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October 2014

October 02, 2014

VIDEO: Burke and Kasper on communion—UPDATED

CNS has just released these two brief videos, in which Cardinal Raymond Burke and Cardinal Walter...

October 02, 2014

A divorced and remarried Catholic: “It has never occurred to me to present myself for Communion…”

In a rare move, a secular publication in the UK, The Spectator, offers a strong and...

September 2014

September 18, 2014

Bishop on divorced and remarried Catholics: “We’ve got to do something!”

It's rare to hear a bishop be so blunt, but Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin is...

September 15, 2014

Do you use intinction?

I've never see this done in parishes around the United States, but Fr. Z took...

September 14, 2014

They do: Pope marries 20 couples in St. Peter’s

From Vatican Radio: To the simple strains of a harp, twenty grooms made their way...

September 11, 2014

Pope will preside at wedding of Catholics living together, couples with children

From CNS: Among the men and women Pope Francis was set to unite in...

September 10, 2014

Why the seal of the confessional cannot be broken

From my blog neighbor Sam Sawyer, SJ, comes this must-read on the subject of confession: ...

August 2014

August 28, 2014

Leading Italian bishop: Church must make “unconventional couples” feel at home

From Zenit: Addressing a national conference on the liturgy on Wednesday, Bishop Nunzio Galantino said...

August 24, 2014

Bigger wedding, happier marriage?

I wonder if this study was funded by a catering company. (And I wonder what...

August 17, 2014

Pope baptizes father of Korean ferry disaster victim—and the man takes the name “Francis”

Details: On Sunday morning Pope Francis baptized 62-year-old Lee Ho-Jin – the father of one...

July 2014

July 22, 2014

Understanding annulments

The National Catholic Register offers a helpful primer on annulments this week, beginning with a...

July 14, 2014

People, look East

My blog neighbor Joanne McPortland has posted an excellent primer on the whole Orthodox-Catholic-Why-Can't-We-Get-Communion-If-We're-Divorced-And-Remarried debate: Cardinal...

July 08, 2014

UPDATE: Priest who shamed unwed mother at baptism faces probe, sanctions

Details: A priest who was caught on video shaming a single mother before the baptism...

July 08, 2014

Baton Rouge Diocese condemns ruling that could compel a priest to testify about confession

From NOLA.com: The Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge has issued a statement decrying a decision by the...

July 07, 2014

Priest berates unwed mother at baby’s baptism: “The baby was born due to sin”—UPDATED

Here's something else to throw on the agenda for the upcoming Synod: children born outside...

July 03, 2014

Italian archbishop proposes 10-year ban on naming godparents to stop Mafia influence

Details: After a pledge by Pope Francis to “excommunicate” mobsters from the Catholic Church, an...

June 2014

June 28, 2014

Scenes from an ordination

What a day. The Diocese of Brooklyn ordained 13 men to the priesthood today in...

June 27, 2014

In the email: “Do children no longer have to be baptized with saints’ names?”

A reader writes: In our parish, the two youth ministers are Heather and Austin. Last...

June 21, 2014

How we receive Holy Communion: a Corpus Christi reminder

I wrote the following for my parish bulletin this week. It doesn't say anything most...

May 2014

May 30, 2014

“I am not worthy to be here”: death row inmate confirmed by bishop

From The Catholic Sentinel in Portland, Oregon: One of Oregon's most infamous prisoners Tuesday received...

May 22, 2014

More on blessings from EMHCs—with a helpful solution from Archbishop Chaput

Various people have written in over the last 24 hours, suggesting that it's just not...

May 21, 2014

Can EMHCs give blessings during communion?—UPDATED

The question came up recently with a deacon candidate, so I thought it would be...

April 2014

April 23, 2014

Report: Pope phoned divorced and remarried woman to say she can receive communion—UPDATED

Details: Pope Francis has phoned a divorced and remarried Catholic woman in Argentina to tell...

April 19, 2014

Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil rehearsal

My Holy Saturday always begins with coffee and bagels with the RCIA folks in the...

April 18, 2014

“I have to admit, seeing the pope go to confession was a pretty powerful thing”

That singular and historic moment—no pope had ever been seen going to confession before—may be...

April 14, 2014

Heading to confession this week? Bring this with you.

I first posted this during Advent, but it seems even more timely now. Check it...

April 06, 2014

Making Reconciliation matter: dioceses promote confession during Lent

I made mention of this in my homily today: a special day for the Sacrament...

April 06, 2014

Lesbians’ baby baptized in Argentina’s cathedral

From CNN: Umma Azul, whose godmother is the country's President, on Saturday became the first...

March 2014

March 28, 2014

Remarkable image: Pope Francis goes to confession — UPDATED

I don't think I've ever seen a photograph quite like this before: the pope going...

March 28, 2014

Pope to confessors: “The heart of a priest is a heart that knows how to be moved”

From the Vatican, Pope Francis' remarks to participants in a "Course on the Internal Forum,"...