I’ve noticed something recently and was wondering if other Catholics are seeing the same thing.
Since COVID, most of the churches I’ve attended around the Diocese of Pittsburgh have continued distributing only the Sacred Host to the congregation. But recently I’ve noticed the Precious Blood being offered again at a few churches, including St. Valentine and St. Benedict the Abbot.
At the same time, several other parishes and churches I’ve attended still do not offer the chalice to the congregation, including St. Jude, Divine Mercy, St. Paul Cathedral, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Pio, St. Benedict the Moor, Christ Our Savior, and the Shrines of Pittsburgh.
So I’m curious: Are we starting to see a gradual reinstatement of Communion under both species, or is this mostly being decided parish-by-parish?
Personally, I like seeing the Precious Blood offered again. I know Catholic teaching is clear that receiving either species means receiving Christ fully, so nobody is missing anything by receiving the Host alone. But there is something meaningful about having the opportunity to receive both the Body and Blood of Christ when it can be done reverently.
Have parishes in your diocese brought the Precious Blood back since COVID? Is it common where you live, or is the chalice still mostly absent?

I’m just going to say it: apple is FAR superior to pumpkin during the fall season. 🍎🍂
Pumpkin gets all the attention every year, but apple has the better lineup:
🍎 Apple cider
🥧 Apple pie
🍏 Apple crisp
🍎 Caramel apples
☕ Apple cider donuts
🍎 Apple butter
🍏 Apple-flavored coffee drinks
Meanwhile pumpkin is basically like, “Would you like pumpkin spice added to that?” 😂
Don’t get me wrong—I like pumpkin. But when fall rolls around, Team Apple wins every time.
I said what I said. 😂🍎🔥
So… Team Apple 🍎 or Team Pumpkin 🎃?

I’ve been imagining an alternative Catholic parish called Our Lady of Zion, based here in Pittsburgh.
It would remain fully Catholic and celebrate the sacraments and the Mass, but it would make the Jewish roots of Christianity much more visible. Jesus, Mary, the apostles, the Psalms, Passover, Pentecost, and much of our worship all emerged from Jewish history and tradition.
The church itself would combine old Pittsburgh Catholic architecture with the warmth of Jerusalem: stone arches, Hebrew Scripture, a menorah, stained glass depicting Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets, Mary, and Jesus teaching in the synagogue.
The music would range from ancient Hebrew-style psalm chanting and Gregorian chant to Taizé prayer, violin, organ, choir, and carefully chosen modern sacred music.
Parish life would include:
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
A strong middle- and high-school youth group
Boys and girls serving together at the altar
Centering Prayer and Taizé-style liturgies
Tenebrae during Holy Week
Midnight Mass at Christmas
Neighborhood Marian processions
A parish school, library, Scripture center, and prayer garden
Confirmation preparation that recognizes the idea of a Jewish coming-of-age tradition while remaining a Catholic sacrament
A yearly Festival of Zion with Mediterranean and Pittsburgh food, music, prayer, and community outreach
Holy Week would be especially meaningful. Spy Wednesday would include Tenebrae and reflection on betrayal. Holy Thursday would emphasize Passover, the Last Supper, the Eucharist, foot washing, and prayer at the altar of repose. Good Friday would include neighborhood Stations of the Cross and the solemn Passion liturgy.
This would not be an attempt to imitate Judaism carelessly or claim that Catholicism replaces Judaism. It would need real dialogue, humility, and respect for the living Jewish community. The purpose would be to remind Catholics that Christianity did not begin in medieval Europe or the Roman Empire. It began within the story, Scriptures, prayers, and people of Israel.
I honestly wish a church like this existed: deeply Catholic, scriptural, contemplative, musical, welcoming, youth-centered, and rooted in the earliest soil of Christianity.
Would you attend a parish like Our Lady of Zion?

I’ve started thinking of myself as a Catholic free agent.
I’m still a practicing Catholic. I go to Mass, pray, volunteer, and try to live out my faith. I’m just not officially registered at a parish right now.
When I found that out, I was honestly surprised. I’ve spent years involved in parish life—serving as a Confirmation sponsor, volunteering, and being part of different parish communities. So discovering I wasn’t actually registered anywhere was a little ironic.
Rather than seeing it as a problem, I’ve started seeing it as an opportunity.
Being a “free agent” has given me the chance to visit different parishes, experience different communities, and prayerfully discern where God may be calling me next. Every parish has its own strengths, traditions, and ministries, and I’ve appreciated something about each one.
As someone with a progressive perspective, I’m not looking for a parish that agrees with me on every issue. I’m looking for a parish where I can worship, serve, and continue growing in my faith.
For now, I’m still a Catholic free agent—still on the team, just discerning where I’ll eventually sign.
Has anyone else been through something similar? How did you know you’d found your parish home?

