Democrats seek to allow religious head coverings on House floor

Last updated on: November 21, 2018 at 11:27 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Newly empowered Democrats plan to let lawmakers wear religious head coverings on the House floor by creating an exception to a hat ban that has existed since 1837 — when there was reportedly very little debate before the enactment of a rule prohibiting what one member then described as the “really harmless but apparently indecorous practice” of indoor hat-wearing. In recent years, the rule hasn’t been enforced to preclude members, staff or religious leaders from wearing head coverings on... Read more

From 1962, a Thanksgiving message for today

Last updated on: November 20, 2018 at 11:48 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

“Let us renew the spirit of the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving, lonely in an inscrutable wilderness, facing the dark unknown with a faith borne of their dedication to God and a fortitude drawn from their sense that all men were brothers.” When I took part in our local interfaith Thanksgiving prayer service Sunday, one of the ministers read the following words: John F. Kennedy’s Thanksgiving Proclamation from 1962. They strike me as more timely and prophetic than ever. Take... Read more

Squeeze: Legatus announces it will not collect 2019 tithe for Holy See

Last updated on: November 20, 2018 at 4:58 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: A U.S.-based organization of Catholic business executives has decided not to collect from its members the portion of their dues that would constitute its 2019 donation to the Holy See. Legatus, an organization of Catholic business leaders, had announced in September that it was placing its annual donation to the Holy See in escrow until it can receive clarification on questions of financial accountability. Thomas Monaghan, chairman of Legatus, wrote its member Nov. 16 asking them to continue to... Read more

Different faiths gathered to pray together. And someone said: ‘Yuck’

Last updated on: November 20, 2018 at 12:36 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I was more than a little surprised to read that one-word reaction to a Facebook post Sunday night, in which I described taking part in an annual interfaith Thanksgiving service in my neighborhood. The event, held at a reform temple near my home in Queens, brought together nearly a dozen Catholic, Protestant and Jewish clergy — an imam was to attend, but got delayed and couldn’t make it — along with a few hundred congregants from the different churches. The... Read more

BBC names 100 most inspiring women of 2018 — and you’ll never guess who’s on the list

Last updated on: November 20, 2018 at 6:52 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: BBC 100 Women has announced its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2018. With their help we will explore a variety of themes, including using anger to spark action, and uncovering women from the shadows of history. Ranging in age from 15 to 94, and from more than 60 countries, the BBC 100 Women list includes leaders, trailblazers and everyday heroes. Some will be telling us about what they will be putting in the Freedom... Read more

A Christmas tradition that should be revived: the telling of ghost stories

Last updated on: November 20, 2018 at 6:34 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

We’re heading into the “most wonderful time of the year” when, a popular song tells us, “there will be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long long ago…” But aside from the greatest haunted tale of all, by Mr. Dickens, how many other “scary ghost stories” do we tell during the holidays? Not many. But according to this intriguing piece by Colin Dickey in Smithsonian Magazine, that wasn’t always the case: Telling ghost stories during winter... Read more

A stunning testimony of faith and hope from a young woman diagnosed with cancer

Last updated on: November 18, 2018 at 6:40 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

This could not be more timely or powerful, from Beth Haile. (H/T to Deacon Fritz Bauerschmidt for bringing this to my attention.) From Catholic Moral Theology: I have a brain tumor. Actually two. I was diagnosed last year five days before Christmas. My youngest son was not yet a month old. And my tumors are terminal. Unless something else kills me, my tumors will. I don’t know when. It is not unreasonable that I will see my 35th birthday. It... Read more

President Trump proposes new way around birth control mandate

Last updated on: November 17, 2018 at 1:18 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The New York Times: The Trump administration is making it easier for employers to exclude birth control from health insurance benefits provided under the Affordable Care Act, and it has come up with a new justification, saying that female employees can obtain contraceptives at family planning clinics for low-income people. That, in turn, could increase demand for clinic services, which are already squeezed. The plan is one of several recent proposals that could affect access to birth control, such... Read more

Must read: Bishop writes of ‘cowards,’ ‘episcopal arrogance,’ ‘insular’ hierarchy, need for lay involvement

Last updated on: November 17, 2018 at 9:48 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the superlative Bishop Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, writing to his flock after the meeting in Baltimore: At the time of this writing, there has not been one bishop, archbishop or cardinal in either the Holy See or the United States who has come forward on his own to repent publicly of his sins of omission or commission with regard to Archbishop McCarrick’s series of promotions over decades. Please, be men, not cowards, and come clean on your own!... Read more

Every newly ordained priest and deacon needs to see this

Last updated on: November 17, 2018 at 7:20 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

I’m sure this would never happen in real life. No. Not at all. No, no. Nothing like this. This popped up on YouTube Saturday morning, and it’s too good to resist. Behold, a classic piece of clergy comedy from the incomparable Rowan Atkinson in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” Read more