Published October 03, 2013
Associated Press
CHICAGO – A Chicago restaurant has cooked up a controversial burger of the month for October, garnishing it with an unconsecrated communion wafer and a red wine reduction sauce.
Kuma's Corner, a foodie destination with just a few tables, names its hamburgers after heavy metal bands. For October, the restaurant chose to name the burger after the Swedish band Ghost. Members of the band dress in religious robes and wear skeleton face makeup.
It's in poor taste, said Jeff Young of New Orleans who runs the blog Catholic Foodie.
"It's not, for us, the Eucharist," Young said. "However this wafer is a symbol. There's a cross on it. It's like taking a flag and burning a flag."
Luke Tobias, Kuma's Corner director of operations, said the restaurant never wanted to offend anyone. He said reaction has been a "mixed bag," but more positive than negative.
"There are people who are offended by it, but we're delighted to see that generally people seem to have …More

To all my friends and family out there who have tattoos or body piercings, the answer is no — it's not a morally neutral act. That doesn't mean that having or getting a tattoo or body piercing is morally bad. Actually, the Church has no official teaching on this question and hasn't said much about it one way or the other (Scripture is not conclusive either — see Leviticus 19:28). But obviously, any kind of alteration of the body involves a moral dimension.
To permanently or semi-permanently mutilate the body without a good reason is wrong. Sure, kidney transplants from live donors involve mutilation, but most would say that the reason is a good one, to save a life. As long as free and informed consent is given, it doesn't harm the donor in any serious way.
If it's your son or daughter who would like a tattoo, you have to ask why they want one. Simply to get a tattoo for reasons of vanity or to fit in with a certain crowd are probably not good reasons for anyone. (It is common for those …More

LifeNews: 9/27/13
A recent Interview with late-term abortionist Dr. Susan Robinson has drawn significant attention for some of the ways Robinson attempts to humanize the process of destroying the lives of unborn children in late-term abortions.
Although surveys show women frequently regret their abortions and face a litany of medical and mental health problems following an abortion, Robinson attempts to make women feel better about their decision in a sick and twisted sort of way.
Jia Tolentino interviewed Susan Robinson, one of only four American abortionist who openly perform third-trimester abortions. Robinson is featured in the new documentary After Tiller, which premiered in New York last weekend.
Tolentino: I was really moved and amazed by the scene when you're writing down a baby's name, noting the family's request for a memory box and a viewing, showing the little ink footprints. Do families often want to engage with their baby like this after an abortion? How many people are …More

Fr. Z writes:
Michael Davies was a real gentleman, a dedicated Catholic and lover of the Church, and a zealous advocate of reverent liturgical worship.
He went to God on 25 September 2004.
A reader reminded me:
"Of your charity, please pray for the soul of Michael Davies:
"Author, teacher, lay theologian, President of Una Voce International, Loyal son of Wales, Husband and father, Faithful son of Holy Church and a great defender and champion of the Faith. Today is his Ninth Anniversary.
"I have been profoundly touched by the news of the death of Michael Davies. I had the good fortune to meet him several times and I found him as a man of deep faith and ready to embrace suffering. Ever since the Council he put all his energy into the service of the Faith and left us important publications especially about the Sacred Liturgy. Even though he suffered from the Church in many ways in his time, he always truly remained a man of the Church. He knew that the Lord founded His Church on the rock …More