This is for all the priests, deacons, altar servers, choir members, musicians, organists, music directors, lectors, EMHCs, ushers, florists and assorted volunteers who went above and beyond. (And special props, by the way, to the spouses, who put up with it all…) Wake me on Tuesday. Read more
Here’s something you don’t see every day. A self-professed “lapsed Catholic” visits the campus of the new cathedral on Orange County to chat with Bishop Kevin Vann, and comes away impressed and, just maybe, changed: I ask about tolerance, and about illegal immigration in particular. The bishop immediately dismisses the term “tolerance,” which he says has become a politically-charged word. Instead, the bishop addresses the issue in religious terms, equally telling but more powerful. He asks if Jesus would turn... Read more
Well, as I sit here at home in my pajamas at 10 a.m. on Monday morning, still in an incense-induced stupor after four days of chanting, kneeling, prostrating, processing, hoisting, carrying, lighting, extinguishing, rehearsing, proclaiming, preaching, communion-giving and “Happy Easter-ing” to people at the church doors, I’m struck by three small but perhaps significant developments. Make of these what you will. 1. The church was packed. That’s not unusual for Easter. But this year, it was more packed than usual.... Read more
This is for all the priests, deacons, altar servers, choir members, musicians, organists, music directors, lectors, EMHCs, ushers, florists and assorted volunteers who went above and beyond. (And special props, by the way, to the spouses, who put up with it all…) Wake me on Tuesday. [img attachment=”74327″ align=”alignnone” size=”medium” alt=”11133724_1072823049410951_899655084714190352_n” /] Read more
Well, as I sit here at home in my pajamas at 10 a.m. on Monday morning, still in an incense-induced stupor after four days of chanting, kneeling, prostrating, processing, hoisting, carrying, lighting, extinguishing, rehearsing, proclaiming, preaching, communion-giving and “Happy Easter-ing” to people at the church doors, I’m struck by three small but perhaps significant developments. Make of these what you will. 1. The church was packed. That’s not unusual for Easter. But this year, it was more packed than usual. One... Read more
Here’s something you don’t see every day. A self-professed “lapsed Catholic” visits the campus of the new cathedral on Orange County to chat with Bishop Kevin Vann, and comes away impressed and, just maybe, changed: I ask about tolerance, and about illegal immigration in particular. The bishop immediately dismisses the term “tolerance,” which he says has become a politically-charged word. Instead, the bishop addresses the issue in religious terms, equally telling but more powerful. He asks if Jesus would turn... Read more
From The New York Daily News: A male attendee of the Easter Vigil mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona brought a loaded handgun to the service and accidentally set it off just before the closing hymn, The Altoona Mirror reported. The firearm’s safety lock was apparently not on and the unidentified man’s pants seemed to have activated the gun when the man stood up in the pew of the Roman Catholic church, Altoona police officer Christy Heck... Read more
From The Seattle Times: The Richland florist who refused to provide flowers to a gay couple for their wedding has netted more than $80,000 from an online crowdfunding page dedicated to “protect her and her livelihood.” A GoFundMe page set up for Baronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlene’s Flowers, had raised $80,225 from 1,884 donors by 7:30 p.m. Saturday. While the page was set up in February, nearly half the money has been donated in the past 24 hours. Supporters... Read more
Photographs by Maria Ribar, Rosalind Chan-Ghanzi, Niranjan Fernando and me at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Forest Hills, NY at the Easter Vigil 2015. Bishop Paul Sanchez, Pastor With my friend, ordination classmate, and the DRE at my parish, Deacon Bill McNamara. Team Triduum: While virtually every one of the 140 or so servers at my parish pitched in during the Triduum, the altar servers pictured here earn a special distinction. They showed up for every single liturgy during the Triduum,... Read more
This was sung throughout the Triduum at my parish, and most triumphantly last night, for the Vigil, with the Easter verses. I love it. I selected this for the entrance hymn at my Mass of Thanksgiving, too. Our choir always does a spectacular job with it. Here, a thrilling version from the choir at Notre Dame, featuring the verses of Easter. Out of darkness, God has called us, Claimed by Christ as God’s own people, Holy nation, royal priesthood, Walking... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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