One priest offers his perspective on the music many teenagers hear at youth liturgies: Will the kids today who are raised on a diet of Praise and Worship continue to practice the Faith when they are no longer of that age middle-aged people in the Church want to cater to? I don’t know. But my experience has brought me to reflect on why Praise and Worship Music is not appropriate for the liturgy: 1. P&W music assumes that praise is... Read more
Now it can be told. A palliative care nurse sums it up: The top regrets center largely around living a more authentic life: 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. […] 3. I... Read more
While some bishops are calling for a return to the discipline of giving up meat on Fridays, at least one writer says we should skip fish, too. Snip: Catholic bishops in the U.K. want to reinstate year-round meatless Fridays, which sounds great to me, except for one thing: They still seem to think that fish are swimming vegetables. Like all other animals killed for food, fish are sentient beings who value their lives. Research on fish intelligence abounds, revealing that fish use... Read more
The TODAY Show is continuing its extensive coverage of Vatican stuff — and Matt Lauer had a chat this morning with Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Check out more of the coverage and a number of intriguing videos right here. UPDATE: Turns out the inspiration for this week’s trip was none other than the late, great Tim Russert. Read all about it. He’s sorely missed. Read more
From the conference website: Deacon Bernard V. Nojadera, of the Diocese of San Jose, California, and director of the diocese’s Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults, has been named head of the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection. He begins his position August 15 and succeeds Teresa Kettelkamp, who has headed the office since 2005. Deacon Nojadera has headed the San Jose diocesan child protection office since 2002. Prior to that he was pastoral associate,... Read more
A retired Brooklyn auxiliary bishop, Joseph Sullivan, is offering his perspective on how Catholics view gays and lesbians — and suggests it may be evolving. From the Buffalo News: One need only flip through some of today’s cable news channels to witness how some of our society’s most sensitive public policy matters are overly simplified in black-and-white terms, in which only the most strident voices seem to get heard. Of those many hotly debated issues, the rights of the lesbian,... Read more
Good question. And one that James Martin and the good people at Loyola Productions answer in this newly released (online, anyway) segment from the video “Who Cares About the Saints?” Longtime readers know I’m a big Merton fan. Take a look. (And, maybe it’s just me, but I can’t help but think Merton bears an uncanny resemblance to Deacon Scott Dodge…) Read more
“In Matthew’s gospel, before Jesus ascends, he tells them, very simply, ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.’ He urges them to baptize, to teach, to carry on the work that he has begun. But his first direction is so clear: ‘Go.’ The world is waiting. Act on what I have taught you. And the reading from Acts even challenges them. As they have watched him disappear into the clouds, two men ask them: ‘Men of Galilee, why are... Read more
Evidently, Matt Lauer and company will be offering an extended look at life at the Vatican — including a day in the life of the pope, and more. Over a “Whispers,” Rocco has posted a tease video, featuring a sweet moment when Lauer got to meet Benedicit (under the bear paw of the always-affable Archbishop Timothy Dolan.) Whether by accident or design, the coverage comes just ahead of World Communications Day this Sunday. Take a look. Read more
Details, from Catholic News Service: It will happen for just one Sunday in June, but on that day, dozens of houses of worship across the United States will open their pulpits to clergy from the other two Abrahamic faiths to read from their scriptures. The project, called Faith Shared, is set for June 26. A few synagogues and mosques are among those that have signed up for the initiative, as well as Christian communities across the denominational spectrum, including one... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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