The Deacon's Bench
Mine does. Oscar Hammerstein once wrote, “All the sounds of the earth are like music.” Here’s the 21st century version of that idea, cleverly conceived and executed. Read more
Mine does. Oscar Hammerstein once wrote, “All the sounds of the earth are like music.” Here’s the 21st century version of that idea, cleverly conceived and executed. Read more
This would be funny, if it were’t true. Virginia is about to pass a bill that would require pregnant women to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion. Details: It’s one of several anti-abortion bills now moving through the General Assembly. Others would give legal rights to unborn children, prohibit abortions after 20 weeks unless a woman’s life or physical well-being is at risk, and further limit public funding for some abortions. But wait. There’s more: Sen. Janet Howell,... Read more
“Now is the time for all good Catholics to come to the aid of providers—the schools, hospitals, charities, and soup kitchens who serve communities in need without asking affiliations. And, in coming together, perhaps now is the time to ponder their long-held presumptions, each about the other, and broaden our own outreach as well. If nothing else, in declaring war against our consciences, the Obama administration has given American Catholics a great gift of clarification; a fractious family we may... Read more
Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan prays the rosary on steps of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He’s on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land this week. Read more. Photo by Bob Mullen/The Catholic Photographer/NY Daily News Read more
And another Catholic institution gives up its affiliation with the Church. Details: As of Feb. 1, 2012, Catholic Social Services of Southern Illinois will become Christian Social Services of Illinois (CSS). CSS has chosen to become independent of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville in order to adhere to the new State of Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act and to avoid closing the agency. The focus of the premier social services agency will continue to be high quality... Read more
I can relate: Read more
The New York Times (!) has a sympathetic and moving look at his daughter Bella’s illness, and how it has shaped Santorum’s life and affected his campaign: Isabella Santorum, the fragile 3-year-old daughter of Rick Santorum, has pulled through again. She came down with pneumonia over the weekend, a frightening turn of events given that Bella, as she is known, received a diagnosis of a fatal chromosomal disorder called Trisomy 18 shortly after her birth and has lived longer than... Read more
For those of us who still have warm, fuzzy feelings for Bueller, try this: a new Honda ad, set to debut during the Super Bowl, but getting an early push on the interwebs. To Honda and Broderick all I can say is: “Danke shoen.” Read more
Details: The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Monday arrested a Bronx woman who is accused of stealing more than $1 million from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York when she worked in the archdiocese’s finance office, law enforcement officials and church leaders said. The woman, Anita Collins, 67, had been previously convicted of grand larceny in one case and had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in another case, but the archdiocese said it did not know of those legal... Read more
Several months ago, the folks at Deacon Digest asked me if I might have anything interesting to contribute to a special issue devoted to preaching. Well, I didn’t. But they printed it anyway. Now you can find that essay — “Pray, Prepare, Practice: How I Put Together My Homilies” — here at Patheos. A snip: I can still remember trying out my first homily for an audience of one: my wife. My wife is an actress, and a great lector.... Read more
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