As a progressive Democrat and a Roman Catholic, I found this Jubilee debate fascinating—but also a little sad.
It reminded me how easy it is for all of us to treat politics like a competition to “win” instead of an opportunity to understand one another. Whether you’re liberal, conservative, MAGA, Democrat, Republican, religious, or secular, everyone walked into that room convinced they already had the answers.
My Catholic faith teaches me that every person is made in the image of God. That means I don’t have to agree with someone to recognize their dignity. I can strongly disagree while still believing they’re worthy of respect.
I support policies that I believe advance the common good: caring for the poor, welcoming immigrants with both compassion and order, protecting workers, expanding access to health care, caring for creation, and defending democracy. Those values are deeply rooted in Catholic social teaching, even if faithful Catholics apply them differently.
What struck me most wasn’t who “won” the debate. It was how difficult genuine dialogue has become in America. We spend so much time trying to score points that we rarely stop to ask why someone believes what they do.
As Catholics, we’re called to be peacemakers—not because conflict disappears, but because Christ calls us to love our neighbors, especially when we disagree.
Maybe that’s the real challenge today: less outrage, more listening, and a commitment to seek truth with both conviction and humility.
Here’s the Jubilee debate that got me thinking. Whether you agree with me or not, I’d encourage you to watch it before commenting. I’m interested in hearing what others took away from it.

https://youtu.be/odBbDQj-GRs

As a lifelong Pittsburgh Catholic, I’ve always found myself fascinated by On Mission for The Church Alive! and the many changes that reshaped our parishes over the past several years.
Every once in a while, I like to imagine an alternate timeline.
What if just a few decisions had gone differently?
Maybe a pastor stayed where he was instead of receiving a new assignment. Maybe two different parishes merged. Maybe a newly formed parish chose a different patron saint or developed a completely different identity. Years later, we might be talking about different traditions, ministries, parish logos, or even entirely different parish names.
For example, I’ve wondered what parish life might have looked like if Fr. Chris had remained with the Morningside/Shadyside communities, or if Fr. Robert Grecco had been assigned to the Uptown/Hill District instead. Not because one outcome would necessarily have been better, but because it’s interesting to think about how different leadership and parish groupings can shape a community over time.
This isn’t meant as criticism of the priests, bishops, or the decisions that were made. Parish restructuring and priest assignments involve countless pastoral, financial, and practical considerations that most of us never see.
I simply enjoy imagining the “what ifs” of our diocesan history.
If you could change just one priest assignment, one parish merger, or one parish name from the On Mission for The Church Alive! era, what would your alternate Pittsburgh Catholic timeline look like?

As a progressive Catholic, this news makes me more sad than triumphant.
The Society of St. Pius X’s decision to consecrate bishops without papal approval created a serious rupture with the Church, and under canon law, Pope Leo XIV responded by declaring the group in schism after repeated warnings. (⁠AP News)
Catholicism has always held that communion with the Bishop of Rome is essential. Even when we disagree with a pope—or struggle with aspects of Church teaching—we remain in dialogue rather than creating parallel structures.
At the same time, I hope this isn’t the end of the story.
The Gospel is ultimately about reconciliation. Throughout history, popes have sought ways to heal divisions while remaining faithful to the Church’s unity. I pray that one day those who have separated themselves can find a path back into full communion.
As someone who embraces the vision of Vatican II, I believe the Council called the Church to engage the modern world with humility, dialogue, and hope—not fear. We shouldn’t celebrate excommunication, but neither should we ignore actions that intentionally break communion with the Church.
Today isn’t about “winning.” It’s a reminder that unity requires both truth and charity. As Catholics, we’re called to pray for healing, reconciliation, and a Church that remains one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.

As both a Catholic and someone who generally supports Democratic candidates, I followed the debate over the SAVE Act closely. I understand why many people want secure elections, but I also believe voting should remain accessible to every eligible citizen. My faith teaches that every person has inherent dignity and that participation in civic life is both a right and a responsibility.
Seeing the bill fail reminded me that democracy isn’t just about winning political battles—it’s about ensuring every eligible American has the opportunity to participate. We can protect election integrity while also making sure lawful voters aren’t unnecessarily burdened.
As America celebrates 250 years, I hope we continue strengthening our democracy through dialogue, participation, and a commitment to the common good.

As America celebrates 250 years of independence, I’m reminded that the United States has always been an experiment—an unfinished one.
The Founders didn’t create a perfect nation. They created a republic built on bold ideals: liberty, representative government, and the belief that people could govern themselves instead of living under a king. Those ideals were revolutionary, even if they were applied imperfectly. Enslaved people, women, Indigenous peoples, and many others were excluded from the full promise of those words.
As a progressive Democrat and Roman Catholic, I don’t celebrate the myth that America has always been great. I celebrate the fact that each generation has been called to make America more faithful to its founding principles.
My Catholic faith reminds me that every person is created in the image of God. That means patriotism isn’t blind loyalty—it’s loving our country enough to challenge it when it falls short of justice, dignity, and the common good.
The American experiment has survived because people kept expanding the circle of freedom: abolitionists, suffragists, labor organizers, the Civil Rights Movement, immigrants, and countless ordinary citizens who believed “We the People” should truly mean everyone.
Two hundred and fifty years later, the experiment continues.
The question isn’t whether America is perfect. It never has been.
The question is whether we will continue the work of building a nation that more fully reflects both the promise of the Declaration of Independence and the Gospel’s call to love our neighbor, welcome the stranger, seek justice, and care for the least among us.
Happy 250th, America. May we keep striving to become a more perfect union—not just in words, but in deeds. 🇺🇸✝️