Just watch this remarkable story from CBS News about one of Houston’s finest, Officer Bert Ramon. God love him. Peggy Noonan had men like him in mind when she wrote last week: If you gave just a few minutes to the news, you saw it all—the generosity and courage, the sense of community, of people who really care about each other. You saw the pontoons and air mattresses and bass boats and rowboats and pool floats in which people were... Read more

Here’s a sobering post that stands as a challenge to all of us in ministry who have families. (I’m looking at you, my brother deacons). This comes from the blog Blossoming Joy, by Melody Lyons, who describes herself as “homeschooling mama of 8 (plus one in the arms of Jesus). Married 19 years to Mr. Right. Every moment is Grace and my Joy is God’s Mercy. This is my place to seek His Beauty, give witness to Hope, and eat... Read more

This is a perennial favorite at diaconate ordinations—and understandably so. But it’s also increasingly popular at weddings, with a message of service and sacrifice that can’t fail to resonate. The work of New Zealand composer Richard Gillard, this is our offertory hymn this weekend. Read more

We’ve all been watching the tragedy unfolding down in Texas this past week, and following the stories of hardship and loss. It has been a time of almost unimaginable suffering. Our prayers are with so many people who have been hit hard by Hurricane Harvey, and all those who will be struggling with the aftermath for months, if not years, to come. On Thursday, The Washington Post published a story whose headline read, “With floodwaters rising and a rescue boat... Read more

His proclamation, signed Friday:  Hurricane Harvey first made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Rockport, Texas, on the evening of August 25, 2017.  The storm has since devastated communities in both Texas and Louisiana, claiming many lives, inflicting countless injuries, destroying or damaging tens of thousands of homes, and causing billions of dollars in damage.  The entire Nation grieves with Texas and Louisiana.  We are deeply grateful for those performing acts of service, and we pray for healing and... Read more

That’s just one of the earth-shaking insights offered in this short video clip. (Quick: check out the John Corbett interview. He’s a lot easier to look at.) Anyway: The intrepid, ever-resourceful Kate O’Hare conducted this interview last winter when we both found ourselves in Anaheim for the L.A. Religious Ed Congress.  (And, by the way: If the pope is reading this over his morning mate, the offer still stands. I’m still available for that interview…)   Read more

The actor is winning praise for his portrayal of an Episcopal priest in the new movie “All Saints.” And he admits to having a strong religious faith:  John Corbett’s relationship with God has been a long and complicated one. The actor, who is best known for his role as Carrie Bradshaw’s boyfriend Aidan on “Sex and The City,” began his journey of faith when he was a young boy in Catholic school. “I went to Catholic school for 12 years and... Read more

This is a wonderful gesture. Details: The Archdiocese of San Antonio announced several Hurricane Harvey relief efforts Thursday — including 90 days of free Catholic school tuition to children of evacuees — as bucket brigades of ordinary citizens, soldiers from Camp Bullis and students loaded up five U-Haul trucks. They were headed to Corpus Christi for those whose lives have been upended by the storm. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller also announced that the state’s bishops have asked all its parishes to... Read more

Details are sparse, but there is this from America: In a new book, Pope Francis reveals that he consulted a Jewish psychoanalyst once a week for six months when he was 42 years old and that it “helped me a lot at a moment in my life…when I needed to clarify things.” He disclosed this very personal detail of his life for the first time in a book-length interview with a French intellectual, Dominique Wolton, that will be published on Sept. 6, the... Read more

Details, from CNA:  Following the liberation of Mosul, Iraq, from the hands of the Islamic State, Christians are cautiously returning to the city. And as they return, so does the Mass. Fr. Luis Montes, a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, celebrated Mass earlier this month at Saint George Monastery. The priest traveled to Mosul to record part of a documentary entitled Guardianes de la Fe (Guardians of the Faith), which seeks to show the reality of life... Read more