New CD Recorded in the Sistine Chapel Features “The Music of Popes”

September 29, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

Here is a wonderful idea for Christmas gift giving: Beautiful music from a beautiful place. In the Holy See Press Office, a press conference was held this morning to present the new musical CD “Cantate Domino”: The Sistine Chapel and the Music of Popes.” The CD was produced by Deutsche Grammophon. The speakers at this morning’s press conference were Archbishop Georg Ganswein, prefect of the Papal Household; Msgr. Massimo Palombella, S.D.B., director of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir; Mark Wilkinson,... Read more

BREAKING: 2018 World Meeting of Families Will Be Held in Dublin, Ireland

September 27, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

There he goes! Pope Francis boards his plane for the long return flight to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport. Safe travels, Papa Francisco! But before he left, we heard a Very Big Announcement: At the end of the Closing Mass, it was announced that the 9th World Meeting of Families will be held in 2018 in Dublin, Ireland. Ireland is still a strongly Catholic country, with Catholics comprising about 85% of the population. Most of Ireland’s schools and hospitals are faith-based, run by... Read more

Pope Francis’ Message to Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse

September 27, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

This morning Pope Francis met with five victims of clerical sexual abuse–three women and two men, adults who had been abused as minors–at St Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. He spoke with them individually and together as a group, and then invited them to join with him in prayer. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia was the flashpoint for the clergy abuse crisis in the United States. It was in that archdiocese that two grand jury reports, in 2005 and 2011, cited... Read more

What If the World Really Ended on September 28?

September 27, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

If you’re watching the news, you may be looking forward to a total lunar eclipse on Sunday evening, September 27. The first moon of Autumn is called a Harvest Moon–but this year, because the moon’s orbit brings it closer to Earth than usual, it’s called a “super moon.” What that means–what I got to see, to my delight, at about 6:30 this morning!–is that it appears 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than normal. WXYZ-TV in Detroit gives this information... Read more

NFL’s Evan Rodriguez and Wife Reject Abortion: “Who Are We to Determine a Baby’s Life?”

September 26, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

Evan Rodriguez is a tough guy–tough not just because he’s played football for the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buckaneers. Rodriguez is tough because he’s willing to protect and nurture precious unborn life,then face the pain of loss, because he knows that his unborn daughter will likely live only a few days or a few hours after birth. Rodriguez and his wife Olivia are expecting a little girl in December. Back in July, doctors informed them... Read more

50 Books by G.K. Chesterton for $1.99

September 25, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

Everyone loves a bargain! And readers love the works of English writer, philosopher and apologist G.K. Chesterton. So I thought I’d share this outstanding deal which came to my attention: Fifty (FIFTY!!!) books by Chesterton, in one package, for just $1.99! Amazon is offering the G.K. Chesterton Collection for Kindle–but you can read it on your smartphone, tablet or computer using the free Kindle app. There are fifty books in one. You’ll have 22 non-fiction books 11 fiction books 8 biographies 4 poetry... Read more

LOSING FAITH IN AMERICA? Fox News Show Spotlights Cardinal Dolan, Dominican Sisters and Steubenville!

September 24, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

If your eyes aren’t glazed over from all the Pope-watching this week, you may want to tune in this weekend for a Fox News special on…. you guessed it!… Faith! Bill Hemmer, co-host of Fox News’ America’s Newsroom, has announced a special show which will air Friday on the Fox News Network. Fox News Reporting: Losing Faith in America? will air at 10 p.m. Friday, September 25, and will repeat at 10:00 p.m. Saturday, September 26 and at 9:00 p.m. Sunday,... Read more

Full Text of Pope Francis’ Remarks to Congress

September 24, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

The full text of Pope Francis’ address to the Joint Session of the United States Congress: Mr. Vice-President, Mr. Speaker, Honorable Members of Congress, Dear Friends, I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of Congress in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. I would like to think that the reason for this is that I too am a son of this great continent, from which we have all received... Read more

What Pope Francis May Have Seen Inside the Vatican Embassy

September 23, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

Pope Francis slept last evening at the Vatican Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington DC, more formally called the Apostolic Nunciature to the United States. International travel is tiring, to be sure; but if by chance the pontiff woke during the night and went padding around in his slippers, perhaps he walked down the staircase from his third floor bedroom to the second floor reception room, where he may have found his way to this: It’s a tapestry of Noah, giving... Read more

Saudi Teenager Sentenced to Death by Crucifixion

September 21, 2015 By Kathy Schiffer

A Saudi Arabian teenager has been condemned to death by crucifixion. He was apparently targeted because his uncle, Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, has been openly critical of the Saudi government. Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was only seventeen years old when he was arrested in 2012 in his home country of Saudi Arabia. The teen was accused of illegal protesting and gun possession, although no evidence was presented to prove the weapons charge. The corruption of the Saudi criminal justice system is evident: The youth was... Read more