The Deacon's Bench
Those who clicked on the Apple home page today saw this lovely, poignant tribute to the company’s founder, who died one year ago today. Read more
Those who clicked on the Apple home page today saw this lovely, poignant tribute to the company’s founder, who died one year ago today. Read more
The USCCB has just posted the latest figures. Details: How many Catholics are there in the United States? What was the total enrollment of Catholic elementary and high schools in the United States last year? How many people are served by Catholic hospitals annually? The answers to these questions (77.7 million, 2 million and 88.5 million, respectively) and many other facts and statistics about the life of the Catholic Church in the United States are compiled in a new guide,... Read more
Details from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The Archdiocese of Atlanta has directed its parishes, missions and schools to end support or participation in activities related to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In a memo dated Monday, the archdiocese acknowledged the beneficial work of Komen to raise awareness about breast cancer and treatment, but it criticized grants given by some Komen affiliates to Planned Parenthood because of that organization’s role as an abortion provider. The memo called any support for Planned... Read more
This is what happens when you have too much free time on your hands. You think up stuff like this. This is brought to you by the advertising geniuses behind Red Bull. Do not try this at home. Read more
Details: A Texas judge has decided to continue allowing, for now, a Southeast Texas high school’s cheerleaders to use run-through banners with biblical verses at football games. State District Judge Steve Thomas said Thursday at the end of a day of testimony that he needs more time to issue a final ruling. He extended a temporary order granted last month to allow the banners. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 18. Kountze High School cheerleaders have used run-throughs at football games... Read more
From the New York Daily News: Blessed be the critters. Timothy Cardinal Dolan welcomed some four-legged friends Thursday to St. Patricks’s Cathedral and gave each a blessing. The two dozen cats, dogs and rabbits — all rescued from city animal shelters — got Dolan’s undivided attention in observance of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of animals. The animals are all being cared for by the Wheels of Hope program of the Mayor’s Alliance... Read more
Details, from Reuters: The Vatican plans no more talks with rebel Catholic traditionalists who insist the Church must revoke modernizing reforms launched five decades ago, Pope Benedict’s main doctrinal official has told a German interviewer. Archbishop Gerhard Mueller, who took up his post as head of the powerful Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in July, said in an interview to be broadcast on Saturday that the Church could not negotiate away the fundamentals of its faith. His... Read more
The installation of Salvatore Cordileone as the new Archbishop of San Francisco was not lacking for drama, even before the event began. And on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the atmosphere in the city by the Bay was not exactly peaceable. The Episcopal bishop for the region, Marc Andrus, wrote the following “welcome” to his Catholic counterpart: Archbishop-designate Codelione and I share concerns for the treatment of immigrants to this country and reforming the United States’s immigration policies.... Read more
This video of dog being rescued in LA just got to me. God tries to reach us the way the rescuers worked to reach this wounded pup: with patience, tenderness and trust. And, yes, treats, too. Add in a little grace and the occasional minor miracle (cheeseburgers optional) and the next thing you know, we are hooked. Watch. Do you recognize yourself here? Read more
Oh yeah. It may be the ultimate Hail Mary pass (once you remember, of course, that Mary was a good Jewish girl…) Details, from the Los Angeles Times: It still seems a little strange when the starting quarterback at a Catholic high school is Jewish, but in reality, it has been happening so often that it’s no longer considered a big deal. Last season, Logan Scott and Jared Lebowitz were the starting quarterbacks at West Hills Chaminade and La Cañada... Read more
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