In his diocesan paper, Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph raises questions about NCR: I am very proud of the work of our diocesan Catholic paper, The Catholic Key, our writers, and all involved with its production for the conscientious manner in which they use the paper to teach Catholic doctrine, to provide trustworthy reflections on issues that take place in our culture, and to provide stories of apostolic life and work – particularly from our local diocese –... Read more
It’s one of the most familiar fables of the American stage, “Our Town.” It has more resonance even now, especially today. Here, from the pen of Mr. Thornton Wilder, is part of the climactic monologue: Emily: Oh, Mama, look at me one minute as though you really saw me. Mama, fourteen years have gone by. I’m dead. You’re a grandmother, Mama! Wally’s dead, too. His appendix burst on a camping trip to North Conway. We felt just terrible about it –... Read more
They don’t get much better than this. Enjoy. Read more
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston has some pointers. He delivered the annual Carl Peter Lecture on Preaching on January 13 at the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. bishops’ seminary in Rome. Some highlights from CNS: In learning to preach, seminarians should look to the homilies of the fathers of the church, where they will discover how eloquence and humility lead to “beauty and delight,” said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston. “If we could get at least part of... Read more
What will the next generation of Catholics bring to the pews? Writer Ashley McGuire offers a glimpse: On the Feast of the Holy Family, I went to Mass in my hometown’s Cathedral in Colorado Springs – a town many refer to as the “Evangelical Mecca.” The pews were full of Hispanic couples in their 20s and 30s, children tottered about in the aisles, and the baby-faced Mexican priest firmly admonished everyone in Spanish to obey Pope Benedict’s call to Catholics... Read more
I posted on this issue some days back. Now, canon lawyer Ed Peters adds more: A few weeks ago, it was Let’s excommunicate Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn for supporting ‘gay marriage’. Now, it’s Let’s excommunicate New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his latest push to expand abortion in what is perhaps the most pro-abortion state in the union. Sins, to be sure, these deeds, but canonical crimes? and ones punishable by excommunication at that? I suggest not, as many of us have discussed many... Read more
The following editorial comes from The Southern Cross, a Catholic newspaper in Southern Africa, and describes a situation that will be familiar to a lot of people: Earlier this month The Southern Cross took the difficult decision to suspend the comments facility on its website. The comments section was intended to serve as a forum in which readers could exchange ideas on topics within the Church. Perhaps invariably, these discussions frequently became marked by intolerable levels of hectoring polemic; sometimes accompanied by... Read more
Fr. Alexander Lucie-Smith has a few ideas: Start the Mass on time. If it says six o’clock, then let it be six o’clock, not five past or seven past. The priest should turn up in good time. Seeing a flustered looking chap rush in at one minute to does not help. After all, Mass is important, and for important events we always turn up in good time, don’t we? Besides, ones needs to prepare. Wear a chasuble, and make sure... Read more
“When God the Creator made all things, he commanded the plants to bring forth fruit each according to its own kind; he has likewise commanded Christians, who are the living plants of his Church, to bring forth the fruits of devotion, each one in accord with his character, his station and his calling. I say that devotion must be practised in different ways by the nobleman and by the working man, by the servant and by the prince, by the... Read more
That’s one of the connections the Twitter-happy Pope Benedict makes in his message for World Communications Day, released today at the Vatican. Much of the message is devoted to what the pontiff has called the “digital continent,” and the growing use of social networks to evangelize, share, teach, connect: In social networks, believers show their authenticity by sharing the profound source of their hope and joy: faith in the merciful and loving God revealed in Christ Jesus. This sharing consists... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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