Funeral Arrangements for Joe Marotta—UPDATED

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Joe’s parish, Holy Cross Catholic Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, posted the following late today: Services for Joe Marotta will be as follows: Prayer service – Sunday 7-8:30pm Funeral Mass – Monday 2:00 with a reception and burial to follow Holy Cross Catholic Church 710 Clay Street Lynchburg, Virginia 24504 On her Facebook page, Joe’s wife, Katie, added a simple message: “Thank you for your many thoughts and prayers. This is such a difficult time for us.” UPDATE: Several people have written... Read more

Walking the Walk: Catholic NFL Star Declines Invitation to the White House Because of Obama Abortion Stance

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details from Sports Illustrated: Retired Ravens center Matt Birk spoke out Thursday morning on Minnesota’s KFAN about his reason for declining an invitation from President Barack Obama to be at the White House during the team’s visit a day earlier. Birk, a six-time Pro Bowler who was on the Ravens’ 2013 Super Bowl team, said he has “great respect for the office of the Presidency” but decided against going with the team on Wednesday as part of an annual NFL... Read more

Joe Marotta on the Sacred Heart

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

On this day when so many of our hearts are breaking, I thought this reflection from Joe Marotta— posted almost exactly a year ago, as he concluded another vacation at the beach—was worth sharing. (The picture above, uploaded to his FB page at the time, carries the caption: “Great view to end the day!”) Here, Joe reminds us of the love that never fails. +++ My family spent the past week at the beach. The weather has been great, and... Read more

More Radio Daze

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

What’s on your reading list this summer? I’m scheduled to talk about that Friday morning around 6:35 a.m. ET (yawn) on the Son Rise Morning Show. As I discovered during my days at CBS News Radio: the big drawback about morning drive radio is that it happens, unfortunately, in the morning…very early in the morning… Read more

Poll Shows Most Americans See Gay Marriage as Inevitable

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Nearly three-quarters of Americans, including a majority of those who personally object to extending marriage rights to same-sex couples, say legal recognition of gay marriage is “inevitable,” according to a survey by the Pew Research Center released on Thursday. The survey found that just over half of Americans favor giving gays and lesbians the right to marry, while 42 percent oppose legalizing gay marriage. In March, a Pew survey found 49 percent of Americans favored same-sex marriage and 44... Read more

Where Will Pope Francis Spend His Summer Vacation?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Turns out it will be a “stay-cation”: Pope Francis will remain at the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence in the Vatican, even during the summer months. The Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ affirmed the Holy Father’s intentions after presenting the Pope’s summer schedule on Thursday. Fr. Lombardi also announced that that the public celebration of morning Mass in the chapel of the Domus will be suspended, starting July 8th. The schedule released... Read more

An Evangelical Writes: “He’s Our Francis, Too”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Timothy George. the dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University, writes in Christianity Today: We see already an intimation of Saint Francis in Pope Francis. There is his simple apparel: black street shoes instead of the calfskin red of his predecessors, simple white cassock minus gold-embroidered accessories. In addition, a pope who lives in a modest guest house (versus the spacious papal apartments), worships on Maundy Thursday with young prisoners, and who embraces hiv/aids patients in a hospice follows... Read more

The Pope Quotes The Anchoress?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Well, maybe not exactly. But he comes very close to it. He uses the central thesis of her new book as a springboard for today’s homily: As is custom the Pope reflected on the daily readings and the Gospel episode that recounts the scribe who approached Jesus to ask which, in his opinion, “is the first of all the commandments”. Pope Francis noted that the scribe’s intentions were probably “far from innocent”, that he gives the impression of wanting to... Read more

A Death in the Family: Deacon Joe Marotta—UPDATED

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:44 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I’m numb. Deacon Joe Marotta, ordained just last fall for the Diocese of Richmond, is gone. He was 39. Details from another blog: Shock. Grief. We got word this afternoon that our Deacon and friend, Joe Marotta, drowned while on vacation with his family. It is a vivid and painful reminder that life is not fair. Joe leaves behind a tremendous and tenacious wife, Katie, and five young children. After years of study, prayer, and preparation, Joe was ordained as... Read more

Ordination Update: 9 New Deacons in Omaha

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:44 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

I got an e-mail this afternoon from George Butterfield at Creighton University: Deacon Greg, these nine men were ordained on May 4, 2013, in St. Cecilia’s Cathedral, Omaha, Nebraska, by Archbishop George Lucas. Names left to right are: Brendan Kelly, Chuck Sheik, John Vrbka, Tim Howard, Nick Rasmussen, Alan Le Clair, Dave Graef, Ray Jackman, Lyle Simmons, and Archbishop Lucas. Ad multos annos! Congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Read more