“During Mass the priest becomes identified with Christ. He is really Ipse Christus, Christ Himself.” Cardinal Robert Sarah marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination yesterday, and at a Mass in St. Peter’s offered some thoughts on the priesthood in his homily — translated here by Joan Lewis: What I have become I also owe to my parents: Alexandre and Marie Claire. The priest – here is the most magnificent work, the most generous gift that God has given to... Read more
Saturday, I found myself in scenic Hamburg, Pennsylvania, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, speaking at the convocation of deacons for the Diocese of Allentown. It was a great day — and one memorable aspect was the location, St. Mary Parish. The parish history — and a plaque outside — notes that the original church was dedicated by Bishop John Neumann. The new church, built about two decades ago, is lovely, and the expansive facility, with numerous offices and... Read more
From Vatican News: “Angels Unawares” is a life-size sculpture in bronze and clay, that depicts a group of migrants and refugees from different cultural and racial backgrounds and from diverse historic periods in time. The figures stand together, shoulder to shoulder, huddled on a raft. Within this diverse crowd of people, angel wings emerge from the centre, suggesting the presence of something sacred among them. In fact, the sculptural work interprets the belief that the sacred is to be found... Read more
The first song that popped into my mind wasn’t by Willie Nelson — “On the Road Again” — by Billy Joel. Take it away, Billy. I’m heading to the Diocese of Allentown (by way of Harrisburg) to speak to deacons and their wives at their convocation. Please pray for us! Read more
“Let the light of your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress…” Now seems a good time to take these words to heart, from America’s first bishop, written in 1791. Background: Archbishop Carroll wrote the following prayer for our newly formed government on November 10, 1791, to be recited in parishes throughout his diocese. The text of the prayer below is taken from the National Catholic Register. Let us pray: We pray, O almighty and eternal God, who through Jesus Christ has... Read more
Philadelphia’s Archbishop Charles Chaput turns 75 today — and speculation heats up about who will succeed him. Author and professor Kathleen Sprows Cummings has some ideas about who she’d like to see in the job, and offers some suggestions in today’s Inquirer: I hope that Pope Francis will appoint a man who is more pastoral than polarizing, a man who seeks a church that is less powerful but more relevant, a man more inclined to listen rather than condemn. Such... Read more
Hey, a shoutout from the Holy Father today! See below. I’ll just note this: Francis says, “The deacon is not for the altar, but for service…When a deacon likes to go to the altar too often, he is mistaken. This is not his path.” Well, okay — to a point. It would be more accurate to say, “The deacon is not only for the altar…” Service at the altar is one of the distinct callings of diaconal ministry. The altar,... Read more
From Reuters: Just before dawn, Shainkiam Yampik beats a drum carved from a tree trunk at the start of a Roman Catholic prayer service in Wijint, a hamlet of thatched-roof huts in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. Whispering “Jesusan namanguinde,” or “the body of Christ” in the tongue of the indigenous Achuar people, Yampik gives communion bread to villagers in a small chapel amid a loud chorus of birds and insects outside. A tribal elder with 10 grown children,... Read more
From Sooner Catholic in Oklahoma: Deacon Richard Thibodeau has played a major role in creating a new program at Mercy Health Center called “No One Dies Alone.” As its name implies, Thibodeau and a group of volunteers work to ensure that people who are near death have someone to help them transition in a dignified manner. “This is a real ministry of compassion,” he said. Thibodeau has served as chaplain at Mercy for five years. He also is a... Read more
Whoever follows Archbishop Chaput has his work cut out for him. Details: Much like the figures showing attendance at Sunday Masses dropping in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, two other key indicators of vitality in the local church also are in steep decline, and have been for more than a half-century. The reception of the sacraments of baptism and marriage have declined dramatically in the archdiocese since 1961, according to statistics from the archdiocesan Office for Parish Service and Support. While the Mass... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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