Matt Horn is a man of steady faith—and commitment, even when times are tough. And they can be tough in Oakland, California, for sure. Popular West Oakland restaurant Horn Barbeque was significantly damaged in a fire early Tuesday morning (Nov 21), just days before Thanksgiving. But Matt Horn, the acclaimed, Michelin restaurant’s chef owner faced…
In his sixth pastoral letter on male spirituality, Maronite Bishop Gregory Mansour says that “fatherhood is expected of all men, whether biological, natural, or spiritual.” In the Oct. 12 letter titled “The man of God is a man for others: Some themes in men’s spirituality,” Mansour, said that there are “some worrisome trends” in the…
CNA—The Vatican has informed German bishops in writing that the ordination of women and changes in the Church’s teaching on homosexuality cannot be subjects of discussion in the upcoming meetings with delegates of the German Synodal Way in Rome. The letter, dated Oct. 23, also reminded the bishops of potential disciplinary consequences for anyone defying…
Book Review: The Way of Mercy: A Spiritual Pilgrimage Through Catholic Poland, by Stephen Binz The Way of Mercy by Stephen J. Binz is a profoundly moving and spiritually enriching journey through the heart and soul of Poland’s Catholic heritage. In this book, Binz skillfully combines history, biography and spirituality to offer readers an in-depth…
November 23, 2023 Famed English writer Samuel Johnson once said, “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” Well, another year has zipped by and we are again facing the one day of the year when nobody puts up a façade of worrying about calories—Thanksgiving. To enrich the dialog at your family table,…
OMIWorld & VaticanNews—“Anna’s House” is celebrating 25 years since it was founded by Italian missionary, Fr. Vincenzo Bordo, OMI, also known as “God’s Chef”, who has served more than 30 million meals and saved hundreds of children from the streets. Anna’s House Father Vincenzo Bordo, OMI, also known by the nickname “God’s Chef”, is an…
For more than two decades, I’ve been a part of the career-transition ministry at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Danville, CA, helping more than 6,000 individuals, spanning different faiths and age groups, embark on their journey to the next phase of their lives since the Dot.com crash in 2002. Our programs focused on helping participants…
LifeSiteNews—The following is the official English statement from Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary of Astana, Kazakhstan, in response to the news that Pope Francis has removed Bishop Joseph Strickland from his Diocese of Tyler. “The one charge which is now sure to secure severe punishment is the careful keeping of the traditions of the Fathers.” These…
CNA—Beginning Aug. 4, 2022, Rolando Álvarez, the bishop of Matagalpa and the apostolic administrator of Estelí in Nicaragua, was prevented from leaving his residence by the Nicaraguan police. Two weeks later in the middle of the night, the police broke into the residence, abducted him, and took him to Managua, where he was held under…
VN—As of Saturday, hundreds of people have reportedly left the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The hospital is the site that Israeli forces have been searching for days. Doctors insist the Israeli military ordered an evacuation, but the Israelis says it facilitated a safe route out after a request from the hospital director. Reports suggest…
“You cannot do anything with your hands if you do not do it with your knees,” Pope Francis CNA—The presence of Jesus in every tabernacle points us to how we can serve our suffering brothers and sisters who share in Christ’s passion today, Pope Francis told American priests this week. In an audience with the…
Pat and I have recently returned from an incredible pilgrimage to Medjugorje and traveled by yacht along the Croatian coastline from Split to Dubrovnik. It was sponsored by the national office of Legatus. We joined a total of 40 pilgrims who were from across America on this journey. Getting to share this adventure while getting…
CNA—In recognition of Veterans Day, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, is calling for prayers for the servicemen and serivce women who have fought to defend the United States. “They risk their lives, sacrifice time with family and friends, set aside jobs, and often suffer the effects of their service…
Giandonato Salvia leveraged his economics degree and passion for helping others to create Tucum, a “suspended economy” app that offers services and goods of various kinds to the poorest people…his family background and his thinking INSPIRES… ________________________________________________________________ “Our real target,” Salvio says, “is the poor and it is for them that we want to become…
Vatican News—The Vatican has published the Pope’s decision concerning the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, following an apostolic visitation conducted by two US bishops. The Holy Father [Pope Francis] has removed Bishop Joseph E. Strickland from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Tyler, United States of America, and has appointed Bishop…
You wouldn’t expect to find an article about young Catholics in National Geographic, yet there it was. The story was fascinating… and “real”. In a world increasingly dependent on electronic communications—TikTok, cell phones, video clips, etc etc, etc—to the point where it’s not uncommon to see families and couples out together yet not talking, instead…
After the death of Valens, the Roman Emperor Gratian realized he needed an able assistant. His choice was the young Spaniard, Theodosius. Theodosius was born in 346 near Toledo in the Roman province of Hispania. He was the son of Valentinian I’s leading general. A reputation for organization and bravery Theodosius’ reputation for organization and…
CNA—When Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, was created a cardinal by Pope Francis on Sept. 30, 2023, few would have imagined that within a week, he would find himself leading his Church amid one of the bloodiest conflicts in the region’s recent history. Vocation of a Cardinal: “Even to the shedding of…
Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said: O Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for…
CNA—The U.S. Catholic bishops told the Biden administration last week that its newly proposed guidance on sex-based harassment in the workplace is unconstitutional because it bans speech opposing abortion and expressing certain views on contraception, same-sex relationships, and gender identity. The proposed guidance advises “sex-based harassment … also can include harassment based on a woman’s…
