Next Sunday, I’ll Be Going to Church. Where Will You Be?

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:36 pm By Kathy Schiffer

Sunday’s coming. Where will you be? I got into a discussion recently with some good Catholic friends about going to church on Sunday. To my surprise, several of them had recently failed to fulfill their Sunday obligation to attend Mass. I’m pretty sure this is not a unique phenomenon among believers, even among those who consider themselves faithful Catholics. Sometimes, people will explain away their having missed the Sunday liturgy: They had a headache; or they were out late the night... Read more

Pope Francis Opposes Capital Punishment; Calls Life Sentences for Violent Criminals “A Hidden Death Penalty”

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:37 pm By Kathy Schiffer

Speaking October 23 to a delegation from the International Association of Penal Law, Pope Francis called life sentences “a hidden form of capital punishment.” The Pope expressed his hope that believers will oppose life-long incarceration, just as they oppose capital punishment. He said: “All Christians and men of good faith are therefore called upon today to fight, not only for the abolition of the death penalty—whether it is legal or illegal, and in all its forms—but also to improve... Read more

Taylor Swift Gives a Nod to Boston College’s New Evangelization Video

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:38 pm By Kathy Schiffer

Pop star Taylor Swift has given an enthusiastic “thumbs up” to Boston College’s music video of her latest #1 hit “Shake It Off”. The star tweeted to her 45,600 fans, The Church in the 21st Century Center at Boston College produced the video to help promote its “Espresso Your Faith Week”, September 28-October 3. They posted it, using the Twitter hashtag #BCShakeItOff. According to the university website, the student-produced video is an invitation to Shake Off our burdens and choose to foster... Read more

EBOLA UPDATE: In the U.S., a Good Report; In Liberia, Help from an American Doctor and Deacon

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:38 pm By Kathy Schiffer

VERY GOOD NEWS today out of Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital, where nurse Amber Vinson shows no sign of Ebola in her most recent blood tests. NBC News carried a statement from Vinson’s mother, Debra Berry, last night which said, “Amber and our family are ecstatic to receive this latest report on her condition. We all know that further treatment will be necessary as Amber continues to regain strength, but these latest developments have truly answered prayers and bring our family... Read more

Father Jeremiah O’Connell and the Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel

Last updated on: October 22, 2014 at 6:04 pm By Kathy Schiffer

Today I went to Stumphouse Tunnel. It was a great day for a color drive through the mountains of South Carolina, and–if you ask my husband–a great day for trout fishing. We set out to do both, stopping for morning Mass along the way, then heading out to the Chattooga River, the river made famous by the 1972 dramatic thriller Deliverance, starring Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds. We were headed toward Burrells Ford, near the Georgia border. Driving through a... Read more

Blessed Paul VI, Pray for Us

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:53 pm By Kathy Schiffer

Today in Vatican City, Pope Francis has beatified his predecessor Pope Paul VI, who was pontiff from 1963 until his death in 1978. Beatification is the official recognition by the Church that the deceased is in heaven, and is the first step toward formally declaring the person a saint (called canonization). According to rules laid down by the Catholic Church, one miracle must be believed to have taken place through the intercession of the person. How fitting that Pope Paul... Read more

“Kiss of Peace” Becomes “Meaningful Eye Contact” to Protect Against Ebola

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:40 pm By Kathy Schiffer

With Ebola now claiming more than 4,500 lives, the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas has taken steps to reduce exposure to potential Ebola cases in their parishes during liturgical celebrations. As of October 14, the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), OCHA and local governments have reported a total of 9,216 suspected cases. The threat is real: At a press conference October 14, the assistant director-general of the WHO reported that there could... Read more

Dear Confused Catholics: Oh, Never Mind! Correcting the Relatio

Last updated on: January 14, 2015 at 11:11 am By Kathy Schiffer

Well, now, here’s a scoop: A new report from Catholic News Agency confirms what we believed, that there was a serious translation error in the Relatio post disceptationem. Last week’s report from Rome caused the secular media to explode with enthusiasm, anticipating a “seismic shift” in Church teaching on the Eucharist, homosexuality, and the indissolubility of marriage. At the same time, the first reports elicited concern among faithful Catholics and among the Synod Fathers themselves. On October 14, the Holy See Press... Read more

Freezing Eggs: Why Facebook and Apple Should Not Support This Technology

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:42 pm By Kathy Schiffer

Breaking news today from Silicon Valley, where Facebook and Apple announced that the tech companies will cover the cost, if their female employees choose to have their eggs frozen. NBC News reports: Facebook recently began covering egg freezing, and Apple will start in January, spokespeople for the companies told NBC News. The firms appear to be the first major employers to offer this coverage for non-medical reasons. “Having a high-powered career and children is still a very hard thing to... Read more

Saints and Seminarians: Detroit Archdiocese Launches Vocations Video With a Lively Beat

Last updated on: December 26, 2014 at 7:43 pm By Kathy Schiffer

A YouTube video just released by the Office of Priestly Vocations in the Archdiocese of Detroit serves up a dose of inspiration with a lively beat. Intended for students, for those contemplating a vocation to the priesthood, and for anyone who wants to be holy, the video is the brainchild of Father Tim Birney, director of priestly vocations for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Brian Meldrum, seminarian and transitional deacon, produced the film. “I try to be creative,” said Father Tim in... Read more