Politicians aligning with Pope Francis: “He’s saying things I want my church to stand for”

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

Are we seeing a “Francis Effect” in American politics? Check out this story from today’s Boston Globe: From the beginning, Representative Jim McGovern’s political life was entwined with his Catholic faith. As a young aide to Democratic Representative Joe Moakley in the early 1990s, McGovern led an investigation into the murders of six Jesuits and two lay women in El Salvador. As a congressman, he has pushed for more spending on global nutrition, higher taxes on the wealthy, and other... Read more

Pope: don’t be tourists on the journey of faith

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

From his homily this morning: Reflecting on the day’s readings from Isaiah and St John’s Gospel Pope Francis distinguished between three different types of Christians and how they live their spiritual lives. Before God asks anything of us, the Pope said, He always promises us a new life of joy, so the essence of our Christian life is always to journey in hope and trust towards those promises. But there are many Christians whose hope is weak and while they... Read more

Will the success of “Noah” flood theaters with more religious films?

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

The Russell Crowe epic opened big—the biggest opening week, in fact, in Crowe’s estimable career—and that’s got Hollywood wondering if more biblical epics are on the way: “I think that is a smart assumption,” said Megan Colligan, president of domestic marketing and distribution for Paramount. “Noah is a movie that gets people thinking about big spiritual matters, but also is very entertaining. What Darren (Aronofsky, Noah‘s filmmaker) accomplished isn’t easy to replicate, but its definitely a genre that artists and studios will... Read more

Wisconsin bishop enforces ban on washing feet of women on Holy Thursday

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

It’s unusual to see something like this in a secular paper, but a reader spotted this in the Madison State Journal: Just a few weeks after his election last spring, Pope Francis stunned papal observers by washing the feet of two women during a Holy Week ritual. The rite — on Maundy Thursday, just prior to Easter Sunday — re-enacts Jesus’ washing of the feet of his 12 male disciples at his Last Supper. Traditionally, popes washed the feet only... Read more

Drawn to faith: an artist creates homilies in pen and ink

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

From The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: On the second Sunday of Lent, John Hendrix sits in one of the pews near the back of Grace and Peace Fellowship, a Presbyterian church housed in an old-style brick building with stained glass in green and orange, and a giant, golden organ pipe front and center. At first, Hendrix, casually decked in glasses, a striped, button-down shirt and jeans, looks like any other member of the hip and young crowd at Grace and Peace,... Read more

Chaplains erect billboard supporting phrase “So help me God”—UPDATED

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

This press release was posted by the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Freedom: The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Freedom has joined with other members of the Restore Military Religious Freedom coalition to provide a message via billboard to Air Force Academy cadets regarding their freedom to use the phrase “So help me God.” The billboard went up this week not far from one of the entrances to the academy. “The message is clear, our Founding Fathers said ‘So help me God’... Read more

Atlanta’s Archbishop Gregory: “I will live wherever my people want me to live”

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

Details: Pope Francis continues to advise Catholics to live frugal lives, but some local parishioners accuse the Archdiocese of Atlanta of waste. The accusations come after the archdiocese spent roughly $2 million on a new mansion for the archbishop on Habersham Road in Buckhead. On top of that, Cathedral of Christ the King plans to spend at least another $2 million renovating the archbishop’s old residence on West Wesley for its parish priests. “The money could be better spent on... Read more

Homily for March 30, 2014: 4th Sunday of Lent

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:31 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

If you asked me, “who is the most influential Catholic woman in the world right now,” the answer would be easy. Sister Cristina. Last week, this 25-year-old Ursuline nun from Sicily, Sister Cristina, appeared on Italy’s version of “The Voice,” the popular singing competition show. If you’ve seen it on NBC, you know how it works. Unknown performers come out and sing for celebrity judges, who have their backs to the stage. It’s known as the “blind audition.” They can’t... Read more

British politician who supports gay marriage refrains from receiving communion

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

From The Telegraph: One of Britain’s most senior Roman Catholic MPs says he feels unable to take Holy Communion in his local church after his bishop suggested that politicians who voted for same-sex marriage should be denied the sacrament. Conor Burns, who co-chairs a parliamentary committee on Vatican relations, said the remarks by the Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Rev Philip Egan, whose diocese includes his Bournemouth West constituency, were a “tragedy”. Mr Burns, who is gay, said the bishop’s remarks effectively... Read more

Rick Warren teams with Bishop Kevin Vann to launch mental health ministry

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

From HuffPo: Every day since his son Matthew died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound nearly a year ago, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church has found himself in tears. He has spent his nights journaling, trying to discern God’s purpose in the pain that Matthew endured over his 27 years living with mental illness, and in the loss Warren and his wife, Kay, have felt since Matthew left their lives. Warren has asked God why he took his youngest child, whom he... Read more