From the USCCB: Let Us Gather at the Cross A statement from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops The assassination of Dallas police officers last night was an act of unjustifiable evil. To all people of good will, let us beg for the strength to resist the hatred that blinds us to our common humanity. To my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us gather at the Cross of Jesus. Our Savior suffered... Read more
From Bishop Kevin Farrell on his blog: The magnitude of the violence in downtown Dallas Thursday night is staggering. Five police officers were killed and seven other officers and two civilians were wounded in a deadly spate of gunfire at the conclusion of a peaceful march protesting recent killings of black men in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis. Our first concern is for the families who have lost loved ones in this tragic attack. We pray for consolation and healing for... Read more
Let us pray… O Mary, Help of Christians, in our need we turn to you with eyes of love, with empty hands and longing hearts. We look to you that we may see your Son, our Lord. We lift our hands that we may have the Bread of Life. We open wide our hearts to receive the Prince of Peace. Mother of the Church, your sons and daughters thank you for your trusting word that echoes through the ages, rising... Read more
A lot, according to Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, via CNS: Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of the journal La Civilta Cattolica, interviewed Cardinal Christoph Schonborn about Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” and reaction to it. The journal provided Catholic News Service with an English translation of the interview and its website — www.laciviltacattolica.it — was scheduled to post selections in English from the interview at 3 p.m. Rome time today. One excerpt: Cardinal Schonborn: It is obvious that this is... Read more
My friend Tom Zampino captures the culture at this moment: A culture that both celebrates and has become numb to the violence everywhere surrounding us – from mind-altering video games, to soul-crushing pornography, to an insatiable, profit-oriented, free-market economy imposing little or no restraint upon the abortion and euthanasia industries (perhaps the new alpha and omega of our age) – breeds only hatred, and bigotry, and contempt. And, perhaps most destructively of all, unbridled indifference to life and human suffering and death. As the Bishops keenly... Read more
This continues the monthly series of videos spotlighting the Holy Father’s prayer intentions. For July, he asks: That indigenous peoples, whose identity and very existence are threatened, will be shown due respect. A reflection on the topic: We are all familiar with the history of indigenous peoples, those people who already live in the land when immigrants arrive—the Native Americans in this country. In their encounters with other peoples, they often lost their land, their culture, and through war and disease,... Read more
From Crux: Pope Francis on Thursday named Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago to the Vatican’s all-important Congregation for Bishops, in effect positioning the Chicago prelate to help shape the next generation of bishops in the United States and around the world. The Congregation for Bishops is composed of roughly 30 senior prelates from around the world, and is the body that submits recommendations for new bishops’ appointments to the pope. Although the final decision is always up to the pontiff,... Read more
The news that Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican’s liturgy chief, is encouraging priests to start celebrating Mass ad orientem—facing East, or at least, “liturgical East”—has kicked up some controversy and sparked a lot of lively debate. I don’t have strong feelings about this one way or another. But I do have some feelings about how this proposed change, if and when it happens, should be handled in the parishes. Cardinal Sarah seems to believe this can happen quickly and without... Read more
The image above has been popping up on social media over the last 24 hours. It first appeared on Reddit. Its origin is otherwise unknown. It’s nothing if not blunt. I was reminded of another sign I saw not long ago, when I went to confession at St. Francis of Assisi in Manhattan: [img attachment=”110797″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”12038365_10208121767534410_4610001118290570707_n” /] Read more
You may remember this item from a couple weeks back. Now, some interesting takes on the thinking behind it, from the National Catholic Register: The Diocese of Helena’s policy permitting outdoor weddings is certainly historic, as outdoor Catholic weddings are almost unheard of in the United States. Canon law states that the normal setting for a Catholic wedding is the parish church; however, it also makes clear that the local bishop can allow a wedding “to be celebrated in another suitable... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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