Alleluia: Washington area welcomes record number of converts at Easter Vigil

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:56 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From, of all places, The Washington Post: For Austin Russell, Easter used to mean dyeing eggs and finding candy. “It was the Easter Bunny — it was fun,” said Russell, 19, who grew up in a home that wasn’t very religious. But this year, Easter carries a weightier meaning for the University of Maryland sophomore. When he started dating a Catholic woman and befriended other practicing Catholics, he became interested in the church’s teachings. He enrolled in a class to learn more, and this... Read more

An Easter message from a dying priest: “My faith in the Resurrection is the reason for my hope”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:56 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

This email was forwarded to me last night. It comes from Father Tom Wehinger in the Diocese of Toledo, who sent it around to clergy in the diocese on Monday: After five weeks of illness, I have been diagnosed with liver cancer – stage four. The cancer is too advanced for having any kind of treatment. The oncologist would not hazard a guess as to how much time I have left. I will make the best of whatever time I... Read more

Homily for April 20, 2014: Easter

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

Just yesterday, I got an email from a friend who is a priest in South Carolina. He had some wonderful news to share. Effective today, Easter, the Catholic Church has one more parish in the United States of America. The country’s newest parish is St. Claire of Assisi in Daniel Island, South Carolina, in the Diocese of Charleston. This day, the local high school gymnasium will be transformed into a church, and the parish will celebrate its very first Mass... Read more

Rejoice: America’s newest parish will be launched tomorrow—UPDATED WITH VIDEO

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:56 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Some wonderful news about my friend Father Gregory West and his growing flock in South Carolina: In a modest two-room office tucked away in a Daniel Island shopping plaza lie the makings of something tremendous. No ornate decorations or grandeur, just the buzz and bang of construction work in harmony with the ring of the phone echoing through the office. While it may be hard to tell, years of prayer and hopes are just days from coming to life. A... Read more

Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil rehearsal

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:56 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

My Holy Saturday always begins with coffee and bagels with the RCIA folks in the rectory basement, followed by a two-hour rehearsal in the church of the Vigil, led by Deacon Bill McNamara (my ordination classmate and my parish’s DRE) and Father Frank Passenant, our administrator. Also on hand is David James the head of our amazing altar server society. They have their own rehearsal before and after the regular Vigil practice. Our pastor Bishop Paul Sanchez dropped by, too:... Read more

Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” rewritten for Easter

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:56 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

This has been making the round again this season: the ubiquitous “Hallelujah” (lately made famous, once again, by Fr. Ray Kelly), reworked around an Easter theme. Give a listen. Read more

Good Friday homily: “Who can say what transpired in Judas’s soul during his final moments?”

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

From the Good Friday homily this year, here’s Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the papal household, preaching in St. Peter’s today on idols, money, mercy, Judas—and the simple (but often forgotten) church teaching that we cannot say for certain that there is any particular person is in hell: One can betray Jesus for other kinds of compensation than 30 pieces of silver. A man who betrays his wife, or a wife her husband, betrays Christ. The minister of God who... Read more

Repose

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

A stunning image by Rosalind Chan-Ghazi, ace photographer for our parish bulletin. She was in the vestibule of our church, shooting through glass to capture people in prayer around the Repository, and noticed that an icon of Mary from the rear wall was reflected in the glass. This was the result. Read more

Calvary

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

After reading my Good Friday homily, describing a visit to Calvary, a deacon reader sent the above picture, showing the chapel containing the spot where Christ was crucified. Below, a shot of pilgrims lining up to touch the site. Read more

Deacon Francis

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:56 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The must-see video from Holy Thursday. Beautiful. Once again, he teaches by doing. Are we taking notes? Read more