As more men prepare to commit their lives to serving the people of God during this ordination season—and as 12 men from the Diocese of Brooklyn prepare to lay down their lives before the Lord Saturday morning—I offer for them this prayer. It is one of many excellent prayers contained in the handy book Ordained to Serve, edited by Denis Robinson, O.S.B. It is an adaptation of a traditional morning prayer:  + O Master and holy God, who are beyond... Read more

From CNN: Twenty-six people have been killed in Egypt after unidentified gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians, according to state-run media. The passengers were traveling Friday to a monastery, St. Samuel the Confessor, near the central city of Minya when they came under attack, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Mugahed told TV al-Masriya. He said that 25 others were also injured as the gunmen fired from two cars on a desert road around 100 km (62 miles) west... Read more

From Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island: Brothers and sisters, we’re living in an age of lists. Just surf the internet and you’ll find a list about almost any conceivable topic – some serious, some silly, and some downright bizarre. For example, in just a ten-minute search of a couple of websites, I found the following lists: 18 ways your phone has ruined your life; 17 memes for anyone who dislikes children; 13 bizarre things you can do with a... Read more

You may know that Jeannie Gaffigan had surgery for a brain tumor recently. Well, get a load of this example of husbandly love: comedian Jim Gaffigan removes some of the embarrassment  of his wife having to use a feeding tube by finding the humor in it, and helping to feed her. He posted this video (seen above) today on Facebook. God bless them both. Read more

From The Daily Mail:  When Melania Trump recited The Lord’s Prayer before a Melbourne, Florida presidential rally in February, the Internet went hog wild. Now we know one reason why the first lady began with ‘Let us pray’ and ‘Our Father who art in heaven’ when she introduced the president that evening: She’s a practicing Roman Catholic. Her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham confirmed that to DailyMail.com on Wednesday, hours after Pope Francis blessed a rosary for her at the Vatican. The... Read more

Details:  Militants linked to Islamic State swept through a southern Philippine city, beheading a police chief, burning buildings, seizing a Roman Catholic priest and his worshippers and raising the black flag of Isis, regional authorities have said. President Rodrigo Duterte, who had declared martial law across the southern third of the country, warned he may expand it nationwide. At least 21 people were killed in the fighting, officials said. As details of the attack in Marawi emerged, fears mounted that... Read more

The Vatican announced last month that “the number of deacons is increasing on every continent at a significant pace,” so it’s good to see people are giving all those deacons something to do. Take note of how our Orthodox siblings are keeping them busy, with this video from Russia, honoring the arrival of the relics of St. Nicholas: https://www.facebook.com/yermilow/videos/vb.100007351921029/1876496772605369/?type=2&theater Details: Thousands of people lined up for hours in Moscow on Monday to venerate the relics of Saint Nicholas, believed by Orthodox... Read more

From The Hollywood Reporter: Arclight Films on Thursday unveiled new drama Fatima, starring Harvey Keitel and Sonia Braga (Aquarius). The film, currently in preproduction, will be directed by Marco Pontecorvo (Partly Cloudy With Sun). Based on a true story, the film dramatizes the story of three children who said they witnessed several apparitions of the Virgin Mary sharing apocalyptic prophecies in Fatima, Portugal. Two of them died during a 1918-1917 influenza pandemic and were made saints last week by Pope... Read more

Only hours before the historic meeting between the pontiff and the president, bomb disposal experts are at work tightening security around the Vatican. Check out the video below. .@EWTN Rome bureau footage of police and bomb disposal experts securing Vatican area before @realDonaldTrump's arrival tomorrow @NCRegister pic.twitter.com/VXAtUUXm5B — Edward Pentin (@EdwardPentin) May 23, 2017 Meantime, the schedule Wednesday will be pretty full: Melania Trump, wife of President Donald Trump, will visit the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital after the couple... Read more

From The Compass, the story: Robert Hornacek regularly asks questions as a reporter for WLUK FOX 11 News, but it was a question asked of him that led to his faith journey and, eventually, the diaconate. Bob Hornacek was ordained a deacon by Bishop David Ricken on Saturday, May 13, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. He will serve his home parish, St. Matthew in Allouez. Deacon Hornacek grew up in the Milwaukee area. He was baptized Lutheran, but his family... Read more