“Preachers of L.A.: Living the God Life”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

That’s the title and tagline of a new reality series about to debut on cable. This press release moved last week: Oxygen Media goes behind the pulpit in an authentic new docu-series,“Preachers of L.A.” premiering on Wednesday, October 9 at 10 PM ET/PT. From Lemuel Plummer, the executive producer of “Vindicated” and producer of “The Sheards,” and Holly Carter, executive producer of “106 & Gospel” and executive producer of “The Sheards,” comes a series that gives viewers a candid and revealing look at six boldly... Read more

How long should homilies be?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

We talked about this a little at the Redemptorists’ conference in New Jersey this week. Fr. Edward McNamara has more, from ZENIT: Unfortunately there is relatively little with respect to official norms regarding length of homilies. This is partly inevitable because expectations vary from one culture to another and even from one social milieu to another. There are some cultures which expect long discourses during Mass and others which fidget after six minutes. No. 24 of the Introduction to the... Read more

Report: Pope Benedict ordered changes to baptism rite before he resigned

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

A small but significant change appears to be forthcoming, according to Sandro Magister: The Sunday after the Epiphany is the Sunday of the baptism of Jesus. And on each of these Sundays, year after year, Benedict XVI administered the first sacrament of Christian initiation to a certain number of children, in the Sistine Chapel. Each time, therefore, he had occasion to pronounce the formulas supplied by the rite of baptism in effect since 1969. But two of the words in... Read more

Next season’s judges on “American Idol”…?

Last updated on: August 4, 2015 at 11:33 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Okay. Maybe not. From left to right: Gary Ziuraitis, CSsR, Director of Communications for the Redemptorist General Government; Rocco “Whispers in the Loggia” Palmo; Your Humble Blogger; Dave Dwyer, CSP, Executive Director of “Busted Halo” and co-host of “Conversation with Cardinal Dolan” on Sirius XM Radio. At the conference I’m attending in Long Branch, New Jersey, we all took part in a panel discussion this afternoon on “Preaching for Today’s Audience.” A word that kept popping up again and again... Read more

Here comes the Son

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

At the edge of the property where I’m on retreat, just before the beach, there’s a stunning outdoor altar and crucifix. I took a few snapshots last night before dinner. This morning, I got up early to see if I could catch the sunrise over the Atlantic. Here’s what I saw. Read more

I’m going down the shore

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Which, of course, means the Jersey Shore. I’ll be speaking at a conference in Long Branch, New Jersey, at the venerable San Alfonso Retreat House, run by the Redemptorists. The topic for the next four days: “Preaching the Gospel Anew.” Looking forward to catching up with some old friends like the “Church Whisperer” and that Halo Buster, Fr. Dave, who are also on the roster, and hearing what some folks who are a lot smarter than me have to say... Read more

Priests dissect pope’s comments: “When I was in seminary, these issues weren’t even on the radar”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Some reaction, from some clergy in Rhode Island, also yields insight and attitudes on co-habitation, gay marriage and gays serving as godparents. From the Providence Journal: In a church that continues to hold homosexual behavior to be a sin, [the pope’s ] remarks on July 29 have left many local parish priests, the Catholic Church’s boots on the ground, wondering how to mesh his comments with their experiences in Rhode Island, which has just legalized gay marriage and where a... Read more

“The Church has not gone down the tubes…”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Thank you, Msgr. Charles Pope, for saying what many need to hear. From his blog: There’s a common thread among many traditional Catholics (and some left-wingers too) that “the Church has gone down the tubes.” This seems to be a basic set point in too many conversations, and if one runs too far afield from this view they are “one of them” or are “off message.” But I want to say to all the negative ones: the Church is a... Read more

Bishop: “Our deacons are a blessing to our diocese…”

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:40 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From Today’s Catholic News in the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend: With over 100 family, friends and faithful in attendance, the deacons of the Diocese of Fort Wayne- South Bend were honored with an anniversary Mass at St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend on Saturday, Aug. 10. It was no coincidence that the Mass was held on Aug. 10, it is the feast day of St. Lawrence, one of the greatest deacons to ever serve the Church. Bishop Kevin C.... Read more

Priest robbed at gunpoint: “Shoot me”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Incredible: Authorities are on the look-out, and asking the public for help, in finding two suspects who robbed a couple of priests at a church in Lauderdale Lakes. Father Lesly Jean, according to Broward Sheriff’s Office, was taking a fellow priest on a tour of St. Helen Church in Lauderdale Lakes on July 18th around 10 p.m. “You’ve definitely hit a new low when you’ll rob two priests in front of a church and have no remorse about it,” said... Read more