Fr. Dwight Longenecker looks at the phenomenon: One of the most discouraging things about religious life is to witness brothers fighting one another. Why do so many religious people feel they have to attack their brothers in the faith? Because there’s something sick going on within a lot of religious people and religious groups. I call it the Cain Syndrome. Remember when Cain killed his brother Abel? Remember why? Because God told them to make an animal sacrifice. Abel obeyed.... Read more
When I think of all the insanity that ensues with most weddings at my parish—the wedding planner, the videographer, the caterer, the limo, the dress, the towering arrangements of flowers, the quibbling over the perfect music—it’s maddening. But along comes something like the video below and it makes me think, “Every couple getting married needs to see this.” If this doesn’t put everything into perspective, nothing will. From the YouTube description: Early this year, Rowden and Leizl decided to get... Read more
Over at Fr. Robert Barron’s excellent “Word on Fire” site, Brandon Vogt has a lengthy interview with Toronto’s Cardinal Thomas Collins, who looks ahead to the coming Synod on the Family Brandon Vogt: Some Catholics hope the Church will soon change her position regarding communion for those who are divorced and remarried, perhaps at the upcoming Synod. Others worry such a change would undercut Jesus’ clear teachings on marriage. On this issue, which teachings and practices are immutable and which are... Read more
Big news: Rev David Skillen, a Permanent Deacon from the Diocese of Lancaster is the first Permanent Deacon to be commissioned as a Chaplain in the Royal Air Force. He was commissioned following training at RAF Cranwell as part of a specialist entrants course which included a Salvation Army and Presbyterian Chaplains, doctors and a lawyer. David, a former police officer and teacher has been posted as Catholic Chaplain to Royal Air Force Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. Father James Caulfield, Principal... Read more
Details: Pope Francis held his weekly General Audience on Wednesday – the last before the suspension of the event for the summer. The Holy Father dedicated his catechetical reflections to the second installment in his series on the Church. Specifically, Pope Francis focused on the Church’s public and universal nature, and in particular on the importance of belonging to the Church. Pope Francis discussed three main points in connection with the theme of belonging: that it is impossible to be... Read more
You’ve seen the wonderful video. Now, Huffington Post has the story: Pope Francis immediately halted his motorcade when a group of people with signs caught his attention. The banners read, “Please Pope stop here to see an angel who has been waiting for you,” and, “Please come and bless little Roberta.” The family of Roberta, a young woman who cannot breathe unassisted or travel very far away from her home, hoped to greet Pope Francis as he returned to the Vatican... Read more
Oops: Read all about it. H/T Patrick Madrid. Read more
Details: A nursing home run by nuns has not been asked or agreed to take care of a dying Roman Catholic priest convicted of killing a nun at a hospital chapel in 1980, his attorney said Tuesday. The attorney for the Rev. Gerald Robinson wrote in a court filing that his statement last week that the Little Sisters of the Poor were willing to care for the priest was in error. “The Little Sisters of the Poor were not asked... Read more
Details: Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, the Christian woman sentenced to death and later freed after an international outcry, was briefly re-arrested while trying to leave the country for the US before being released again. Eman Abdul-Rahim, her lawyer, said Ms Ibrahim was held with her two children and husband at Khartoum airport. The BBC said Ms Ibrahim, whose death sentence in May for renouncing Islam sparked outrage, was detained by about 40 security agents. Last night, it was reported that she had... Read more
Back in 2008, I preached a homily about St. John the Baptist during Advent. Today, his feast, seems a good time to remember who The Baptizer was—and what he has to say to all of us: We tend to think of John the Baptist as The Voice – the forerunner, the prophet, the one crying in the wilderness. And he is. But I’d like us to think of him another way this particular Sunday. This man is a figure of... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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