Details: A recent survey by the Catholic Diocese of El Paso suggests many Catholics would like to see the church be more flexible on this sacred celebration, stating it is causing people to leave the church… …The findings are part of a 25-question survey by the Catholic Diocese of El Paso at the request of Pope Francis. The survey, offered in March, came after a meeting of Catholic bishops with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss topics related to... Read more
Hot on the heels of the attack on a church pulpit comes this news: In the capital city of the most Catholic state, parishes were tagged with scrawlings on walkways in front of church buildings. On the steps from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, the words “JESUS IS FALSE GOD” are written on what the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence says is part of the city-owned plaza. Over at Holy Ghost on Atwells Avenue, orange graffiti has been... Read more
A new documentary is telling his remarkable and courageous story: “He’s the only person I ever met whom I considered truly noble,” says noted Holocaust scholar, filmmaker and writer Michael Berenbaum, referring to Jan Karski, a Polish resistance fighter who warned Western leaders of the impending genocide of Europe’s Jews during World War II. Speaking at the screening of a new Polish documentary, “Karski & the Lords of Humanity,” at the recent Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, Berenbaum said, “I’ve... Read more
Over at Christian Crier, at the Patheos Evangelical Channel, writer Jack Wellman has some thoughts that may be of interest to deacons: Stephen’s name is derived from the Greek name “Stéfanos” and means “honor,” “wreath” or “crown” and Stephen may have been the first Christian martyr in the church. Stephen was a deacon in the 1st century church who was stoned to death for preaching the gospel. He also gave one of the greatest historical and apologetic sermons ever given... Read more
The massive exodus continues: Germans who are officially enrolled in congregation are subject to a “church tax,” and so disaffected Catholics have an incentive to drop their registration, rather than simply stop attending Mass. The number of Catholics taking that step has increased sharply in recent years. In 2013, 178,805 Catholics formally dropped off the parish rolls in Germany. In 2014 that figure jumped by 22%, to 217,716, according to official statistic released by the German bishops’ conference. The statistics... Read more
From Rome Reports: It’s a call to serve…a vocation to dedicate one’s life to the Church. But the question iswhat influences these seminarians to pursue the priesthood? A recent study in the U.S, shows that at least in the U.S, one of the main factors is the influence of local parish priests. Check out the video below. Read more
The massive exodus continues: Germans who are officially enrolled in congregation are subject to a “church tax,” and so disaffected Catholics have an incentive to drop their registration, rather than simply stop attending Mass. The number of Catholics taking that step has increased sharply in recent years. In 2013, 178,805 Catholics formally dropped off the parish rolls in Germany. In 2014 that figure jumped by 22%, to 217,716, according to official statistic released by the German bishops’ conference. The statistics... Read more
From Rome Reports: It’s a call to serve…a vocation to dedicate one’s life to the Church. But the question iswhat influences these seminarians to pursue the priesthood? A recent study in the U.S, shows that at least in the U.S, one of the main factors is the influence of local parish priests. Check out the video below. Read more
It’s in New Zealand: Nature can be a spiritual place for many, and in the Christian tradition, references to the environment abound. New Zealand businessman Barry Cox decided to turn his spiritual connection to nature into a literal sanctuary by building an entire church out of trees. Cox lives on a three-acre property on the country’s north island, and got inspiration for the church one day while surveying his land. “I walked out my back door one day and thought, ‘That space needs a church’... Read more
View image | gettyimages.com Last month, when it was announced that Caitlyn (nee Bruce) Jenner would receive the prestigious Arthur Ashe Courage Award from ESPN, I surveyed the remarkable life of Ashe and noted: It has to be said: bestowing this prize on the likes of Caitlyn Jenner—whose life is now a clanging carnival of self-promotion, gossip, publicity stunts and reality TV hucksterism— insults the memory of the truly courageous man for whom it is named. But wait. Now, there’s... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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