I’m taking a little train trip: I’m headed to Washington this morning to take part in a panel on blogging set up by the Catholic Press Association for their fall regional meeting. The great Matt Palmer from the USCCB (and, formerly the Catholic Review in Baltimore) will also be there. Blogging today may be light, but I hope to post a little along the way—or, at least, when I get back home tonight. Read more
From the Idaho Catholic Register: On Oct. 26 in St. John Cathedral in Boise, six men were ordained as permanent deacons in the Diocese of Boise by Bishop Michael P. Driscoll. The bishop, at left, addresses the candidates during the Rite of Ordination and is assisted by Deacon George F. Canney, diocesan director of Deacon Life and Ministry and Master of Ceremony Tish Thornton. The soon-to-be-deacons from center to right are Daniel Vawser, Kerry Harris, Brian Flowers, Mackency Chester,... Read more
The indefatigable and inexhaustible and relentlessly prolific Elizabeth Scalia has done it again. Dammit. The Anchoress has just published her first e-book: “I Don’t Want to be a Hoo-er: Essays on Faith, Family and Foolishness.” To understand the title, you have to read this book—and really, trust me, you have to read this book. A collection of some of her best essays from First Things and elsewhere, this slender volume chronicles our age with wisdom and wit and wonder. As... Read more
When was the last time you heard an archbishop discuss preaching this way: Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas has urged Catholic priests to always prepare and think carefully about the content of their homilies, saying delivering “boring” sermons is unjust to God and the churchgoers. “It is unfair to God. It is unfair to the people. It is also unfair to me because I’m depriving myself of the good encounter with God,” Villegas said, admitting that he himself was guilty of it... Read more
The man from Assisi kissed a leper. And so, today, the man from Buenos Aires acted likewise. From Vatican Insider. See more. Read more
From Rorate Caeli: At the very least it signals that the Medjugorje Commission is still actively investigating the alleged “apparitions”, and refutes the assumption, held in some “Marian” circles, that the apparitions are presumed to be genuine pending the final judgment of Rome. The letter reads, in part: The Congregation has affirmed that, with regard to the credibility of the apparitions in question, all should accept the declaration dated 10 April 1991, from the Bishops of the former republic of Yugoslavia, which... Read more
Photo: by Will Lew Check out this item from the Wall Street Journal: Inside the former Saint-Jude Church in Montreal, personal trainers mill about where priests once did and hot-stone massages have replaced baptisms. In this city, a former Roman Catholic stronghold where Mark Twain once said you couldn’t throw a brick without breaking a church window, questions about what to do with all those churches have lingered for years. Le Saint-Jude spa is one answer. The health club... Read more
Some around the Internets are shocked, simply shocked, that the Obamas did this. (Read some comments here for a taste of reaction, which includes “False idols at the White House! It will need a good cleaning after they’re gone” and “Maybe Michelle will be their first sacrifice.”) Let the record show: the first Diwali celebration at the White House was sponsored by George W. Bush in 2003. He never attended, but always noted the event, as he did for his last... Read more
Will Duquette writes about my other life in doo wop. The cat’s out of the bag, daddy-o… Read more
Who could forget the amazing saga of Paul Potts, who set the template for Susan Boyle and countless other performers? Now his story has been made into a movie, produced by Simon Cowell (among others). I have to say: this looks really good. (But I’m a sucker for this sort of thing anyway…) Take a look. Read more
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