New trends in church design

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

St. Paul the Apostle in Spartanburg, SC, consecrated in 2013. Photo: Spartanburg Herald Journal. See more pictures here. From Crisis magazine comes this fascinating glimpse at contemporary church architecture—which, in a phrase, could be called Back to the Future: It is true that a certain indiscriminate preference for the contemporary remains firmly ensconced in the average American parish. Yet there has also quietly developed a parallel phenomenon: a deliberate and measured return to tradition, born of a deep desire to... Read more

Pope Francis to preside over wedding ceremony next month

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Did you get an invitation? From CNS: Pope Francis will preside over his first wedding ceremony as pontiff during a nuptial Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Sept. 14. The Vatican confirmed Aug. 29 that 20 couples from the Diocese of Rome will be married by the pope, the bishop of Rome. The papal Mass celebrating the couples’ marriage will come just a few weeks before the start of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family, Oct. 5-19. Since Pope... Read more

Behind every great married clergyman…

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

…is a woman like Mary Alma Parker. She helped make history. She is remembered this day by Fr. Dwight: On Tuesday Mrs Longenecker and I traveled to Charleston for the funeral of Mary Alma Parker. Mary Alma was the wife of Fr James Parker–the first Episcopal priest to be ordained under the Pastoral Provision in the early 1980s Jim Parker helped untold numbers of Anglican Christians both lay and clergy to make the journey from to the Catholic Church. …Fr Parker... Read more

Must-see video: Cardinal Wuerl’s powerful plea on Iraq

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

My blog neighbor Kathryn Lopez posted this last night, and it deserves a wider distribution. As she wrote: This is no ordinary opening of an academic year, Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., said toward the end of Mass for my alma mater’s academic year. “Atrocities happen because there are people who commit them and because there are people who simply choose to remain silent,” he said at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, adjacent to... Read more

Canadian archdiocese launches diaconate program

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The Catholic Register: The Archdiocese of Regina has launched its inaugural diaconate course, with 10 men taking their first steps towards becoming permanent deacons. The course was set to begin Aug. 29 and archdiocesan theologian Dr. Brett Salkeld couldn’t be more pleased. “We’re really excited. We’ve got 10 great guys who really want to serve,” said Salkeld. The men range in age from 40-65, with most in their 50s, said Salkeld. The 10 were among 30 individuals who expressed... Read more

Wisconsin Rep. James Sensenbrenner becomes Catholic, with Cardinal Dolan attending

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Wisconsin Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-Menomonee Falls) converted to Catholicism in a quiet ceremony at Milwaukee’s St. Francis de Sales Seminary on Monday — a private affair reportedly attended by at least two Wisconsin bishops and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. Sensenbrenner’s office confirmed the conversion in an e-mail. But it turned down an interview request, saying the congressman “sees this as a private matter.” The ceremony was first noted by Mark Silk, professor and director of the Greenberg Center... Read more

Brad and Angelina: non-believers married in a chapel

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

So, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie finally got married: Jolie and Pitt wed in a small chapel in a private ceremony attended by family and friends at Chateau Miraval. In advance of the nondenominational civil ceremony, Pitt and Jolie obtained a marriage license from a local California judge. The judge also conducted the ceremony in France. The couple’s children took part in the wedding. Jolie walked the aisle with her eldest sons Maddox and Pax. Zahara and Vivienne threw flower... Read more

Further proof that God loves us

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Let the revels begin: September is prime pumpkin season at Dunkin’ Donuts, as America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods today revealed its harvest of new and returning pumpkin favorites for fall. Leading the autumn array are new Pumpkin Crème Brulee Coffee and Lattes, which are available hot or iced, featuring the delicious flavors of pumpkin and creamy vanilla blended together. Dunkin’ Donuts is also bringing back a full fall lineup of pumpkin beverages and baked goods, offering guests one... Read more

Statistics show “signs of life” among sisters

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Some interesting insight from the 1964 blog at CARA: In spring 2014, CARA began analyzing membership data reported by the religious institutes of women in the United States as listed in The Official Catholic Directory (OCD). Forthcoming is a CARA Special Report based on this research entitled, Population Trends among Religious Institutes of Women. This post presents a teaser to this Special Report as well as some re-analysis of a CARA poll regarding vocational interest focusing on young never-married women’s interest in a... Read more

Muslim scholar: “I’m a Nazarene, too”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:52 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From Catholic News Agency: Referring to the label “Nazarene” marked on houses of Christians in Iraq by the militant Islamic State, a Muslim scholar also called himself Nazarene in solidarity – maintaining that many people in the Muslim community are identifying with Christians as well.“Millions of Muslims have used the Arab letter ‘nun,’ or ‘n,’ which stands for Nazarene, as their profile picture in Facebook and Twitter, thus identifying themselves with the testimony Christians have given in Iraq,” Wael Farouq... Read more