[This weekend, we mark the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, which serves as the feast day for my parish, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs. We are in the middle of a centennial celebration for the parish, so we’re marking that feast in a special way at all the weekend Masses. Below is my homily for the occasion, which has less to do with this weekend’s scripture and more to do with honoring the patroness of our parish — DGK]... Read more
A few reporters squeezed into the hall and one of them was from the New York Times: The evening was billed as an opportunity to hear two Catholic celebrities discuss how joy and humor infuse their spiritual lives. They both delivered, with surprises and zingers that began the moment the two walked onstage. Mr. Colbert went to shake Cardinal Dolan’s hand, but the cardinal took Mr. Colbert’s hand and kissed it — a disarming role reversal for a big prelate... Read more
From the Vatican website: A Melkite Greek Catholic deacon presents the Gospel Book to be venerated by Pope Benedict in Lebanon. Read more
With all the news this week about the retirement of Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, one detail that went largely unmentioned was his diocese’s lack of deacons. The diocese has a significant number of priests, of which the bishop is justly proud. But deacons are another matter. According to the diocesan website, there are 150 priests serving 134 parishes and 96,000 Catholics. There are 44 seminarians and 141 religious sisters. The number of permanent deacons? 3. It was widely... Read more
He appeared at Fordham University last night, in a conversation with Stephen Colbert that was moderated by Fr. James Martin, SJ. Here’s part of the cardinal’s opening remarks: My assignment was to share with you for a few moments what you might call the theological reasons for laughter. Why would a person of faith be cheerful? Why is a crabby believer a contradiction? Here’s my reason for joy: the cross. You heard me right: the cross of Christ! See, when... Read more
It couldn’t be a more timely or urgent declaration. Details: Pope Benedict XVI presented a major document calling on Catholics in the Middle East to engage in dialogue with Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim neighbors, but also to affirm and defend their right to live freely in the region where Christianity was born. In a ceremony at the Melkite Catholic Basilica of St. Paul in Harissa, Pope Benedict signed and formally delivered a 90-page document of his reflections on the 2010... Read more
A reader sent this my way with a note: “Don’t these guys understand how bad this looks to the public, especially when the won’t consent to talk about the decision but hide behind Canon Law?” Details: The Diocese of Joliet is not denying that the Rev. F. Lee Ryan had inappropriate sexual relations with a minor. But Ryan is being returned to the ministry based the Vatican’s interpretation of an obscure tenet of canon law that suggests such conduct can... Read more
Details: Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.), who has four adoptive children of African American, Hispanic, and Native American descent, said on Friday that Planned Parenthood “was created for the sole purpose of killing children that look like mine.” “Like the pro-slavery forces who invaded Kansas, the pro-abortion forces in Washington and elsewhere want us to believe that abortion is not murder — that being born is worse than death, that the unborn baby is property, not a person,” Huelskamp said at... Read more
“Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have attained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree... Read more
I’m in Washington for some meetings at the USCCB this week, and the gentleman in the picture sat next to me at dinner Thursday night. He introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Mike Lewis,” he said. I asked him what he does. “I’m a graphic designer for the USCCB,” he replied. I nodded. Long pause. “Remember the red foam finger?,” he said. “That was mine.” I nearly fell off my chair. “Really?!,” I said. “Incredible! I’m having dinner with the guy who... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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