Details: In an effort to lure the shrinking flock of young Roman Catholics to a more wired religious world, a Vatican court has ruled that following Pope Francis online and on Twitter can earn believers time off from their sentence to purgatory for confessed and forgiven sins. The granting of “indulgences” to those who use the Internet to take part in faraway religious gatherings was floated by the pope in a June 3 meeting with members of the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, one of... Read more
The young blogger (and son of longtime Bench friend, canon lawyer Ed Peters) was seriously injured in a swimming accident. Catholic Vote notes: The entire team here at CatholicVote asks that you to pray for our dear friend, Thomas Peters. Thomas was involved in an accident yesterday evening and has sustained major injuries. He is awake, responsive, and in stable but critical condition. Family and friends are with him. Out of respect for Thomas and his family, we will share... Read more
Details: For Zainab Ismail, a Bronx-born Hispanic woman, the turning point came in March 2009 after a wedding ceremony at a Catholic church. “For some unknown reason, obviously now I know it was Allah–God–putting that thought and feeling in my heart, I no longer wanted to be Catholic. I didn’t know what I wanted to be but I no longer wanted to be Catholic,” Ismail recalls. Less than three months later, Ismail embraced Islam and converted in June 2009. “As a Latina,... Read more
From the BBC: The new Roman Catholic Bishop for the diocese of East Anglia, who previously served as a Church of England priest, has been installed. The Right Reverend Alan Hopes, 69, was welcomed at the West Door of the Catholic cathedral in Norwich before the two-hour Mass of Installation. Bishop Alan will lead Roman Catholics in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. He succeeds the Right Reverend Michael Evans, who died of cancer in 2011. The cathedral was at full capacity... Read more
From the Vatican news site: Pope Francis sends message of support for human life to Catholics in Ireland, Scotland and England and Wales. Below is a communique from the Bishops ‘Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) attached with the Pope’s message signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. In a special message to Catholics across Britain and Ireland, ahead of the annual Day for Life, Pope Francis has emphasised the need to care for life from conception to natural... Read more
To the surprise of no one east of the Hudson, it’s Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano (whom I first knew as plain old “Father Frank” a decade or so ago, when he was the director of my diocese’s diaconate program and I was a wide-eyed aspirant.) Details: During World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, more than 250 bishops from around the world will preside at catechetical sessions for pilgrims from July 24-26. “At the catecheses, we will have to limit... Read more
Details: “I condemn this gang rape of this young nun in the strongest possible terms. This is gang rape is physical and emotional terrorism against our woman” Card. Oswald Gracias, president of the Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) tells AsiaNews reacting to the attack on a nun in Orissa. The religious of the Franciscan Missionaries of St. Joseph, lived in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) to continue her studies. “This violation of our young woman religious – said the cardinal – is evil act inflicted... Read more
What can you do if you spot a bear this summer? Here’s everything you need to know, from a local TV station in Rhode Island. The last 30 seconds of this report are, trust me, priceless. You’re welcome. Read more
From the Catholic Review in Baltimore: Deacon Charles H. Hiebler spent his college years in seminary – first at St. Charles College Seminary in Catonsville, then at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg. He decided to leave after his first year of theology. “For me personally, I felt I could do more for people without a Roman collar around my neck,” he said. Looking back on his career, he thinks he was right – although he did receive Holy Orders... Read more
…where we still do stuff like this. It’s Giglio time again! For the uninitiated: In Italian Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the residents of the community look forward to the annual Giglio Feast held every July. Since 1903, when the Nolani immigrants first held their transplanted feast in this Brooklyn neighborhood, this festa has attempted to maintain many of the traditions from the Mezzogiorno, while adjusting to the new culture in America and accommodating the pressure to change. The Nolani, who settled in... Read more
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