From Trenton comes this story of a former permanent deacon recently ordained a priest: Father Jim Grogan Sr. is gregarious and warm. He laughs easily and often. He is also a man completely at peace with his life and where it’s headed. When he lost his wife to ovarian cancer eight years ago, the goals he once had changed. His mind and focus became further fixed on God and service. Grogan, 58, had traveled the world in his job in... Read more
Those clever people at the Archdiocese of Washington media office have come up witha video contest: Here’s your chance to be creative! Tell us about your experience serving others by documenting it on video. Three prize winners will receive four tickets to the papal Mass with Pope Francis and their choice of an iPad Air 2 or a GoPro HERO 4. Check the link for more, and watch the video below for additional details. Read more
Details: Word that Pope Francis will visit Philadelphia’s Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility when he is in the city Sept. 26-27 for the World Meeting of Families must have held special significance for one of the 2,760 men in the city’s largest jail. He’s No. 1102886, also known as Msgr. William J. Lynn, the 64-year-old former Secretary for Clergy of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Lynn was the first church official convicted for a supervisory role over priests accused of having... Read more
What a remarkable life: Nicholas Winton, a Briton who said nothing for a half-century about his role in organizing the escape of 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II, a righteous deed like those of Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg, died on Wednesday in Maidenhead, England. He was 106. The Rotary Club of Maidenhead, of which Mr. Winton was a former president, announced his death on its website. He lived in Maidenhead, west of... Read more
From NCR: Many U.S. Catholics want the church to “banish judgmentalism” of people in its ministries and to focus instead on getting close to them and understanding the struggles they face in their lives, the new bishop of San Diego said. In an almost hourlong interview with NCR, Bishop Robert McElroy said while people want to be challenged by Gospel teachings, they are looking for a church that has “a sense of accepting people where they are and helping them to... Read more
Those clever people at the Archdiocese of Washington media office have come up with a video contest: Here’s your chance to be creative! Tell us about your experience serving others by documenting it on video. Three prize winners will receive four tickets to the papal Mass with Pope Francis and their choice of an iPad Air 2 or a GoPro HERO 4. Check the link for more, and watch the video below for additional details. Read more
Stupidity defined. This warning is going out around the country: The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office is warning consumers not to buy a new cell phone case that resembles a gun.The case has a handle attached that when placed in a pocket makes it appear that a weapon is tucked into the pants. On its Facebook page, the office posted, “Please folks – this cell phone case is not a cool product or a good idea. A police officers job is hard... Read more
From NCR: Many U.S. Catholics want the church to “banish judgmentalism” of people in its ministries and to focus instead on getting close to them and understanding the struggles they face in their lives, the new bishop of San Diego said. In an almost hourlong interview with NCR, Bishop Robert McElroy said while people want to be challenged by Gospel teachings, they are looking for a church that has “a sense of accepting people where they are and helping them to... Read more
Details: Word that Pope Francis will visit Philadelphia’s Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility when he is in the city Sept. 26-27 for the World Meeting of Families must have held special significance for one of the 2,760 men in the city’s largest jail. He’s No. 1102886, also known as Msgr. William J. Lynn, the 64-year-old former Secretary for Clergy of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Lynn was the first church official convicted for a supervisory role over priests accused of having... Read more
What a remarkable life: Nicholas Winton, a Briton who said nothing for a half-century about his role in organizing the escape of 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II, a righteous deed like those of Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg, died on Wednesday in Maidenhead, England. He was 106. The Rotary Club of Maidenhead, of which Mr. Winton was a former president, announced his death on its website. He lived in Maidenhead, west of... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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