Pope Francis calls family of James Foley

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: The death of American journalist James Foley at the hands of the Islamic State has been mourned internationally since the tragic news broke. On Thursday, Pope Francis personally called Foley’s grieving family in Rochester, New Hampshire, to “console them for their loss and assure them of his prayers,”according to Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi. Foley’s relatives were “deeply grateful and moved by the pope’s gesture,” reports NBC. Prayer was an important part of Foley’s life, according to a letter published on Marquette University‘s website. Foley... Read more

Restaurant offers discount to people with church bulletins. Can you guess who’s upset?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details from KTHV in Searcy, Arkansas: Searcy restaurant Bailey’s Pizza is getting national attention for encouraging residents to attend church. This comes after a local resident complained to the national non-profit, Freedom from Religion, that the restaurant discriminates against some residents. The pizza parlor offers customers discounts to those who bring their church bulletins on Sundays. The non-profit says the restaurant violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “The law requires places of public accommodation to offer their services to... Read more

Detroit’s Cardinal Szoka dies

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the Archdiocese of Detroit: With sadness and great hope in the Resurrection we share news of the death of Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, who served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1981 until 1990 and went on to oversee the government of the Vatican City State under Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.“We mourn the loss of a dedicated shepherd,” said current Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron, who had served as a priest under Cardinal Szoka in the 1980s.... Read more

The head of World Jewish Congress asks: “Who will stand up for Christians?”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Ronald S. Lauder offers us this provocative and stirring piece from yesterday’s New York Times: Why is the world silent while Christians are being slaughtered in the Middle East and Africa? In Europe and in the United States, we have witnessed demonstrations over the tragic deaths of Palestinians who have been used as human shields by Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls Gaza. The United Nations has held inquiries and focuses its anger on Israel for defending itself against that same... Read more

James Foley reminds us of what we knew all along: prayer matters

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Elizabeth Scalia, as usual, nails it: What I have been arguing for in these past months is what James Foley himself advocated: the acquisition of what used to be considered a rather conventional religiosity, one in which prayer was not something foreign, but something natural, practiced to varying degrees and understood widely as a real and positive force for good. Good for the self; good for the neighbor; good for the world. I’m calling for a determined response to the... Read more

Archdiocese throws cold water on the “ice bucket challenge”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

And if you read on, you’ll see one of our Patheos bloggers mentioned. Details: The Cincinnati Archdiocese has warned Catholic school principals against donating to the ALS Association due to concerns that the money could wind up funding research that uses embryonic stem cells. Archdiocese spokesman Dan Andriacco told the Cincinnati Enquirer that Catholic schools are still allowed to participate in the “ice bucket challenge,” the inescapable viral video sensation that challenges individuals to either dump a bucket of ice... Read more

The godless, lame-stream media strikes again

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the Facebook page of Channel 11 in Atlanta. While shooting a story at a local diner, the team decided to do something that undoubtedly will leave some people shocked. Post by 11Alive. Read more

Must-read: James Foley writes of his Jesuit education, prayer and seeing God in all things

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

A friend from Marquette, Tim Cigelske, posted this on his Facebook page today. It’s an email he received from James Foley, the journalist beheaded by ISIS yesterday. It was sent in 2011, after he was freed from a jail in Libya. Cigelske noted: “I’ve re-read the email he sent three years ago in search of reminders of what he stood for and his total selflessness and humility. His motivation was always for others. I want to remember what he stood... Read more

Faith, prayer sustain James Foley’s family

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From CNS: In April 2013, the parents of slain U.S. journalist James Foley attended a prayer vigil at Marquette University in Milwaukee to pray for their son, who at that time had disappeared in Syria.Before Diane and John Foley had confirmation that spring that their son was missing, Diane said she just felt it — he had missed one of his usual phone calls home — and once they knew for sure, the couple said they were relying on their... Read more

Want to support Iraqi Christians? Here’s a great fundraiser

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

And it was all started by a deacon. From the CNEWA blog, One-to-One: A couple days ago, I got an email from Deacon Charles Rohrbacher in the Diocese of Juneau (Alaska), who wanted me to know about a fundraiser they are undertaking to help Christians in Iraq — and, specifically, to support the work of CNEWA. Charles is a gifted artist who has created some magnificent icons (such as the one above). Now many of his most beautiful works are about... Read more