Tim Stanley, of the U.K.’s Catholic Herald, explains: I guess the two big questions to ask a convert are: why did you do it and are you happy? Answering the first point is hard. It’s like asking a man why he married a woman. There’s a temptation to invent a narrative – to say, “this happened, that happened and before we knew it we were where we are today”. But the simpler, yet more complex, answer is this: I fell... Read more
Tim Stanley, of the U.K.’s Catholic Herald, explains: I guess the two big questions to ask a convert are: why did you do it and are you happy? Answering the first point is hard. It’s like asking a man why he married a woman. There’s a temptation to invent a narrative – to say, “this happened, that happened and before we knew it we were where we are today”. But the simpler, yet more complex, answer is this: I fell... Read more
Another blissful day here in sunny Santa Cruz. We had plenty of down time today for prayer or walking the shore. Some of the people on retreat reported seeing dolphins and whales this morning. I just saw surfers and sailboats. As everyone knows, the most important part of any retreat is the food. Meals here have been uniformly excellent, prepared by a friendly and helpful staff. Saturday afternoon, we attended Mass at the tiny un-airconditioned chapel across the street from... Read more
Another blissful day here in sunny Santa Cruz. We had plenty of down time today for prayer or walking the shore. Some of the people on retreat reported seeing dolphins and whales this morning. I just saw surfers and sailboats. As everyone knows, the most important part of any retreat is the food. Meals here have been uniformly excellent, prepared by a friendly and helpful staff. Saturday afternoon, we attended Mass at the tiny un-airconditioned chapel across the street from... Read more
Soon after I landed in San Francisco on Friday—in the city named for the saint of peace—I felt I was in the right place. Who should I see waiting for someone at the gate, but these gals? Deacon Bill Ditewig and his lovely wife Diann met me outside my baggage claim area, and we were off to scenic Santa Cruz, where I’m leading a retreat for deacons and wives from the Diocese of Monterey. I gotta say: everyone here has... Read more
Details from The El Paso Times: The Catholic Church has always been steeped in tradition and not technology. On Saturday, two Catholic churches will break from tradition and take a step toward the digital age by adding a touch pad on a stand, called a kiosk, for people to make credit-card donations to the church or to other El Paso Catholic Diocese ministries. “Passing the basket and taking those gifts to the altar is a very important part of the... Read more
Soon after I landed in San Francisco on Friday—in the city named for the saint of peace—I felt I was in the right place. Who should I see waiting for someone at the gate, but these gals? Deacon Bill Ditewig and his lovely wife Diann met me outside my baggage claim area, and we were off to scenic Santa Cruz, where I’m leading a retreat for deacons and wives from the Diocese of Monterey. I gotta say: everyone here has... Read more
Details from The El Paso Times: The Catholic Church has always been steeped in tradition and not technology. On Saturday, two Catholic churches will break from tradition and take a step toward the digital age by adding a touch pad on a stand, called a kiosk, for people to make credit-card donations to the church or to other El Paso Catholic Diocese ministries. “Passing the basket and taking those gifts to the altar is a very important part of the... Read more
Today is the great saint’s feast day. The story of his martyrdom is well-known, but I’m not sure how many know the details about the man whose life he saved. It’s chronicled in Wikipedia: Franciszek Gajowniczek, a Roman Catholic, was born in Strachomin near Mińsk Mazowiecki. He lived in Warsaw since 1921, and had a wife and two sons. He was a professional soldier who took part in the defence of Wieluń as well as Warsaw in September 1939. He was captured by the Gestapo in Zakopane. He arrived at... Read more
I can’t believe it’s been two years. In 2013, on the Vigil of the Assumption, the pastor who had mentored me through my formation entered eternal life. Those who knew him will tell you: there was no one quite like Joe Funaro—a big man with a big personality, a big appetite (for food and for life) and a big heart. In 2007, when he and I sat down with our parish’s music director to plan my post-ordination Mass of Thanksgiving,... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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