From the Vatican Radio: “Bother your pastors, disturb your pastors, all of us pastors, so that we will give you the milk of grace, of doctrine, and of guidance.” Departing from his prepared remarks, Pope Francis on Sunday called on the faithful knock at the doors of their pastors “and on their hearts,” saying it would help Bishops and priests be good pastors. The Holy Father made his remarks to the pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the weekly Regina... Read more
From The Salt Lake Tribune: To any guilt-prone women, the annual idealization of motherhood that sweeps across the country at this time of year can be agonizing. The image in the mirror seems less qualified, less nurturing, less altruistic, less crafty, less organized, less patient, less self-assured or wise or adventurous than the one these moms see portrayed in greeting cards, TV ads, and on YouTube. But Mother’s Day may be most painful to Bible-believing women — whether Mormon, Catholic,... Read more
From Rocco: It’s been expected for months… and this morning, it’s official: continuing his predecessors’ respective rises to the honors of the altar, the Pope signed the decree affirming a miracle through the intercession of Giovanni Battista Montini, Pope Paul VI, scheduling the tormented, tragic figure’s beatification for October 19th, coupling it with the closing Mass of the Extraordinary Synod on the pastoral challenges facing the family. While Paul’s oversight of the bulk of Vatican II and the reforms which sprung from it has chiefly... Read more
I can’t imagine this getting very far, but you never know. Details: On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that government meetings are allowed to open with prayer — even though currently in this country, the vast majority of such prayers are geared toward Christianity. The case was prompted in Greece, New York, where ministers are often invited to say opening words at public meetings. Of 120 meetings, only four opening prayers were non-Christian. It only took four days since the court’s... Read more
On a spring morning in 2010, a young man by the name of Dayan Machado found himself in a place he once would never have expected: face down on the floor of a cathedral in Florida, praying to the saints. How he got there is a story unto itself—and illustrates beautifully, I think, part of this Sunday’s gospel message, about recognizing and listening to the voice of the shepherd. Dayan was born in Cuba, raised without any religion at all... Read more
Over the past few days, some readers have asked me what I thought of this image, showing a new clothing line for women ministers in England. Some of the response around Facebook has been brutal, with a few commentators calling it “heretical,” “scandalous” and “blasphemous.” I gather the source of scandal is the notion of a woman wearing a clerical collar (rather than the concept of her wearing a tasteful black dress to go with it.) Well, this isn’t really... Read more
You may remember that Oakland teachers are being required to sign a new contract similar to one in Hawaii and Cincinnati, requiring them to “model behavior in conformity with the teaching of the Roman Catholic faith.” That hasn’t gone over well with some in Oakland: Tim Newman, who has taught science at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland for 23 years, says some of his colleagues won’t sign a contract forcing them to be disingenuous. Others worry the contract gives the diocese... Read more
From the Social Security Administration, via USA TODAY, here they are: Noah ended Jacob’s 14-year reign as the top baby name for boys in 2013, while Sophia was the most popular name for girls for the third straight year, the Social Security Administration announced Friday. Jacob slipped to third; Liam was second. Among girls, Emma and Olivia ranked second and third, respectively. The list — released annually just before Mother’s Day — is the most complete of the popular baby name lists because parents... Read more
From The Louisville Courier-Journal: Nestled on 2,200 acres in the hills of Nelson County, the 166-year-old Abbey of Gethsemani is known for its peace and tranquility. But now the oldest operating monastery in America, where 42 monks live, work and pray seven times a day, is roiled by controversy. The Abbey has accused one of its lay employees, an accountant, of embezzling what could total tens of thousands of dollars or more from its mail-order business — while he says... Read more
From the Associated Press: Citing history textbooks, national parks and landmarks that mostly leave women out, lawmakers on Wednesday revived a long-stalled effort to create a National Women’s History Museum in the nation’s capital. The Republican-controlled House voted 383-33 to create a bipartisan commission to study the feasibility of a museum on or near the National Mall and recommend whether it should be part of the Smithsonian. The vote came just before Mother’s Day, which several lawmakers noted. A similar... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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