“Post-Catholic” Ireland Sees Rise in Non-Religious Funerals

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

Details: Patricia Wojnar left a 32-year career in interior design to pursue a degree that wasn’t in demand: a master’s in bereavement studies. Having seen four family members die early, she wanted to understand how to adapt. As it turned out, the degree perfectly prepared her to enter one of Ireland’s emerging professions. Wojnar is now a registered civil celebrant, presiding over funerals and weddings for people who refuse to associate with Ireland’s scandal-tarred Roman Catholic Church. She’s not alone;... Read more

Ordination Update: 14 New Deacons for Rockville Centre

Last updated on: May 21, 2013 at 10:57 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

A (newly ordained) deacon reader writes: In case you don’t get the word from other sources, Rockville Centre has 14 new deacons, ordained this past weekend at St. Agnes Cathedral. This picture is all of us praying with Dcn. Tom Connolly (who runs our formation program) just before the ordination began. I’ll look forward to more details soon. Meantime, congratulations, brothers, and welcome! Ad multos annos! Read more

Ordination Update: 14 New Deacons for Rockville Centre

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:45 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Lifting the Veil on the “Catholic Whistleblowers”

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

From this morning’s New York Times: They call themselves Catholic Whistleblowers, a newly formed cadre of priests and nuns who say the Roman Catholic Church is still protecting sexual predators. Although they know they could face repercussions, they have banded together to push the new pope to clean house and the American bishops to enforce the zero-tolerance policies they adopted more than a decade ago. The group began organizing quietly nine months ago without the knowledge of their superiors or their... Read more

Fr. Fugee Arrested

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

Details: A once-accused pedophile priest in New Jersey has been arrested on charges that he violated a judicial order by having contact with young parish members. The Rev. Michael Fugee, 52, was arrested at St. Antoninus Parish in Newark following an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Fugee entered into an agreement with the prosecutor’s office to avoid retrial on the abuse conviction after a groping incident six years ago.The agreement required Fugee never again to have unsupervised contact... Read more

“Diaconate Couples”?

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

A reader noted the following item, posted by the venerable Fr. Z last weekend. The comments are his. Mine follow at the end. From a reader: Over Mother’s Day weekend I attended mass at a church I do not usually attend. I noticed their bulletin listed a “Deaconite Couple.” Is that allowed? Women aren’t allowed to be deacons are they? This church is very progressive; they do not even have kneelers, which is why i question the validity of a... Read more

Pope Francis: “Prayer Works Wonders, But We Have to Believe!”

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

Highlights from the pope’s homily for Monday: Courageous, humble and strong prayer can accomplish miracles: this was Pope Francis’ message at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta. The Pope was commenting on Monday’s Gospel passage which recounts the disciples failure to heal a child; Jesus himself must intervene and laments the disbelief of those present. Responding to the child’s father’s pleas for help He says “everything is possible to one who has faith “. Pope Francis noted that often those... Read more

“We Deliver Vocations Which Would Otherwise Be Lost”

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

From Arkansas comes this profile of an organization doing the invaluable work of helping young people saddled with debt answer the call to a vocation: Minnesota businessman Cy Laurent remembers the moment the Holy Spirit lit a path for what would become his lay ministry, the Laboure Society. Talking to a young woman about a job, she told him she had discerned a vocation but had been stymied by her debts. Laurent, a Catholic, rallied some of his business associates... Read more

Followup: Worcester Bishop Loses License, Charges Dismissed for DUI

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

Details: Bishop Robert J. McManus has lost his license for six months after admitting to refusing a chemical test after his arrest this month on drunken driving charges. The head of the Diocese of Worcester appeared Tuesday at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal in Wakefield, R.I. Court administrator Thomas Laliberte said Bishop McManus pleaded guilty in front of Magistrate William T. Noonan. Diocese spokesman Raymond Delisle confirmed the events in the traffic tribunal. Bishop McManus paid approximately $900 in fines... Read more

“Cardinal Dolan Would Not, Did Not, Suggest Governor Cuomo Might Not Be a Catholic in Good Standing…”

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

Details: After New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan appeared to suggest during a radio interview this week that he may not view pro-abortion Governor Andrew Cuomo as a Catholic “in good standing,” the archdiocese has issued a statement saying that this is not the case, and that Dolan’s remark was misunderstood. “Cardinal Dolan would not, and did not, suggest the governor might not be a Catholic in good standing going forward,” archdiocesan spokesman Joseph Zwilling said in a statement originally sent to the New... Read more