Details: A group of Roman Catholics based in Kansas City has taken the rare step of petitioning Pope Francis to discipline Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The formal request, initiated by a Milwaukee priest and parishioners in the Kansas City area, including a nun, was sent to the Vatican along with an online petition signed by more than 113,000 people worldwide asking for the bishop’s removal. Finn was convicted in 2012 on a misdemeanor charge... Read more
From the Santa Barbara Independent, a column by Paul Fericano that shows great courage, empathy and grace: On November 23, 2013, the Franciscan priest responsible for molesting me and hundreds of other boys at St. Anthony’s Seminary in Santa Barbara during the’60s, quietly passed away in a California hospital at the age of 82. Mario Cimmarrusti committed crimes that made him one of the most notorious perpetrators in the history of the clergy sex abuse scandal. It’s fair to say... Read more
This story got a lot of attention on social media earlier in the week. The image above, and the shock and outrage it inspired, cropped up again and again on my Facebook feed a few days ago. Well, what do you know? Turns out it wasn’t true: The alleged homophobic note sent by a mother in response to a birthday invite from two gay dads was apparently all just a hoax concocted by a local New York radio station. Earlier this... Read more
From the university’s press release: Philip Rivers, Pro Bowl quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, will address the Class of 2014 at the 125th Annual Commencement Ceremony of The Catholic University of America on May 17. CUA will award honorary degrees to Rivers and to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, at Commencement. A devout Catholic, Rivers combines a tough training and playing schedule with the practice of his faith and his family life. Rivers attended North Carolina State... Read more
Good question. One answer, from writer E. Brooks Holifield: Many Western Europeans think of Americans as hopelessly, bafflingly, and dangerously, religious. Many Americans think of Western Europeans as distressingly, inexplicably, and unrelentingly, secular. In 2009, the German sociologist Hans Joas observed that “it is widely accepted that the United States is far more religious than practically any comparable European state.” And he noted Western European puzzlement: “The more secularized large parts of Europe became, the more exotic the religiosity of... Read more
Photo: Patrik Giardino / New York Times With the eyes of the world focused on the Olympics in Russia, last week the New York Times profiled a record-breaking international athlete. She’s not in the Olympics. But she is, in every sense, a phenomenon. Her name is Olga Kotolko. Olga grew up in a large family in Canada, the 7th of 11 children. Her parents were farmers. Growing up, she did the usual farm chores—slopping the pigs and milking cows— then... Read more
This rendition of the award-winning song from “Frozen” is pretty fantastic—and not just because the kids in the choir all look like little deacons :-). Check it out. It’s Lexi Walker with the One Voice Children’s Choir, and they’re just great. For my money, this is the version they should perform on the Oscars. Read more
The following email arrived in my inbox yesterday: I am on the building committee for Mary, Queen of Heaven in Jacksonville, FL. We are in the final stages of design for our new church and will be going out for bid within the month. We are looking for a used dual access tabernacle, that we can mount into the wall between the main altar and the chapel, giving the priest access from either side. You can see our rough design... Read more
To mark St. Valentine’s Day, the pope held a special audience for engaged couples this morning. He offered some wonderful insight and advice. Vatican Radio has the scoop: Ten thousand engaged couples from all over the world gathered today, on the feast of St. Valentine, in St. Peter’s Square to consider the vocation of marriage, with the theme “The joy of ‘Yes’ forever”, and to meet with Pope Francis. The event, organised by the Pontifical Council for the Family, takes... Read more
From writer and activist Timothy Shriver, who notes that the pope is challenging everyone: When he invited the homeless to his home for his birthday, Francis was calling on the world to end the gulf that separates those who have from those who have almost nothing. To do so, the guest list at almost every party in Washington would have to change. Those who have no need for power over others should have an urgent longing to welcome those who... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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