He called the first Star Wars epic “A New Hope.” From the Hollywood Reporter, here’s something spectacular to give all of us hope: By the end of the year, the $4.05 billion sale of Lucasfilm to Disney should be finalized. And since George Lucas owns 100 percent of his company – which has little to no debt – all that money goes to him. After that, Lucas plans to quickly put the bulk of the money into a foundation which... Read more
The inimitable Louis Armstrong does it as only he can. From 1959, at a concert in Germany. Trivia buffs take note: Armstrong lived not far from where I live today, and is buried in Flushing. His funeral in 1971 drew an astonishing who’s-who of the music world, and the honorary pall bearers included Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Pearl Bailey, Count Basie, Harry James, Frank Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, Earl Wilson, Alan King, Johnny Carson and David Frost. Peggy Lee... Read more
A cardinal raised that possibility recently: The president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity said in an interview that the Vatican would entertain a hypothetical proposal by Lutherans to establish ecclesial structures modeled on the ordinariates developed for Anglican communities that wish to enter into full communion with the Holy See. “Anglicanorum coetibus was not an initiative of Rome, but came from the Anglican church,” said Cardinal Kurt Koch, referring to the 2009 papal document that established the... Read more
Dennis Coday in the National Catholic Reporter reports that he received the following e-mail: MOST REV. DANIEL R. JENKY, C.S.C. OFFICE OF THE BISHOP DIOCESE OF PEORIA Election AD 2012 By virtue of your vow of obedience to me as your Bishop, I require that this letter be personally read by each celebrating priest at each Weekend Mass, November 3/4. Dear Catholic Believers, Since the foundation of the American Republic and the adoption of the Bill of Rights, I do... Read more
[Click here for readings.] Yesterday morning, I went to the store to pick up a few things. While I was in line, a little girl came in, six or seven years old, wearing a pink costume and carrying a small plastic pumpkin. She tried to get the attention of the guy behind the counter “Trick or Treat!,” she said. He ignored her and so she got into line behind me. I decided to make conversation with her. “Nice costume,” I... Read more
[Click here for readings.] Yesterday morning, I went to the store to pick up a few things. While I was in line, a little girl came in, six or seven years old, wearing a pink costume and carrying a small plastic pumpkin. She tried to get the attention of the guy behind the counter “Trick or Treat!,” she said. He ignored her and so she got into line behind me. I decided to make conversation with her. “Nice costume,” I... Read more
Details: Vice President Joe Biden said transgender discrimination is “the civil rights issue of our time” during a visit to a Florida field office on Tuesday, according to pool reports. Biden was meeting with volunteers at an Obama for America office in Sarasota, Fla., when he singled out one woman “who he thought had beautiful eyes,” reads the pool report. The woman said something to Biden that was inaudible to the pool reporter, but Biden responded to her by saying... Read more
A priest friend who works at a college on Long Island posted this on his Facebook page this morning: It’s another cloudy day here on Long Island. It’s dark with out power and hard to get around with so many trees down. Dark, no energy and cut off. For many it seems bleak. What lies ahead seems overwhelming, clean up, rebuilding, starting over, and for students catching up. I believe down deep we humans have amazing strength and resilience. For... Read more
Details: Communities along the East Coast are still reeling from the effects of Superstorm Sandy, and now officials in storm-ravaged areas have postponed Halloween festivities and trick-or-treating. Anticipating a long-term recovery effort, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie promised to reschedule Halloween if conditions do not improve by Wednesday evening. “If conditions are not safe on Wednesday for trick or treating, I will sign an Executive Order rescheduling Halloween,” Christie tweeted Monday night. The storm knocked out power to more than... Read more
Looking for preaching ideas for next year? Look no further. I’m honored and humbled to be a part of this new book, “Hungry and You Fed Me: Homilies and Reflections for Cycle C,” which collects sermons from a wide range of sources and puts them between covers for the first time, with sales going to benefit several homeless charities in the greater Trenton area. Kudos to Deacon Jim Knipper, of the Diocese of Trenton, who spearheaded this project and served... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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