At least one observer was pleasantly surprised at what unfolded Sunday night on the hit CBS series “Madam Secretary”: In the world of entertainment, if a single woman faces an unplanned pregnancy after sleeping with a man she barely knows, that man ends up dying and thus can’t help her support the baby, and her parents are “church people” who she fears may judge her, abortion is almost always the automatic answer given as a solution to her dilemma.  On... Read more

From the U.K.:  For decades traditional hymns such as “Abide with Me” and “The Lord Is My Shepherd” have been staples at British funerals. But their popularity is waning as more people opt instead for cheerier secular songs. A shift to more balanced ceremonies which involve celebration as well as mourning has driven an increase in pop songs and poems. Alison Crake, president of the National Association of Funeral Directors said that popular music was “certainly becoming more commonplace” at... Read more

When I led the retreat for the deacon candidates and their wives this past weekend, I mentioned to those attending that there are a few books that I think are invaluable. They’d make useful additions to any deacon’s library. To wit: Ordained to Serve: Prayers and Blessings for Deacons, edited by  Father Denis Robinson, O.S.B.  This book is a treasure trove; it includes (among many resources) prayers for the day of ordination, prayers before preaching, blessings for vestments and prayers... Read more

And ordination season is off and running. From The Catholic Review:  Kevin Hostutler’s path to a religious vocation was shaped by two fathers. He was one of eight men ordained to the permanent diaconate for the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Archbishop William E. Lori May 6 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. Participants in the liturgy included Monsignor Joseph L. Luca, his pastor at St. Louis in Clarksville, a leader in producing men and women for religious... Read more

From Politico:  Tiffany Trump, the 23-year-old daughter of President Donald Trump, will be attending Georgetown Law School in the fall, a representative for the family confirmed. She had previously toured Harvard Law School last December, as well as Columbia and New York University law schools. But her chosen school is much closer to her father and half-sister Ivanka Trump. The law school is about a mile-and-a-half walk from the White House and is ranked 15 by U.S. News and World... Read more

Details:  Patrick Beverley fought back tears and pounded the post-game podium table hours after being informed that his grandfather had died on Sunday. The Rockets’ guard scored 10 points and dished six assists in 26 minutes to help Houston claim a 125-104 home win over San Antonio in Game 4, but his mind was on Rheese Morris, “the man of the house” who Beverley said helped raise him and nine of his cousins and siblings. Shortly after Beverley awoke from... Read more

A little news from the other side of the world: Last month, the Catholic Church in Mumbai appointed two married men — one of them a former business executive, the other a former journalist — as deacons. A deacon ranks lower than a priest and can perform most of the religious work that a priest does, but he cannot conduct mass, hear confessions and administer the sacrament called anointing the sick. They can preach, baptize, bless marriages and visit the... Read more

Details:  The Rev. John Arnone, a popular former pastor who taught at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, died Friday (May 5) from complications associated with heart surgery. He was 49. Known as a “priest’s priest,” Arnone was well regarded for his open and unassuming approach to ministry, said the Rev. Jim Wehner, rector at Notre Dame Seminary. “From our standpoint, Pope Francis has been challenging the Catholic Church to be very hands on and very accessible, and I think our Father... Read more