It was raining at the Cova da Iria on October 13, 1917–raining so much, in fact, that the crowds gathered there, their clothing drenched and dripping, slipped in the puddles and along the trails of mud. Those who had umbrellas opened them against the downpour, but they were still splashed and sodden. All waited, their eyes on three peasant children who had promised a miracle. And then, at high noon, something remarkable happened: The clouds broke, and the sun... Read more
Oh happy day! Toe-tapping fun: On January 19, 2012, six hundred young religious brothers and sisters dance before Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, in an extraordinary flash mob. I know that in 2012, the famed Cathedral was celebrating its 850th anniversary. I’m not sure, though, just why these happy men and women were gathered on that particular cold afternoon. Obviously, though, they’re having a good time! Read more
On Saturday, October 11, the Diocese of St. Augustine will honor Mary in her role as a new mother nursing her infant. Bishop Felipe J. Estévez, head of the northeastern Florida diocese which is the oldest diocese in the United States, has declared the Feast of Our Lady of La Leche to be celebrated throughout the diocese. He also instituted a Jubilee Year in commemoration of the Blessed Mother, celebrating the 450th anniversary of the founding of America’s oldest city at the... Read more
A great announcement this week out of Emory University in Atlanta: The Mary Flannery O’Connor Charitable Trust, the literary estate of influential Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor, has donated a collection of her works and personal items to Emory University. Emory plans to make the long-hidden literary drafts, journals, letters and personal effects available to the public soon. Flannery O’Connor described herself as a “pigeon-toed child with a receding chin and a you-leave-me-alone-or-I’ll-bite-you complex.” She never married, instead making her home with her mother. ... Read more
In the long, harsh winter of 1835, Father Frederic Baraga trudged through the snow, carrying the gospel to the Ojibway tribe in northern Wisconsin and Michigan. In the region south of Lake Superior, the average snowfall is 300 inches. Undaunted, the native Slovenian priest traveled thousands of miles on snowshoes, ministering to the region’s Native American population. It was the Ojibway (Chippewa) tribe that gave Father Baraga his nickname, “the Snowshoe Priest.” But the young priest’s missionary efforts were not limited to the... Read more
As the 2014 Synod on the Family gets underway, the Holy See Press Office continues to keep us informed. In this brief video, they try to explain the process and structure: What’s a Synod? Who attends? What are the objectives? Whether you’re experienced with “All Things Vatican” or you’re watching for the first time as the wheels of the Church slowly turn, you’ll appreciate this clever lesson in ecclesiology. Read more
This morning in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Synod Fathers gathered for the Opening Liturgy, before beginning their conversations regarding issues important to the family. The Holy See Press Office has been doing a good job of reporting from the scene. You can also keep up to date by following #Synod14 on Twitter. Here, the full text of the Holy Father’s homily at this morning’s mass. Today the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel employ the image of the Lord’s vineyard. The... Read more
On March 2, 2010, Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, announced that he was beginning an official investigation into Father Augustus Tolton’s life and virtues, with a view to opening the Cause for his canonization. The following year—on February 24, 2011—the Roman Catholic Church officially began the formal introduction of the Cause for sainthood of Father Tolton. He was designated Servant of God; and Historical and Theological Commissions were established, with the responsibility for investigating his life and teachings. And on September 29, 2014,... Read more
Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR has gone home to God. It’s not a surprise: We’d heard reports of his recent fall, which injured the same arm that had been injured ten years ago in an auto accident. Doctors who treated him for this most recent injury chose not to repair the damage, fearing that he could not survive surgery in his weakened state; so he was sent home in a great deal of pain. At 11:00 p.m. Friday, October 3, Father Groeschel... Read more
The impending conflict among participants at this week’s Synod is evident: Cardinal Kasper urges a reconsideration of communion for divorced and remarried Catholics. Cardinal Burke says no, that could never be. And the people in the pews line up behind one voice or the other–waiting, wondering, now in the countdown to the Synod on the Family which begins Sunday, October 5, in Rome. Disagreement is nothing new to the Church, said Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the... Read more
Seasons of Grace
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