Yesterday it was announced that Pope Francis invited Sr. Cristina Scuccia, who catapulted to fame after her appearance on Italy’s “The Voice”, and American punk rocker Patti Smith to play at the Vatican’s Christmas Concert on December 13. The concert, which will be held December 13 at Rome’s Auditorium Conciliazione, will be televised live. * * * * * I love Sr. Cristina, and I look forward to the release of her first... Read more
At this week’s General Assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Auxiliary Bishop Christopher Coyne of Indiana was elected by his brother bishops to the Chairmanship of the USCCB’s Committee on Communications. Bishop Coyne is well known to Catholics on social media–as a blogger and writer, on television and radio, on Facebook and on Twitter. In years past, his helpful tweets live from the floor of the USCCB have kept me apprised of what’s happening in the Catholic world. On his... Read more
A Spanish archbishop who serves on the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has reconfirmed Church teaching with regard to communion for divorced and remarried Catholics. Archbishop Ladaria Ferrer, a Spanish Jesuit who currently serves as Secretary of the Congregation of the Faith, was responding to a question from a French priest who wanted to know whether he could give absolution to a penitent who, having been married in a Catholic ceremony, contracted a second marriage after divorce. Speaking three days... Read more
Back in 2011, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Christmas stamp titled “Madonna of the Candelabra.” The stamp, which is still available for purchase today, is sold in books of 20 self-adhesive “Forever” stamps. It features Mary and the Christ Child, with a lantern behind them. The stamp may have shown up on cards and letters in your mailbox; but you may not be aware that the image was edited to fit the standard size postage stamp, and that in editing for... Read more
Just in time for Christmas: A new CD which includes all the music which was performed by the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir during the celebrations of the 2013 Conclave, at which Jorge Bergoglio was elected to the papacy. The CD is available for pre-order, and will be officially released on December 9, 2014. News today from the Vatican Information Service: This morning a press conference was held in the Holy See Press Office to present the CD “Habemus papam”, a... Read more
I don’t know where I got this idea, but I’ve always thought that Carl Sagan, the astronomer whose popular show “Cosmos” incited interest in the heavens, did not believe in Heaven. Nor, I thought, did he believe in an Almighty God, who lives in the aforementioned Heaven. I am gratified to report that I was at least partly wrong. Perhaps his most famous quote from “Cosmos”–after the iconic “Billions and billions of stars”–is what’s come to be known as the... Read more
When I was young, I had an esoteric view of heaven as a place where you sat around all day on a cloud, smiling and looking down at the earth below. “Pretty boring,” I thought. So I have a question for you: Will we have work to do in heaven? Oh, I know that heaven is a place of “eternal rest.” And for sure, there are some sorts of jobs we will leave behind. In heaven, we will not: groan... Read more
The U.S. Bishops, on November 11, 2014 at their Fall General Assembly in Baltimore, voted to support the local investigation into the life and work of Fr. Paul Wattson, co-founder of Graymoor Abbey. This local investigation into the priest’s life, work and personal sanctity is the first step toward formally opening a possible Cause for Canonization. The bishops, by a unanimous voice vote, supported the advancement of the Cause at the local level. * * * *... Read more
“…There is no need for clerical priests whose behavior risks distancing people from the Lord, or functionary priests who, while they fulfill their role, seek their consolation far from Him.” That was the message from Pope Francis to the participants in the 67th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference. The meeting, which is being held at the Domus Pacis of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi, is dedicated to the life and formation of priests. The Vatican Information... Read more
This afternoon Archbishop Charles Chaput, archbishop of Philadelphia, addressed his brother bishops participating in the USCCB General Assembly, offering updates regarding the World Meeting of Families which is planned for Philadelphia in September 2015. And with this announcement, he officially opened the Registration for persons who are interested in attending the event, which has as its theme “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.” You can register on-line here. The World Meeting of Families will be held at the Philadelphia... Read more
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