Sidestepping orders from the Vatican, Medjugorje “visionary” hosts “apparition” in private home in Missouri

Last updated on: March 20, 2015 at 9:20 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

View image | gettyimages.com Seriously? What part of “No” didn’t they understand? From Te Deum laudamus: Last week the CDF intervened in St. Louis to stop an event involving Ivan Dragičević. Reportedly, over 1000 people were planning to attend, with tickets sold and a center rented. Archbishop Carlson said he was to remind people that, “they are not to participate in events that promote the so-called visionaries of Medjugorje and in particular Mr. Ivan Dragičević.” He then said, “please make this information available to the... Read more

Bishop Williamson excommunicated. Again.

Last updated on: March 19, 2015 at 6:16 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The Catholic Herald: Bishop Richard Williamson has been automatically excommunicated along with the priest he illicitly ordained a bishop. Bishop Williamson violated Church law when he ordained Fr Jean-Michel Faure, 73, a bishop without papal approval during a ceremony in Nova Friburgo, Brazil, on the feast of St Joseph. While the Vatican did not comment immediately, canon law provides automatic excommunication for the newly ordained bishop and for the bishop ordaining him in cases where the ordination goes against... Read more

Report: Francis to have lunch with gay, transgender prisoners in Naples

Last updated on: March 19, 2015 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From NCR: Pope Francis reportedly will have lunch Saturday with about 90 prisoners, including 10 from a prison ward for transgender and gay prisoners and those who suffer from AIDS, as part of a visit to the southern Italian city of Naples. The prisoners won their spots after a raffle among some 1,900 detainees, according to a report posted late Tuesday on the Italian news website Vatican Insider. That article refers to a separate report made on the matter by Tv2000, an Italian television network... Read more

St. Cinderella?

Last updated on: March 19, 2015 at 3:08 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Fr. Robert Barron has an intriguing take on Disney’s new live-action “Cinderella,“ directed by Kenneth Branagh: While out riding in the country, Cinderella encountered a magnificent stag that was being pursued by a hunting party. Subsequently, she met the leader of the hunting brigade, a handsome young prince, the son of the King. The two almost immediately fell in love. Because she returned home without identifying herself, the prince called for a ball and invited all of the young women... Read more

Message for today: Stop whining

Last updated on: March 19, 2015 at 9:26 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

“The enemy has taken most of the Church and turned them from prophets into a bunch of complainers – myself included. We spend more time complaining about life than prophesying the love and grace of God over it. It’s an interesting thing when we silence all our prophets and turn them into complainers because it mutes the voice of God, in a way, in a world that really needs to hear it. So [St.]Therese, to me, was such a profound... Read more

Teachers sue to observe Good Friday

Last updated on: March 19, 2015 at 6:37 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From AP: Teachers in Cranston, Rhode Island, have filed a lawsuit against the city’s school department after their requests to observe Good Friday were denied in a move they say violated their civil rights. About 200 teachers contacted the union to report that they were being prevented from taking the day off, although they had provided more than the contractually required 24 hours’ notice, said Liz Larkin, president of the Cranston Teachers’ Alliance. However, teachers’ requests to observe the Jewish... Read more

After bookstore pulls “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Catholic college has it returned to the shelves

Last updated on: March 18, 2015 at 12:44 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It happened last week at Boston College. The explanation, via The Boston Globe: BC spokesman Jack Dunn told us the decision to remove the book was made by Follett Corp., the Illinois-based company that operates the BC store (and about 950 other campus booksellers), not by BC. He said the school urged the company to reconsider its decision, reminding Follett “of the inappropriateness of banning books at a university.” Follett rep Elio DiStaola told us the company takes every complaint seriously. “We pull the book, have... Read more

U.N. says Pope Francis to visit on Sept. 25

Last updated on: March 18, 2015 at 12:29 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From CNS: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the announcement that Pope Francis would visit the United Nations the morning of Sept. 25 to address the U.N. General Assembly.In a statement March 18, the United Nations also said the pope would meet separately with the secretary-general and with the president of the General Assembly and would participate in a town hall gathering with U.N. staff. Read it all. Read more

SF cathedral dousing homeless with water to keep them from sleeping in doorways —UPDATED

Last updated on: March 18, 2015 at 4:44 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

That sound you hear is my mind, boggling. From KCBS: KCBS has learned that Saint Mary’s Cathedral, the principal church of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, has installed a watering system to keep the homeless from sleeping in the cathedral’s doorways. The cathedral, at Geary and Gough, is the home church of the Archbishop. There are four tall side doors, with sheltered alcoves, that attract homeless people at night. “They actually have signs in there that say, ‘No Trespassing,’” said... Read more

A glimpse at Jeb Bush’s Catholic faith

Last updated on: March 17, 2015 at 5:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The New York Times: Like his brother George W. Bush, who established the White House office on faith-based initiatives, Jeb Bush was a champion of faith-based social services. As governor, he established what he said was the nation’s first faith-based prison, encouraging religious activity — of any faith tradition — in an effort to reduce criminal behavior. And he has said his religious beliefs helped inform his concern about child welfare and other issues. “You hear people say, ‘I don’t want to impose... Read more