Report: Cardinal Burke “demoted”?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

As yet, no official confirmation from the Vatican. But this broke tonight, from Sandro Magister: In his first months as bishop of Rome, Pope Bergoglio immediately provided for the transfer to lower-ranking positions of three prominent curial figures: Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, Archbishop Guido Pozzo, and Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, considered for their theological and liturgical sensibilities among the most “Ratzingerian” of the Roman curia.Another whose fate appears to be sealed is the Spanish archbishop of Opus Dei Celso Morga Iruzubieta, secretary... Read more

Stunning: gun instructor’s children send a message to the little girl who shot him

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

This is extraordinary. As someone noted elsewhere: “There are some good homilies right there.” Oh yeah. Just watch. Read more

Must-see video: life through the eyes of a homeless man with a GoPro

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Adam Reichart is a homeless man who is helping chronicle life on the street as part of a remarkable project called Homelessgopro.com. Details, from CNET: The project outfits homeless volunteers with GoPro cameras, which they use to film the world from their perspective. Reichart, who has lived on San Francisco’s streets on and off for about six years, was the first Homeless GoPro volunteer recruited, and because of the project, I now know much more about the handyman from Florida.... Read more

Gimme five!

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

When so much of the world seems to be bad, here’s a little slap of good. The New York Daily News notes: If you stick your hand in the air long enough, someone may just give you a high five. Filmmaker Meir Kalmanson ran around Park Ave. in July giving unsuspecting people trying to hail a cab the friendly gesture for his online video “High Five New York.” The 24-year-old told the Daily News he was walking around Manhattan one day when... Read more

They’re divorced, remarried, barred from communion—and they’re fine with that

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The good people at Crux have a look at a movement in Argentina that has garnered support from it’s most famous priest—the Pope: Marcos Fernández of Colombia … represents the kind of divorced and remarried Catholic who’s content with the status quo. Fernández married his second wife, Laura, 19 years ago, in a violation of Church rules. Yet he said their relationship with the Church is a “constant one”, actively participating beyond the customary Sunday Mass and feeling welcome in their... Read more

Pittsburgh reminds Catholics: it’s a big Church

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

CNS photo/Chuck Austin, Pittsburgh Catholic From CNS: An all-night vigil Sept. 13-14 at a Byzantine Catholic church in Pittsburgh provided an opportunity for people of faith to participate in the prayers of the various Catholic churches that are “essential facets” of the culturally, ethnically and religiously diverse city of Pittsburgh. St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church hosted “Crossing the Universe: The Faces of Catholicism,” which commemorated the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. “Crossing the Universe” was a... Read more

Together at last: Jimmy Fallon, Thomas Merton and me

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:25 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I’m pleased to report that my blog neighbor (and fellow Queens resident) Pat McNamara has just published a new book, “New York Catholics,” with Orbis Books. It’s available today on Amazon. Check it out. From the publisher: The historical and spiritual legacy of New York City’s largest denomination comes alive in these biographies of 76 women and men who have helped make New York and America great, and whose character and qualities are uniquely New York and Catholic. Those profiled include... Read more

Pope Francis: “If preachers have failed to sow hope, that sermon is useless…”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Wise words for all of us, from today’s homily: The Gospel of the day speaks of Jesus approaching a funeral procession: a widow of Nain lost her only son. The Pope said that not only does the Lord perform the miracle of bringing her son back to life, he does something more, he is close to her. “God – the people say – visited his people.” When God visits “there is something more, there is something new”, “it means... Read more

Pierced: Our Lady of Sorrows

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Today marks this feast—which is also the feast day for my parish. Below, a statue depicting Mary, pierced with seven swords for her seven sorrows, at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Charlotte, North Carolina. Read more

Belgium to execute rapist-murderer—at his request

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:43 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the BBC: A Belgian man serving a life sentence for rape and murder will be allowed to have doctors end his life, after a landmark ruling. Unable to control his violent sexual urges, Frank Van Den Bleeken, who is 50, argued he would never be freed. The decision follows a three-year legal battle by the prisoner, who was convicted in the 1980s. The ruling is the first involving a prisoner since the assisted dying law was introduced in Belgium... Read more