These ladies are walking the walk: The heat index in McAllen, Texas was 125 degrees on Saturday, but that did not stop members of the pro-life movement from delivering a semi-truck full of supplies and thousands of dollars in aid to respite centers at the border of the United States and Mexico. The #BottlestotheBorder campaign, launched by New Wave Feminists in partnership with And Then There Were None (ATTWN), collected more than $120,000 worth of supplies and donated more than... Read more
From Pew: Pew Research Center just published its 10th annual report analyzing restrictions on religion (by both governments and individuals or groups in society) around the world. This year’s report differs from past reports because it focuses on changes that have occurred over the course of a decade, covering 2007 to 2017, rather than emphasizing year-to-year variations. Here are key findings from the report: Government restrictions on religion have increased globally between 2007 and 2017 in all four categories studied: favoritism of religious... Read more
This video from Nashville is sweeping the interwebs, but it has a backstory: A video showing customers inside the Rivergate Chick-Fil-A bursting into song is making the rounds on social media. It shows dozens of people giving an acappella rendition of “Lean On Me”. The video was originally posted by Jake Jones on Facebook. He says his group started the song because they were training at the Acappella Company’s Worship Leader Institute. You can check it out below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1U_oIvLvxs But... Read more
Sunday’s Gospel parable on The Good Samaritan offered a lesson in shared humanity, compassion and mercy. Here’s another lesson, which started circulating on social media over the weekend, via the Facebook page Spotlight: At U2 concerts in the early 90’s, a regular part of the show featured criticism of George H.W. Bush. In fact, frontman Bono used to call the White House in the middle of the concert to try to get a chance to speak to the 41st President.... Read more
Part of his message for World Migration Day, 1996: The Church considers the problem of illegal migrants from the standpoint of Christ, who died to gather together the dispersed children of God (cf. Jn 11:52), to rehabilitate the marginalized and to bring close those who are distant, in order to integrate all within a communion that is not based on ethnic, cultural or social membership, but on the common desire to accept God’s word and to seek justice. “God shows... Read more
Some surprising and challenging advice: The papal vicar for Rome has asked every pastor in the diocese to form a “pastoral team” of about a dozen “courageous explorers” to help launch a new neighborhood missionary outreach. “Don’t go looking for those who have shown they are prudent, measured and detail-oriented,” Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the papal vicar, wrote in a letter to pastors July 11. Instead, he said, the team should be made up of “people who draw outside the... Read more
Yes, he Went There: From a reader… QUAERITUR: The Roman Catechism (Trent) says that a couple should abstain from the marital act at least three days before receiving Holy Communion. I have read that this, though still advisable, is not required under current law. Please advise? Thanks and Jesus and Mary be with you. In a section concerning the ends of marriage, the Roman Catechism – intended to improve the preaching of priests in parishes – temporary abstinence from the marital act... Read more
From USA TODAY: Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A, made the decision when he started the fast-food company in 1946 that it would not be open on Sundays. He believed that the first day of the week should be for employees to have “one day to rest and worship if they choose.” The decision, based on deeply held principles, is even more extraordinary given what Chick-fil-A gives up financially. Chick-fil-A had revenue of more than $10 billion in 2018, according to the company’s... Read more
“We defend the right of the nation to make sure its borders are secure, but we also defend the right of people to be treated honestly, justly, and fairly as children of God.” NPR talks with one parish priest in Baltimore, Father Bruce Lewandowski, who describes the atmosphere in his community: LEWANDOWSKI: On Sunday morning, I open up the church. This particular Sunday was a couple of weeks ago. I opened up the church, and there was a van of... Read more
“Who is my neighbor?” We look around this morning and see those around us in the pews, and we know them. We see them on the street. We pass them in the grocery store. We wait with them in line in the bank. Maybe they live in our building, or we see them every morning on the subway. We recognize them. These, we tell ourselves, are our neighbors. But the message of this Gospel parable tells us something shocking. It... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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