Details: The largest class ever of permanent deacons in the Diocese of Nashville was ordained by Bishop David Choby on Monday, June 9, at St. Henry Church. Twenty-nine men became the newest members of the clergy. “It was a beautiful liturgy,” said new Deacon Mike Rector of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville. “The Holy Spirit was all over the place. … It was one of the most spiritual moments in our entire formation experience.” “Thank you for... Read more
As people take a closer look at the working paper for the upcoming Synod, one issue about marriage and family life that is notably absent is the question of married priests. I knew a few people who were wondering if this topic would come up—or if the bishops might even decide to explore the unresolved issue of ordaining women as deacons. Clearly, these are not front-burner issues—though the pope and a few high-ranking figures in the Vatican have mentioned the... Read more
Details: On Saturday, June 28, 2014, at 10 a.m., the Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge ordained 14 men to the Permanent Diaconate in a ceremony at Saint Michael the Archangel Church in Cary. The men have prepared for this ministry for five years. The men ordained were: Robert Lawrence Bridwell Gerardo Chavez Louis Philip Clark Edwin Jeffress Jolly David William Kierski James Anthony Marapoti Louis Vincent Parente Brian John Phillips Arthur Charles Schneider James Richard Strange, Jr. Robert Edward Troy,... Read more
From The Tablet in London: Bishop Helmut Krätzl, a former auxiliary in Vienna, has warned that the Eucharist is in danger of “drying up”. In two interviews on the occasion of his diamond jubilee as a priest, he called on bishops to take up the Pope’s request “to make courageous suggestions” in order to stop this happening. “We are silently accepting a scarcity of the Eucharist, which is already to a certain extent perilous, because we are not prepared to... Read more
The last acceptable prejudice rears its head again: In its decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., the Supreme Court has decided that the religious beliefs of employers, including closely held corporations, take precedence over the rights of employees to necessary medical care. The specific medical care to which the employers objected was certain forms of contraception. The five justices who decided that these employers’ objections were entitled to deference are all Catholics. (One Catholic justice, Sotomayor — a... Read more
A reader has helpfully sent along these images from the recent deacon ordination in Sacramento: Read more
From the Charlotte News Herald: Father Paul McNulty celebrated his first Mass June 29 at St. Patrick Cathedral in Charlotte. His father, Deacon Brian McNulty, chanted the Gospel reading at Mass and assisted Father Paul at the altar during his first Mass. Father Joshua Voitus delivered the homily. Father McNulty’s chalice was a gift from Abbot Placid of Belmont Abbey. His mother, Michelle McNulty and her daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren brought up the gifts. A reader in Charlotte who was... Read more
Details: Before ordaining six men to the permanent diaconate, retired Bishop Robert H. Bromreflected on the vocation to which they have been called. All Christians have the “common vocation” of “love in response to love,” Bishop Brom explained in his homily June 6 at St. Gabriel Parish in Poway. But, he added, “Deacons are called from among the servant people of God and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are empowered [through their ordination] to be the face of Jesus.” In the... Read more
From CNN: Emboldened by a weakened Iraqi government that is struggling to stop their murderous advance, the extremists of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria declared over the weekend that they have set up a caliphate spanning large areas of the two countries. In a newly released audio message and written statement, purportedly from the official spokesman of ISIS, the group called on Muslims to swear allegiance to the caliphate, which means Islamic state. The group said in the... Read more
From The Wisconsin State Journal: On May 17, police arrested two people for trespassing and disorderly conduct at Volk Field, a military facility about 90 minutes northwest of Madison. One was a priest, or so it seemed. “Are you really a clergy member, or is this just a costume?” the Rev. Jim Murphy remembers the arresting officer asking him. Murphy, 60, who leads two rural parishes in Grant and Iowa counties, assured the officer he is a priest in the... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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