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Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the popemobile for Mass in Nationals Park April 17, 2008 in Washington. (Owen Sweeney III, Catholic Review) Could Pope Benedict XVI soon be tooling around in a solar-powered popemobile?  A snip from the AP: Anyone have a fast, solar-powered electric popemobile for his holiness?The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI would gladly […]

Susan Crane is no stranger to prisons. The longtime anti-nuclear peace activist, a resident of the Jonah House community in West Baltimore, has already served five years for various peace actions – including a 1999 protest at the Warfield Air National Guard base in Middle River, where she and three others hammered and poured blood […]

Jesus has been serving us quality for 2,000 years.  Now, he’s seemingly thriving in the home of the Old Fashioned burger.  Can you imagine how intimidating that is for people who have been putting off confession? You pull up to the drive-thru and there’s Jesus asking what you want. I get the feeling there might […]

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the ever-affable newly elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, made a recent appearance on “Fox and Friends.”  Using the national spotlight to plug Catholic education, the archbishop said a key to the success of parochial schools has been their accountability. “Our parents can choose or not choose to send their […]

In the nearly 14 years I’ve covered the State House in Annapolis, I’ve heard a lot of arguments for and against the death penalty. Proponents often insist the ultimate punishment deters violent crime and exacts justice. Opponents say it’s inhumane and unfairly targets minorities. Few people have provided more powerful personal testimony against the death […]

Advent calendars are a cherished part of Catholicism, especially with young people.  Baltimore’s Loyola University Maryland has an interesting web version, where each day promises something exciting. Check it out at Christmas at Loyola University.

God and Jesus  get a lot of credit in sports when someone crushes a game-winning home run or runs for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson wasn’t so lucky Sunday. He dropped a potential game-winning touchdown in his team’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then he blamed God, who apparently had […]

(CR Photo/Owen Sweeney III) Sis Carnes and Little Sister of the Poor Lawrence Pocock share a conversation. Thom Loverro of The Washington Examiner has a nice column about how the phrase “playing the Little Sisters of the Poor” has become one of the ultimate sports insults.  I’ve visited St. Martin’s Home for the Aged in […]

Handel’s Messiah is always big this time of the year and choirs around the archdiocese are probably working on “For Unto Us a Child is Born” and the “Hallelujah Chorus” for Christmas. Here’s what can happen when the organist accidentally hits the transpose button at a most unfortunate moment. By the way, Ed Polochick and […]

Even in a difficult economy, parishioners of St. Mary in Hagerstown are stepping up to support their church. One year after their pastor, Father J. Collin Poston, spoke at all the weekend Masses about the real need for increased giving,  donations spiked dramatically. The parish recently reported that for the 11 months ended Oct. 31, St. Mary’s offertory was $598,898, […]