TV’s “The Bible” headed to movie screens this fall

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

The visionary producer Mark Burnett has had another vision: dollar signs. Details: Jesus is heading back to the big screen. TV producer Mark Burnett revealed Monday that he is preparing a three-hour movie version of his hit History Channel mini-series, “The Bible.” The film will contain “recut scenes and extra stuff” from the record breaking television event and could be released as early as this fall. “Clearly the big focus is the Resurrection,” Burnett told The Post. “Very few people... Read more

Reading the tea leaves: married priests and women deacons?? —UPDATED

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:46 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Fr. Michael P. Orsi—a research fellow and scholar at Ave Maria University in Florida— makes some observations about what Francis can change, and what he can’t: Church discipline is the rules the church enforces for the good of her members. These often have a long history and must not be tampered with lightly. However, they can be changed for the good of the community. The ancient demand that priests in the Western church be bound by celibacy is just such an... Read more

Church says it has no information on kidnapped bishops, after group claims they have been freed

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

Details: Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox archdiocese said Wednesday it had no news on two Orthodox bishops kidnapped in Syria, a day after a Christian association said the two men had been released. “We have no new information,” Ghassan Ward, a priest at the archdiocese, told AFP. “We can say that (as far as we know) they haven’t been freed,” he added of Greek Orthodox Bishop Boulos Yaziji and Syriac Orthodox Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim. The two men, both from Aleppo, were seized... Read more

Reading the tea leaves: married priests and women deacons?? —UPDATED

Last updated on: April 24, 2013 at 6:58 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Future of Catholic weddings in Britain may be in doubt

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

Details: Prof Christopher McCrudden said that there are serious questions over whether the 120-year-old legal basis on which 8,500 Catholic weddings a year are performed can even “survive” the passage of the bill currently before Parliament. He told MPs and peers that, unless urgent changes are made, Catholic bishops may have to reconsider whether priests can carry on performing weddings, in effect, on behalf of the state. The barrister said his advice to senior bishops is that proposed protections for... Read more

Jesus Christ, hipster

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

I haven’t seen these yet, but AdWeek takes note of a new campaign launched by my diocese (illustrated here): The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn recently launched ads that speak directly to that borough’s natives in a language they understand—by referring to Jesus as “the original hipster.” The ad doesn’t explain this statement other than to suggest Jesus wore robes and was probably somewhat dirty a lot of the time—also (in a bit of clear revisionism) that he wore Converse sneakers.... Read more

Ordination update: 18 new deacons for Jefferson City

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:46 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Photo: Jay Nies/ The Catholic Missourian One of the newly ordained dropped me a line today: Saturday, April 20, Bishop John R. Gaydos ordained 18 men as permanent deacons for the Jefferson City [Missouri] Diocese. It’s the largest class in our history. Congratulations, and welcome! Ad multos annos! And how about a shout-out for the wives, too? I love to post pictures of them 🙂 Read more

“Reporter” listed as worst job of 2013

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

From the Wall Street Journal: This year, several professions geared toward serving the financial and health needs of an aging population made the top ten, says Lee, including audiologist, financial planner, and physical therapist. As for the worst job of 2013? Newspaper reporter bumped last year’s loser, lumberjack, for the ignominious distinction. “It’s been low for a while,” says [Tony] Lee of CareerCast.com (last year it was ranked 196 out of 200). “What probably pushed it to the bottom is... Read more

Ordination update: 18 new deacons for Jefferson City

Last updated on: April 23, 2013 at 7:06 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Two Syrian bishops kidnapped

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

Aleppo, Syria Details: Sources in Syria report that the Greek Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo, Paul Yazigi, and the Syriac Orthodox archbishop of Aleppo, Yohanna Ibrahim, were seized by “a terrorist group” as they were “carrying out humanitarian work.” Reuters reports that “a Syriac member of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Abdulahad Steifo, said the two men had been captured when Ibrahim went to collect Yazigi after he crossed into rebel-held northern Syria from Turkey.” And there’s this: Several prominent Muslim clerics... Read more