his new Encyclical letter on the care of creation with open hearts. Speaking to pilgrims and tourists gathered for his weekly General Audience on the eve of the much-anticipated document’s official release, Pope Francis said, “Tomorrow, as you know, the Encyclical on the care of the ‘common house’ that is creation will be published.” Pope Francis went on to say, “Our ‘house’ is being... Read more
Behold the bishop of Providence, Thomas Tobin, unplugged: The sloppy and even offensive way people dress while attending Mass is something I’ve witnessed personally and regularly receive complaints about. You know what I’m talking about; you’ve seen it too. Hirsute flabmeisters spreading out in the pew, wearing wrinkled, very-short shorts and garish, unbuttoned shirts; mature women with skimpy clothes that reveal way too much, slogging up the aisle accompanied by the flap-flap-flap of their flip-flops; hyperactive gum-chewing kids with messy... Read more
From The Boston Globe: Three years ago, Cardinal Sean O’Malley designated the Holy Trinity Church in the South End for secular purposes – in official church language, “for profane but not sordid use.” That decree triggered a $7 million sale of the building to developers and a plan — just approved by the city — to turn it into luxury condos. The design features a glass and steel structure rising from the base of puddingstone and granite that was created by 19th century architect... Read more
This tidbit popped up on the VIS website: Vatican City, 17 June 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, professor of theoretical physics at the University of Potsdam and director of the Institute for Climate Impact in Potsdam, Federal Republic of Germany, as ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Schellnhuber, you may recall, is one of four who will be presenting the pope’s new encyclical tomorrow. You can read more about his background here... Read more
Behold the bishop of Providence, Thomas Tobin, unplugged: The sloppy and even offensive way people dress while attending Mass is something I’ve witnessed personally and regularly receive complaints about. You know what I’m talking about; you’ve seen it too. Hirsute flabmeisters spreading out in the pew, wearing wrinkled, very-short shorts and garish, unbuttoned shirts; mature women with skimpy clothes that reveal way too much, slogging up the aisle accompanied by the flap-flap-flap of their flip-flops; hyperactive gum-chewing kids with messy... Read more
From Vatican Radio: Pope Francis asked the faithful and all persons of good will to receive his new Encyclical letter on the care of creation with open hearts. Speaking to pilgrims and tourists gathered for his weekly General Audience on the eve of the much-anticipated document’s official release, Pope Francis said, “Tomorrow, as you know, the Encyclical on the care of the ‘common house’ that is creation will be published.” Pope Francis went on to say, “Our ‘house’ is being... Read more
Catholic Culture notes: The Holy See Press Office has announced that Carolyn Woo, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, will be among the four presenters at the releases of Pope Francis’s second encyclical, Laudato Si. The press office previously announced the names of three presenters: Cardinal Peter Turkson, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Orthodox Archbishop John Zizioulas of Pergamon, who will represent the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the director of the... Read more
Literally. Behold something truly jaw-dropping: a 415-foot swish through a hoop from atop a dam in Tasmania. If confirmed by Guinness, it will be a world record. The Australian group behind it, How Ridiculous, has a method to their madness—and it’s rooted in the gospel: In the YouTube description, How Ridiculous says it may be aiming for even greater heights. “Next stop: The Burj Al Arab Helicopter Pad? Or the Burj Khalifa?” How Ridiculous partners with Compassion, a Christian aid organization, to help children... Read more
[getty src=”480337039?et=lOYMXhZUQUxTaoHwcGz36A&viewMoreLink=on&sig=9NHnTp1rYDbX6Lblkdyn5J9cO77j0hPyuFl8sP960sI=&caption=true” width=”594″ height=”396″] View image | gettyimages.com Details: On the eve of a forthcoming encyclical by Pope Francis on the environment and climate change, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that U.S. Catholics’ views on global warming are broadly reflective of American public opinion writ large; a solid majority believe that Earth is warming, but there is much more division over the cause and seriousness of climate change. Moreover, the poll shows that climate change is a highly... Read more
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