What’s your pastor worried about?

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

The good folks at CARA have some answers: CARA recently asked a random sample of pastors in our National Survey of Catholic Parishes (NSCP), “What is the greatest challenge facing your parish in the next five years?” Each pastor could respond in their own words. These were then examined for common themes and content. First among their worries is finances. Twenty-one percent mentioned a financial issue as their top challenge. This strongly correlates with the 25% of parishes nationally that... Read more

“The secularization of Hispanics is the biggest threat to the future of the Catholic Church in America”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The Boston Globe: The future of Catholicism in America rests heavily on the church’s ability to attract and retain young Hispanics whose connection to secular life is stronger than to the faith that sustained their parents, according to a new national study led by Boston College researchers. The three-year study, which will be released Monday, said that failing to bring more young Hispanics into the church has broad consequences at a time when Latinos constitute 40 percent of all... Read more

The embraceable pope

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

It sounds on its surface unremarkable, but NCR begs to differ: In what might be an unprecedented act —and extraordinary sign of affection— a Catholic from Minneapolis, MN embraced Pope Francis May 1 during a private audience. The lay initiated gesture, considered unthinkable in earlier pontificates, represents another verification of the way Francis has touched peoples’ hearts as well as a papal informality he has generated and encouraged as pope. Gene Frey, Chairman of Wabash Management Inc. in Minneapolis, MN and... Read more

On deacons, blogs, bishops and obedience

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:30 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Over at his blog, Deacons Today, Bill Ditewig unpacks the recent controversy surrounding the UK’s Deacon Nick Donnelly, and takes a closer look at the relationship between a deacon and his bishop, He also makes clear why the work of blogging clergy is fundamentally different than that of the laity. Take it away, Bill: Concerning the notion of obedience, this is no mere profession of blind obedience to the bishop, nor is it simply a legal requirement to preserve good... Read more

Liturgical dance? Check out these tap-dancing seminarians in Rome—UPDATED

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From the North American College (via Joan Lewis of EWTN) comes this demonstration of terpsichorean talent by some happy hoofers at the rector’s dinner last month. UPDATE: Got an email Sunday morning from a reader the Pontifical North American College in Rome: Since your blog is, after all, the “Deacon’s Bench,” thought you might like to know that both of the dancers in the video from the North American College you posted are in fact DEACONS! 🙂 Read more

A soldier’s best friend: must-see video of a veteran’s reunion with his bomb-sniffing dog

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Awwwww: It was a sad parting when Sgt. Jason Bos left Fort Lee in Virginia nearly two years ago and had to say goodbye to MWD Cila M389, the bomb-sniffing chocolate Lab he called Cici. Over nearly five years, Bos and Cila — MWD stands for Military Working Dog, and M389 is the identification number tattooed in her ear — had forged a bond as they searched for roadside bombs and hidden weapons caches in Iraq, and screened sites for... Read more

Vatican sex abuse panel meets for first time; O’Malley admits “There is so much denial”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Details: The Roman Catholic Church failed to recognize the worldwide reach of clerical sexual abuse, Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley said Saturday (May 3) at a press conference. “Many don’t see it as a problem of the universal church,” said O’Malley who heads the Vatican’s new commission for the protection of minors. “In many people’s minds it is an American problem, an Irish problem or a German problem,” he said. “The church has to face it is everywhere in the world.... Read more

Homily for May 4, 2014: 3rd Sunday of Easter

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:30 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

For a woman in Davidson, North Carolina, it was a disturbing sight. Driving by the local Episcopal church, she noticed a vagrant sleeping on a bench outside. She called the police, who came to investigate. It turned out to be a false alarm. The homeless man on the bench wasn’t a man at all. It was a statue. It was created by well-known Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz—it’s a life-sized sculpture of a man sleeping on park bench, completely covered by... Read more

Evangelizers of note: using music to draw people to church

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

From The Toledo Blade, a story about a creative way of reaching out to immigrants: Using popular music to lure new and former Catholics is one of several outreach strategies the Church has undertaken in recent years. “According to church studies, people have been leaving the Catholic Church because they weren’t comfortable,” said Deacon Jose Garcia, diocesan director of Hispanic pastoral ministries. Deacon Garcia credits the Rev. Juan Francisco Molina, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul, with re-emphasizing outreach efforts to... Read more

UK Bishop: “I have not closed down the deacon’s blog”

Last updated on: September 30, 2016 at 3:54 pm By Deacon Greg Kandra

Remember this item about Deacon Nick Donnelly in the Diocese of Lancaster in the UK? Yesterday,Bishop Michael Campbell issued the following release: Bishop Campbell did not close down Protect the Pope ‘Back in 2010 Deacon Nick Donnelly set up the Protect the Pope website/blog, as a direct response to the campaign of hostility and ridicule from sections of the media and lobby groups against Pope (Emeritus) Benedict XVI’s historic visit to the UK in September of that year. Protect the... Read more