A lot of us know the story. It was the autumn of 1621. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, after a rich harvest, the men, women and children who had survived the first year in the New World gathered for a feast to offer thanks. One of the pilgrims wrote at the time: “By the goodness of God, we are so far from want.” What was it like? I did a little Googling and found that the menu for that first Thanksgiving had... Read more
See how these Christians in Rhode Island love one another: Twenty years ago, a Catholic diocese would have never made room for the First Baptist Church congregation in a place where Catholics came to worship, says the Rev. Dorian Parker. But one generous gesture on behalf of the Diocese of Providence has allowed the 30-or-so members of the Baptist Church to celebrate their faith inside a Catholic chapel in nearby North Smithfield. The First Baptist Church, at Blackstone Street, Woonsocket, has... Read more
All-powerful and ever-living God, when Abraham left his own land and departed from his own people, you kept him safe all through his journey. Protect us, who also are your servants: walk by our side to help us; be our companion and our strength on the road and our refuge in every adversity. Lead us, O Lord, so that we will reach our destination in safety and happily return to our homes. We ask this through Christ our Lord. R.... Read more
“My dear brothers and sisters: please know that we miss you, we love you, and we hope you will rejoin our Catholic family for our Sunday Mass. Some of you have drifted away from the Church and have been waiting for a good time to return. I pray that you will consider this the time to join us on our faith journey toward Heaven. The sacred teachings of the Church offer guidance, direction and meaning in a world where so... Read more
This caused a sensation when it hit the news a couple weeks ago. Now, something is being done about it: The Catholic Church in Germany says it will act “without delay” to sell its stake in a publishing company that offers pornography among its products. “We cannot earn money during the week with what we preach against on Sundays,” Cardinal Joachim Meisner told Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper Nov. 22. The Weltbild Publishing Group is one of Germany’s largest publishers, with an annual... Read more
From our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Church, some news out of Moscow: The Holy Belt of Virgin, one of the most venerated relics of the Orthodox Christian world, has arrived in the Russian capital after a tour of the country which began Oct. 24 from St. Petersburg. Over 50 thousand faithful went to the at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in the first two days of exposure (19 to 20 November), where it is on display until... Read more
One way to cut costs this Christmas season: Read more
A reader sent this my way: a long and comprehensive look at where deacons are thriving, where they aren’t, and why: In 1967, Pope Paul VI issued general norms for the restoration of the permanent diaconate where requested by episcopal conferences. More than four decades later, 46 percent of the Church’s 37,203 permanent deacons serve in the United States, according to figures published in the 2011 Catholic Almanac, while an additional 5 percent serve in other parts of North America. A... Read more
“I’m a devout Catholic and I honor my faith and love it . . . but [Catholic health care providers] have this conscience thing…’’ — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Read here for context. Read more
One of the angels of the City of Angels is gone. Details: Funeral services were pending Monday for the Rev. Maurice Chase, a Catholic priest known as “Father Dollar Bill” for his holiday giveaways of $1 bills to the homeless on Skid Row. Chase, 92, died Sunday night at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer, according to his nephew, Robert Boyd. “He was a really great, colorful, wonderful man,” he said. Chase was a fixture on... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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