Every parish has its familiar fixtures: the windows, the statues, the shrines, the candles. At my parish in Queens for years we have also had a determined little woman with a delicate Irish brogue and a world-weary smile: Mary Newman. She was a force of nature. Mary was unquestionably the most determined and tireless fundraiser the parish has ever known. Year after year, Sunday after Sunday, she could be spied near the entrance of the church with wads of sweepstakes... Read more
From his Wednesday audience: A Church that is not united around its bishop is a sick Church. Jesus wanted unity between the bishop and all the faithful, starting with priests and deacons. However the role of bishop is not a position of honor, it is a service. Therefore, there is no room in the Church for a worldly mentality, for people who seek ‘ecclesiastical careers’, for bishops who instead of lowering themselves in service, are vain, proud and power-hungry. The... Read more
Details: The writer Flannery O’Connor was inducted into The American Poet’s Corner at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City on Sunday, November 2nd, 2014. The induction ceremony included a traditional Choral Evensong featuring excerpts from O’Connor’s writing and reflections on the religious implications of her work. A procession led the assembled congregation, that included members of O’Connor’s family, to the Poet’s Corner for the unveiling of a stone bearing Flannery O’Connor’s name and a quote from the... Read more
Somehow, I think we’ll be hearing more stories like this one: A south Minneapolis church plans to bring in controversial Irish Redemptorist priest Tony Flannery to speak on Wednesday, despite warnings from Archbishop John Nienstedt. And the church’s pastor is using the words of a powerful church leader to justify it: Pope Francis. Father Mike Tegeder, pastor of St. Frances Cabrini Church, has been intent on bringing in Flannery, who is on a speaking tour of the country. But the Cabrini visit... Read more
An interesting sidebar to the church merger story in the Archdiocese of New York, via The New York Post: A Midtown church slated to close as part of a massive shakeup by the Archdiocese of New York is a veritable art museum filled with dozens of stunning murals painted by a world-renowned artist — and parishioners fear the treasured works could be lost forever. Our Lady of the Scapular and St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church in Kips Bay is adorned... Read more
From Monday’s homily: Taking a cue from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians, the Pope noted that a bishop’s joy lies in seeing love, unity and harmony in his Church. “This harmony – he said – is a grace, which the Holy Spirit creates, but we must do our part, we must do everything to help the Holy Spirit to create this harmony in the Church”. This is why St. Paul calls the Philippians to do nothing “out... Read more
A timely and interesting interview by Aleteia’s John Burger with the well-known New York priest: Father George Rutler is administrator of both Holy Innocents and the West Side Church of St. Michael, which also was passed over by the reorganization plan. Father Rutler, author of Principalities and Powers: Spiritual Combat 1942-1943, and other works, spoke with Aleteia this morning about spiritual issues in the background of the archdiocesan reorganization. Obviously, church/parish closings/mergers are not a new phenomenon, but in your view,... Read more
One of my favorite Protestant preachers, Tim Keller, offers his perspective to RNS: RNS: Many people don’t know what to say when they pray? Any advice here? TK: First, just pray what’s on your heart and don’t worry. God is wise and will hear your desire and answer the request in the best way. Second, use the Lord’s Prayer as a model. Last, remember that if you are a believer, the Holy Spirit will help you as you pray. So go... Read more
Details: This morning a local school teacher who performs mission work in Kenya is blaming her resignation on the Ebola scare. Susan Sherman taught students at Saint Margaret Mary on Shelbyville Road. In her letter of resignation, Sherman said she had been told many students, teachers, parents and parishioners are unhappy with her decision to travel to Kenya. Sherman stated she is committed to going there once a year. Sherman told WLKY news she blames her situation on ignorance. Kenya... Read more
From The New York Times: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan announced on Sunday the largest reorganization in the history of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New York, with 55 parishes from Staten Island to the Catskills to merge with neighboring parishes. In 31 of those mergers, all Masses and other sacraments such as weddings and funerals will cease to be celebrated on a regular basis at one of the churches being merged. In the remaining 24 mergers, both churches will remain open for... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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