I’d love to tell you that my children, when they were young, always loved going to church…. But no. They were pretty virtuous youngsters, and I was immensely proud of them; but sometimes they were in the middle of a game with friends or they were watching TV, and they just didn’t want to get in the car and drive to Mass. We did it anyway; they were not permitted to miss; but I hated that it sometimes seemed that... Read more
I’m speechless. In a convergence of chutzpah and bad taste, Shorewood (WI) artist Niki Johnson has used 17,000 multi-colored condoms to create a larger-than-life portrait of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. She has titled the creation “Eggs Benedict”. Just like the fawning ministers in Hans Christian Andersen’s tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, modern-day art critics have reacted to the art piece with enthusiasm. Critics from the United States and around the world have called the work, which measures 80 x 60... Read more
You’ve got to admire the creativity of Fr. Mike Verschaeve and Fr. Steve Pullis. The two Catholic priests from St. Joseph the Worker parish in Lake Orion, Michigan, kicked off the parish’s annual fundraising drive with a remake of Tim Allen’s popular Tool Time comedy. The parish hopes to raise needed funds as part of the Archdiocese of Detroit’s annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) campaign. The CSA—which funds more than 100 Archdiocesan ministries, programs and services as well as six... Read more
Costumed in papal vestments, naked from the waist down with a cross shaved into her pubic hair, a Carnegie Mellon University student tossed condoms into the crowd. “It’s all in good fun,” said one of her fellow students who was present and who saw the woman in the school’s annual art school parade on April 18. “It’s not meant to harm anyone.” Bishop David Zubik disagrees. The bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, where CMU’s 4th Annual “Anti-Gravity Downhill Derby”... Read more
I was in elementary school during the Cold War. I remember praying the Leonine Prayers for the conversion of Russia—or, more exactly, “to permit tranquility and freedom to profess the faith to be restored to the afflicted people of Russia”. The Soviet Union in those days was a hotbed of militant atheism, we believed; and we stood vigilant against their errors of faith. According to Soviet propaganda in the first half of the 20th century, Christian virtues such as humility... Read more
I had this idea that on Saturdays during the month of May, I’d post something about Mary, the Mother of God. I’m thinkin’ we should take a look at the origins of Marian devotion, the titles under which she is honored, the mysteries of the rosary, and the great music, art and architecture which bears her name. Pope Paul VI, in his encyclical Mense Maio (On the Month of May) which was published on April 30, 1965, explained the devotion:... Read more
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, April 30, Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron told staff of the Archdiocese of Detroit that their offices would be moving by the end of 2014. In a cost-cutting measure, the Archdiocese will sell its Chancery offices at 1234 Washington Blvd. home to the church offices since the 1920s, and its office space in the Gabriel Richard Building at 305 Michigan Avenue, and will consolidate operations in a single building at 1212 Griswold, in the... Read more
On December 20, Pope Benedict XVI–amid a flurry of 23 decrees including the much-touted proclamation of Pope Paul VI as “venerable”—advanced the cause of canonization of Blessed Antonio Primaldo e Compagni. With the recognition of the miraculous healing of Sister Francesca Levote, which has been attributed to the intercession of Blessed Antonio and his Companions, the way has been paved for their eventual canonization. It’s been a busy week, what with the holidays and all—but I thought Blessed Antonio worthy... Read more
“However good we try to be, we can never be as kind, gentle and wise as Jesus. There will be times when we do or say something we wish we hadn’t done and we shall be sorry and try not to do it again. We do our best but our best is not as good as his daily life. “If you and I were to paint a picture, it wouldn’t be as good as the picture of great artists. So... Read more
You philatelists out there might be able to tell me whether this is as unusual as it seems: I have never in my life heard of two nations collaborating on the printing of postage stamps. That’s what happened today, though. A four-stamp collector’s set of stamps, each featuring a photographic image of Pope Francis, has been issued jointly by the Vatican City State and Argentina. The set marks the beginning of the new pope’s pontificate, and includes four different stamps... Read more
Seasons of Grace
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