Hey everyone, I am looking for help, quickly. My awesome editor of the new book surprised me by wanting more, not less, info on making parishes accessible to persons with disabilities. The question we need to cover: What is the best way for a parish to communicate with you, and vice-versa, so that your disability (medical condition, etc – so celiac, diabetes, severe allergies, chronic illness . . . all that can have parish-life implications too) can be accommodated right from... Read more
Here’s a curious thing about judging-not: In my heavily-Catholic corner of social media, there were one of two responses to reports that Fr. Robert Morey denied Joe Biden communion. Half the crowd cheered, no surprise. The other half invoked the need not to judge . . . and in the process tossed out all kinds of conjecture about the sorry state of Fr. Morey’s soul. I considered getting hold of a few friends of Fr. Morey and finding out more... Read more
Deacon Greg Kandra* links over at The Deacon’s Bench on the growing use of deacons as parish administrators. This is exactly the kind of thing people like to fuss about, so I’ll go ahead and toss in three thoughts: #1: Keep in mind it’s the bishop who’s ultimately in charge — though read here for some fun stuff about pastors and parish administrators. Assuming canon law is satisfied (since disorder engenders more disorder), those of us who willingly ream the bishops when they fall... Read more
Let’s see: There might or might not have been a pagan idol given a place of honor in a Catholic church. Someone stole the idol and tossed it in the Tiber. Video’s been released, and thus half of St. Twitter is cheering in victory, while the other half is scandalized by the theft and destruction of property. Which side to take, if any? Hmmn . . . How about siding with the truth? If it is in fact a pagan... Read more
As I write, the usual suspects are circulating conjecture about a newly-canonized saint: Maybe this person was gay! Well, maybe so, maybe not — as we could safely say about every single person in the universe. What does that have to do with us? #1 Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter Dear Catholic Twitter Celebrities, Quit acting like you’re fourteen years old and passing notes in the back of Algebra class. Sincerely, The Grown-Ups It is hardly a newsflash for... Read more
Longtime residents of St. Blogs may remember the days of the Crescat. Katrina Ebersole is a talented writer, but lately I’ve been watching her take off with painting. Totally different, and the speed with which she’s gone from hobbyist to pro is astonishing. She takes orders for custom artwork (your pet, your parish . . . whatever you’d like), and she offers tutorial videos for her patreon subscribers. So here was my trouble as a would-be supporter: I don’t need... Read more
Here’s an article on a fantastic initiative in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, in which dedicated missionaries are truly evangelizing, brother-to-brother, the homeless near the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption. Read it and take notes. This is what evangelization should be. (Happy feast day, Mother Theresa!) *** Now catch one detail: Father Boric has plans to recruit a couple more missionaries. While FOCUS missionaries generally must raise about $30,000 a year to cover their expenses, he wants to be... Read more
Your story is important. How important? Way back when the Internet first got going, what exploded on the scene was the listserv. Pick a topic, any topic, and there was a group you could join to meet other people who wanted to talk about that thing. The more personal the more likely it flourished. It was revolutionary: You who felt so alone with your rare disease or your arcane hobby or your intractable problem suddenly discovered, “I’m not the only one!” ... Read more
I need your help with getting a door unlocked. I’m a parishioner (and at last check parish council member) at a large and historically-significant parish. Thanks to renovations over the years, there are three wheelchair-accessible entrances feeding the parish church. Unfortunately, since November of 2017 all three of those doors have been locked. The only way to get into the building during Sunday Mass or Saturday Confession is to either walk up a short flight of stairs (seven if I... Read more
Dear Young Person I’ve Watched Grow Up, I want to tell you today about a thing that happened before you were born. Way back when I was your age, I was pretty much anti-abortion. Many of my friends, like you, were pro-choice. Sometimes we’d debate, because teens and college students like to discuss important issues and take a stand. One time early in college, a friend asked me to drop her off downtown for an appointment, which was a normal... Read more
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