Deacon Greg Kandra
Patheos
New York, NY, United States
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Past articles by Deacon:
The Vatican’s Greg Burke Announces His Next Move
He unveiled his plans Thursday on Twitter: About the Arise Foundation: Arise's vision is a world without slavery in which the human dignity of every person is respected. Arise was established in 2015 to achieve abolition by developing and supporting these networks. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do, → Read More
When a Father Brought His Autistic Son to Church
This just makes me want to weep. Dr. Paul Rimmer took his son to Evensong yesterday at King's College at Cambridge. This morning, he posted this letter on Facebook, which reads in part: Dear Reverend Dr Stephen Cherry, I would like to apologize for bringing my autistic son to Evensong at your chapel. I am a resident → Read More
Faith Under Fire: Why They’re Attacking People at Prayer
The big picture, from The Washington Post: Inspired by the devastating impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and enabled by the largely unchecked freedoms of social media, individual extremists have launched a steady series of assaults on religious institutions around the → Read More
With Churches Shut, Sri Lanka’s Catholics Watch Mass on TV
Details: It was the first Sunday anyone could remember without a mass at St Sebastian’s. A week since the bombings that killed at least 250 people, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Sri Lanka’s most senior Catholic, had ordered the country’s churches not to hold services until police could be sure they would not be → Read More
Sri Lanka: Where Public Prayer Has Vanished
From CNN: The ongoing hunt for terrorist suspects in Sri Lanka, and fears of reprisal attacks, have cast a shadow over the country still reeling from the devastation of the Easter Sunday bombings. Sri Lankans of different faiths were being urged to pray privately amid fears of further attacks Friday, as the country's → Read More
‘Everything Was Trashed’: Hawaii Church Vandalized After Easter
Awful news from Maui: A chapel at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church was vandalized overnight, a day after parishioners joined other Christians in celebrating Easter. The damage was discovered Monday by women arriving to prepare the Saint Damien chapel for morning mass. “This → Read More
Young Martyr: 11-Year-Old Murdered While Standing in Line for Communion
The horror of this story just continues to mount — made more grievous because it could have been prevented. From The New York Times: The little room could hold no more grief. All day Monday, through the steamy heat, mourners quietly stepped inside and paused in front of a → Read More
‘Attempted Arson’: Details Released on Man Carrying Gas, Lighter Fluid Into St. Patrick’s
From CNN: A man will be charged with attempted arson and reckless endangerment after he tried to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York on Wednesday night with gallons of gasoline, lighter fluid and lighters. Police identified the suspect Thursday as Marc Lamparello, who was also arrested by the Essex County → Read More
BREAKING: Notre Dame Is Burning
Details: A fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday afternoon, a spokesman from the fire department said. Smoke could be seen billowing out from the top of the medieval cathedral, as flames leaped out besides its two bell towers, a Reuters witness said. → Read More
Shock: Deputy Fatally Shoots Man During Palm Sunday Mass
From Nebraska: A Palm Sunday morning Mass suddenly became violent at a small Catholic church in northwest Nebraska. As the pastor was reading the long Gospel narrative of Christ’s suffering, a Sheridan County sheriff’s deputy fatally shot a man just inside the doors of the Rushville, Nebraska, church. The man — → Read More
WATCH: Pope Francis Kisses the Feet of South Sudan Leaders, Pleading for Peace — UPDATED
The CNS video is astonishing: The story: At the end of a highly unusual spiritual retreat for the political leaders of warring factions, Pope Francis knelt at the feet of the leaders of South Sudan, begging them to give peace a chance and to be worthy → Read More
From ‘Powerful’ to ‘Embarrassing’: Reaction to Benedict’s Letter
It's only been out there less than a day, but already Benedict XVI's 6,000-word letter on the sex abuse crisis is stirring reactions. Many are quick takes from social media. A few who have absorbed it have offered more thoughtful analysis. CNN's Delia Gallagher summed up the reactions succinctly: His comments on the → Read More
The Washington Post Responds to Covington Teenager’s Lawsuit
Details from The Hollywood Reporter: The Washington Post has moved to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by Kentucky teenager Nicholas Sandmann, who on Jan. 18 quickly found himself the talk of social media when a group of students at Covington Catholic High School came face-to-face with Native American activists → Read More
What Was Jesus Writing on the Ground?
The Gospel for this Sunday brings us once again to the haunting encounter with the woman caught in adultery, and it features (as far as I know) the only moment in scripture when Jesus writes something: Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he → Read More
How Do You Fix the Seminaries?
The system needs reform, according to these authors in Commonweal, and they offer some ideas, beginning with rooting out any vestiges of clericalism: Pope Francis has repeatedly targeted clericalism as the great enemy of ordained ministry today. You can easily see the career-climbers he warns about in seminaries. If → Read More
Break the Seal of the Confessional? Sex Abuse Victim Says: ‘It’s Time. It’s Beyond Time.’
Disturbing news unfolding in California: A procession of sexual assault victims on Tuesday urged the Senate to pass a law requiring priests and other religious leaders to report child abuse, ending a legal exemption that allows them to keep information confidential if they learn it during confessions. One speaker, → Read More
‘Hail Mary’ at Disney World?
Here's something you might not expect to encounter at Walt Disney World: a father offering a stunning rendition of "Ave Maria" in the lobby of the Grand Floridian Resort Hotel. It's quickly gone viral — and understandably so, especially when you watch his daughter watching him. This is just lovely. → Read More
Tragic End: Remains Found of Missing Priest
Some may remember when I posted on this story two years ago. Now, an update, from Epic Pew: The Comanche County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that human remains found in a pasture are those of Father Marvin Reif, a Catholic priest who has been missing for two years. The body was found when someone was in the pasture → Read More
Shock: 10 Catholic Churches Attacked in France in One Week
Details: At least 10 incidents of vandalism and desecration of Catholic churches have been reported across the Channel since the beginning of February. French Roman-Catholic newspaper La Croix International reported how the attacks on churches took place across France. Senseless acts included the desecration of → Read More
Beautiful: Pittsburgh Jewish Group Creates Fund to Support New Zealand Muslims
Details: With the shock still fresh and hearts still mending some five months after the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Squirrel Hill, the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has set up a relief fund to help the Muslim community in the wake of another deadly hate crime. The group is soliciting donations to → Read More