Why evangelicals may back a Catholic or a Mormon

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It’s an interesting twist this election year, and one observer wonders why it’s happening: For a party that was once defined by a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant heritage, this is a remarkable turnaround. Not once in the GOP’s history has it nominated a Catholic and it has certainly never considered another Mormon. The South Carolina GOP is notably dominated by mainline evangelical Christians – the kind of people who often think Mormons are occultists and Catholics worship statues. When Pat Buchanan... Read more

The Latinos who aren’t Catholic, but used to be

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It’s a trend that bears watching: While the Catholic church is still the principal religion for Latinos, a growing number are bucking tradition and moving toward evangelism — particularly among the younger generation. “My mother is so Catholic,” said Jose Rosales, 55. “She tripped out when she found out. She and my aunt said, ‘Oh, great; now you’re a Hallelujah.’ ” About 23 percent, or 9.5 million of 41 million Latinos in the U.S. in 2004, identified themselves as Protestants... Read more

Homily for January 8, 2012: the Epiphany of the Lord

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 5:07 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

[Click here for readings] If there is any image that captures this time of year perfectly, it’s the sad sight of a Christmas tree dumped by the curb. You see them all over the city. I walked by a bunch of them Friday while on the way to work in Manhattan: piles of them, some with limp strands of tinsel still clinging to a few needles. You could still smell that bracing, Christmas scent of pine. And these days as... Read more

Homily for January 8, 2012: the Epiphany of the Lord

Last updated on: January 7, 2012 at 10:36 am By Deacon Greg Kandra

Cardinal George: “I’m truly sorry for the hurt my remarks have caused”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George apologized Friday for remarks aired on Christmas Day comparing the gay pride parade to the Ku Klux Klan. “I am truly sorry for the hurt my remarks have caused,” George said in an interview with the Tribune. “Particularly because we all have friends or family members who are gay and lesbian. This has evidently wounded a good number of people. I have family members myself who are gay and lesbian, so it’s part of our... Read more

Quote of the day, from Dolan

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

“Yes, I am honored, humbled, and grateful, …but, let’s be frank: this is not about Timothy Dolan; this is an honor from the Holy Father to the Archdiocese of New York, and to all our cherished friends and neighbors who call this great community home. It’s as if Pope Benedict is putting the red hat on top of the Empire State Building, or the Statue of Liberty, or on home plate at Yankee Stadium; or on the spires of Saint... Read more

Now, about all those married Catholic priests…

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The New York Times takes a closer look at how the new ordinariate will be impacting one facet of Catholic life in particular, with more married priests: Most Americans, perhaps most American Catholics, do not know that the church allows married priests. But there have always been married priests in the non-Latin rites, like Ukrainian Catholicism or Maronite Catholicism. These churches are fully Catholic, obedient to the pope, but they ordain married men, although they do not allow unmarried priests... Read more

Cardinal Dolan — UPDATED

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Yes, as many expected, he’s getting the red hat. The list: Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; Manuel Montiero de Castro, Major Penitentiary of the Roman Church; Santos Abril y Castelló, archpriest of St Mary Major; Antonio Maria Veglió, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Refugees; Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Government of the Vatican City-State Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Religious; Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council... Read more

A former Anglican’s journey: “We look forward in faith”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

A priest from the Archdiocese of Washington and FOB (Friend of the Bench), Fr. R. Scott Hurd has been tapped to be the Vicar General for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter. He’s well-suited for the job — being a former Episcopalian priest himself. He’s also the Executive Director of the Archdiocese’s Office of the Permanent Diaconate. To top it all off, he’s a husband, a dad, and the author of a fine book called “Forgiveness.” Anyway:... Read more

America’s next top model: a little boy with Down syndrome

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 5:34 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

This is something wonderful to behold. From AdWeek: One young man is making great strides in the modeling world despite what many might see as a significant impediment—he has Down syndrome. His name is Ryan, and he appears on page 9 of the new Target circular, just a few months after making an appearance in the Nordstrom catalog. A blog called Noah’s Dad, written by the father of a different boy with Down syndrome, posted the Target ad this week... Read more