My suitcase is getting a real work out. Thirty six hours after returning from Rome, I’m headed back to the airport early Wednesday and flying to St. Louis for the 2016 Catholic Media Conference and Catholic Press Association awards. I’m going from the land of cardinals like Sandri and Turkson to the home of Cardinals like Peralta and Hazelbaker. I’m packing my laptop, so I’ll be in touch. As the slogan for this year’s conference puts it: “Tweet me in... Read more
The actress, singer and former Miss America sent out the news on Twitter: They wed on July 4, 2015 in style in front of friends and family. But Vanessa Williams and Jim Skrip – both 53-years-old – wanted to say I do all over again, this time in her own church. On Monday the couple kissed after they took their vows, sharing the moment on Instagram. The Ugly Betty vet wrote in her caption, ‘Yesterday we took one last walk down... Read more
Details, via Crux: Thousands of Syrian Christian children, led by their bishops and patriarchs, are coming together to pray for peace, and Pope Francis is asking other children from around the world to join them. “Next Wednesday, June 1, marking the International Day for Protection of Children, the Christian community of Syria, be it Catholic and Orthodox, will live together a special prayer for peace, which will have the children as the protagonists,” Pope Francis on Sunday. “Syrian children invite... Read more
From Vatican Radio, highlights of the pope’s homily this morning—which spoke in a special way of service in light of The Visitation: May 31st was the final day of the month dedicated to Mary and the Pope used the day’s readings to illustrate Mary’s courage, her helping hand and concern for others and above all her joy, a joy, he said, that fills our hearts and gives meaning and a new direction to our lives. Referring to Mary’s visit to her... Read more
This morning, Max Lindenman offers this astute critique of one of the most talked-about stories of the long weekend: For a Christian, the progression is all too predictable: With God, who created mankind alone in His image, struck from the equation, we’re hard pressed to name what inherent value any of us has that a gorilla – especially an endangered western lowland gorilla – might lack. If our only concern is meeting some quota, then, yes, we might as well... Read more
An interesting form of justice, to say the least: Judge William Mallory enjoys handing out creative sentences from his bench over at the Hamilton County Courthouse. But the one he meted out in his Municipal Court room Wednesday wasn’t even his idea. And boy, oh boy did he like it. Instead of sending Jake Strotman to jail on a misdemeanor attempted assault conviction, Mallory sent the 23-year-old Catholic to a Baptist church for the next 12 Sundays. Before you go getting into a snit, you should know the sentence was Strotman’s idea. To... Read more
This is fascinating: the complete text of a recent speech from Archbishop Georg Gänswein, who serves both Pope Emeritus Benedict and Pope Francis. Diane Montagna reports: According to an article last week in the National Catholic Register, the Prefect of the Pontifical Household, who is also Benedict’s personal secretary, told a conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University on May 20 that there are not two popes, but “de facto an expanded ministry — with an active member and a contemplative member.”... Read more
Details: He’s now a first responder for the man upstairs. Retired FDNY Captain Tom Colucci saw his longtime dream of becoming a Catholic priest realized Saturday when he was ordained during a special ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. “God’s been very good to me,” a humble Father Colucci said following the service officiated by Timothy Cardinal Dolan. “I’m most excited about working with the people and bringing them to God.” Firefighters from Colucci’s past FDNY assignments in the Bronx, Chelsea... Read more
One of the more challenging and memorable experiences I had in Rome was ascending to the top of the dome, or cupola, at St. Peter’s. Let’s just say: this isn’t for the faint of heart. In every sense. My friend Deacon Doug Breckenridge from Dallas asked me if I wanted to give it a shot—there would be a lot of steps, he warned me—and I said, “Why not?” My wife wasn’t interested, so I made the trip solo. Early last... Read more
That reportedly sets the record for this season: the largest diaconal ordination class in the country. Details: On Saturday, May 28, 2016, the Archdiocese of San Antonio and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS held Mass at St. Mary’s University for the largest class of deacon’s (29 total) to be ordained in the United States. [img attachment=”105258″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”13267944_1294598047221542_5563704589150676794_n” /] Photo: Veronica Markland / Today’s Catholic Congratulations and welcome, brothers! Ad multos annos! Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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