A terrific talk — and a very timely one, I think — from one of my favorite preachers, Fr. Robert Barron. (Hey, when are they gonna make him a monsignor — or better, yet, a bishop?) His message: God’s grace is everywhere, even among those we might not expect. Read more
Here’s a blast from the past — nearly 40 years ago, incredibly. It’s a little Palm Sunday cinema, from Norman Jewison’s “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1973. (For an altogether different interp, check out this clip of the same number from a revival done in London and on Broadway a few years ago. The original was better, imho.) Read more
It feels good to sit down, doesn’t it? When I was a kid, I was impatient. I used to dread going to church on Palm Sunday. There was a long mass and all the standing for the gospel, and I couldn’t wait to sit down. It was probably the only Sunday I looked forward to the homily. But lately, I’ve come to think of Palm Sunday differently. After what we’ve heard and said and experienced over the last 15 minutes,... Read more
It feels good to sit down, doesn’t it? When I was a kid, I was impatient. I used to dread going to church on Palm Sunday. There was a long mass and all the standing for the gospel, and I couldn’t wait to sit down. It was probably the only Sunday I looked forward to the homily. But lately, I’ve come to think of Palm Sunday differently. After what we’ve heard and said and experienced over the last 15 minutes,... Read more
Tomorrow is World Circus Day and, in lieu of a Clown Mass, the Vatican is offering something a little more serious. From CNS: The rights of circus and carnival workers must be protected and circus animals must be properly cared for and treated ethically, said a top Vatican official. Archbishop Antonio Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers, made the remarks in a message marking World Circus Day, celebrated April 16. “The church recognizes the social, cultural, and... Read more
So it seems. It reportedly happened at La Salle (my father’s alma mater) in Philadelphia. Details: A La Salle University professor, Jack Rappaport, has been suspended for allegedly hiring strippers to give lap dances at an extra-credit seminar on business ethics. Rappaport was in the front of the classroom and three bikini-clad and miniskirted women were on top of him giving him a lap dance, according to Brad Bernardino, a sophomore at La Salle who attended the March 21 session. At various... Read more
The great John Allen has some wise words about building “zones of friendship” with a divided and often polarized Church: Tensions surrounding Catholic identity are very much in the air these days, and when they erupt they’re always a prescription for heartburn. People who regard themselves as authentically Catholic rarely enjoy being be told they’re not, or that they’re only selectively so. Likewise, people who believe the faith they treasure is being misrepresented, or distorted, or eviscerated from within, typically... Read more
From a man who knew a thing or two about living… “We’re going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you’re born to die.” — Walter Bruening, the world’s oldest man, who died yesterday at the age of 114. Read more. Read more
And it’s one of several interpretations of this popular devotion now thriving in Orlando — and around the world. From Florida Catholic: History traces rudimentary elements of the Way of the Cross to the second century and the devotion as celebrated today to the Middle Ages. There are many expressions with varying stations, but all focus on Jesus’ final days of earthly life. Here in the Orlando Diocese, expressions of that journey are vibrant, compelling, alive. “It was exactly what... Read more
A deacon in Atlanta is taking those words of Jesus to heart — and he’s living them as part of a vital and vibrant ministry. From the Georgia Bulletin: The Prison and Jail Ministry of the Atlanta Archdiocese aims to make stronger links between parishioners and Catholics behind bars.Inmates should have a sacramental presence in their lives, said Deacon Richard Tolcher, a retired federal chaplain who is now the ministry leader. Prisoners can at times wait a month between Masses... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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