I prefer my apocalypses with zombies. But here’s another view of The End of the World As We Know It, based on the best-selling books and starring (why?) Nicholas Cage. I think this will play better in a couple years, on an episode of “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Read more
The gospel we just heard is about many things: courage, faith, mystery. But above all, it is about trust. Trusting God in the midst of any storm, and accepting his invitation, in the middle of the storm, simply to come where he is calling us. The world right now is full of storms. Gaza. Ukraine. Iraq. It can be hard to see Christ through the wind and the fear and the bloodshed, let alone to hear his voice. But one... Read more
This is inspired, from our Lutheran siblings. (H/T Deacon Sean Keller). Yes, evidently he really did tweet these things. (His Twitter feed is here.) Read more
From Baltimore’s Catholic Review, here’s an important addendum to CNN’s piece on archbishops and where they live: Archbishop William Lori is mentioned because his residence is valued at $1.24 million. In this case, [author Daniel] Burke fails to make some important distinctions. The archbishop’s house was not purchased by Archbishop Lori; it first served as the archbishop’s residence in 1832. In other words, Archbishop Lori paid nothing for it. It’s a free building for the church. It would, however, cost money... Read more
From CNEWA: This morning, I spoke with a member of the San Egidio Community in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil, who has been very active in responding to the needs of displaced Christian families. He informed me that most of the 80,000 Christians displaced from the towns of Qaraqosh, Bartella and Qaramlesh spent the night in Erbil, outside the churches in the Christian neighborhood of Ain Kawa. He also informed me that the Syriac Catholic and Orthodox churches are... Read more
From Catholic News Agency: In light of the increasingly dramatic situation of Christians in Iraq following the expansion of ISIS forces to the plain of Nineveh, Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Fernando Filoni as his personal envoy.“In light of the grave situation in Iraq, the Holy Father has nominated Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of peoples, as his personal envoy to express his spiritual closeness to the people who suffer and to bring them the... Read more
A friend sent this my way, from an Anglo-Catholic parish, St. Paul’s, in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC. They’re looking for a new rector, and have published a Rector Qualification Sheet, which describes the parish, its mission, and what it seeks for the new boss. I like how the parish describes itself: In our worship, mission, and ministries at St. Paul’s, we live out our keen awareness that we are called to be the Body of Christ. This awareness is... Read more
You probably remember this story from several days back. Well, here’s an update: Mary’s Gourmet Diner has announced it will no longer offer occasional discounts to people who pray before eating, citing the threat of legal action. The restaurant’s prayer discount had gone viral in recent days, making national news shows and sparking heated arguments on the Internet. On Wednesday, the restaurant posted a handwritten notice in its front window stating that it must “protect your freedom from religion in... Read more
This release just arrived in my in box: The chairman of the Committee of International Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) asked the U.S. bishops to invite the people of their dioceses to pray for peace in Iraq on Sunday, August 17. Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, made the request, August 6, sending the bishops the text of a prayer written by the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Iraq, His Beatitude Louis Rafael... Read more
Details: Demonstrating his deep concern for growing violence against innocent people in the Middle East, Archbishop Samuel Aquila invites people of all faith backgrounds to an evening of interreligious prayer at 7 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Denver. “We must pray and fast for our enemies,” Archbishop Aquila wrote in a recent column, “and their change of heart as Jesus commands us in the Gospel.” The initiative is a collaborative effort of the... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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