University students banned from thanking God during graduation speeches

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Considering how often the Almighty’s name is invoked before exams, this strikes me as a bit odd. Details: A professor at a public university in North Carolina forbade his students from thanking God in personal statements that will be delivered during their departmental graduation ceremony on Friday. In an email obtained by Campus Reform, Assistant Professor Eli Hvastkovs, who teaches chemistry at East Carolina University (ECU), instructed his students to prepare a “family friendly” 35-word personal statement that mentions future plans... Read more

Vatican rolls out a new app

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Having now tweaked the design of the Vatican website (not very successfully, imho, but that’s another story…take a look and see what you think)…the Vatican has now launched a new app for iPads and iPhones. No word yet if they’ve developed one for Androids. It reportedly has material from the Vatican site, along with a GPS to help pilgrims find their way around Rome. Check it out. Read more

Know someone discerning a vocation?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

With Vocation Sunday coming up next week, you might want to pass this along: a discernment camp for young women in Boston this summer, sponsored by the Daughters of St. Paul. Check out their website for more info. Read more

“Catholicism is essentially a calm faith…”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

“Catholicism is essentially a calm faith, rooted in the scriptures and the Tradition, and it has no need whatever to take a shrill tone with those who interpret the scriptures differently or who have inherited different traditions. This is not to practice the heresy of indifferentism: it is merely to hold the Catholic position in a way that is coherent with a faith-filled approach. After all, we shall convince no one of the rightness of certain disputed positions by polemics... Read more

Vatican reports steady growth in worldwide church

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:30 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The barque has sometimes hit turbulent tides, but there’s no sign that it’s sinking. And note the number of permanent deacons worldwide: 42,104, a number the continues to climb. From CNS: The number of Catholics in the world and the number of priests, permanent deacons and religious men all increased in 2012, while the number of women in religious orders continued to decline, according to Vatican statistics. The number of candidates for the priesthood also showed its first global downturn... Read more

Ordination update: 10 new deacons for Sioux City

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:30 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Ask and you shall receive. After reading my bleg, Fr. Brent Lingle of Sioux City, Iowa graciously forwarded to me some information about this weekend’s diaconate ordinations. “The men come from all parts of our diocese serving in both small and large parishes,” he wrote. “It was a great day for the Church of Sioux City!” Amen! And thank you for the pictures! With this, the spring ordination season officially begins. The new deacons are: Charles Joseph Coleman, Lanse Rickard Rohr,... Read more

Worth a thousand words

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Vocation ad from the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa. I’m pleased to report they just ordained 10 new permanent deacons on Saturday. Does anybody have any information or pictures?? Would love to post more! UPDATE: A priest from Sioux City kindly sent pictures and information about the ordination. Check ’em out here. Read more

BREAKING: SCOTUS rules prayers at council meetings are constitutional

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: The Supreme Court said Monday that prayers that open town council meetings do not violate the Constitution even if they routinely stress Christianity. The court said in 5-4 decision that the content of the prayers is not significant as long as officials make a good-faith effort at inclusion. The ruling was a victory for the town of Greece, N.Y., outside of Rochester. In 1983, the court upheld an opening prayer in the Nebraska legislature and said that prayer is... Read more

Happy birthday, dear Patheos, happy birthday to yooooouuuu….

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Patheos is pretty big for a five-year-old, don’t you think? Today marks the five-year anniversary, or birthday, or whatever you want to call it, of this remarkable little enterprise. I joined in 2010, bringing “The Deacon’s Bench” over from Beliefnet. Patheos back then was just a year old. The paint was still damp and the place had that New Web Site smell—ink and plastic and electric wiring, intermingled with the heavenly aroma of Elizabeth Scalia’s soda bread. I’m delighted to... Read more

Pope warns against “climbers” in the church

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From his daily homily this morning: Pope Francis on Monday warned that there are people in the Church that follow Jesus for vanity or thirst for power and wealth, and he prayed the Lord to give us the grace to follow him for love. The Pope was speaking during morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta. Pope Francis took his cue from the Gospel reading of the day in which Jesus tells a group of people who were looking for him... Read more