What did we do before we had the Internet? My childhood was deprived of things like this: a rap number performed by school administrators to inform the student body that school would be closed the next day. This comes from North Carolina’s Durham Academy. Head of School Michael Ulku-Steiner and his assistant appropriately performed an epic cover of the 90′s classic Ice, Ice Baby. The only thing better than having a snow day? Having something like this to watch the... Read more
It is now poised to become the first country in the world to allow this practice to be legal for children under the age of 12. From The BBC: Parliament in Belgium has passed a bill allowing euthanasia for terminally ill children without any age limit, by 86 votes to 44, with 12 abstentions. When, as expected, the bill is signed by the king, Belgium will become the first country in the world to remove any age limit on the... Read more
A favorite moment from my favorite movie this winter. If you don’t want to, um, “let go” of winter just yet, you can also enjoy this. Read more
Vatican Insider spoke recently with the Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Beniamino Stella, who will receive the red hat of Cardinal later this month. He had some choice words about the vocation of the priesthood—which could also apply, I think, to deacons: There has often been talk of an identity crisis among priests in today’s society. How do you perceive the ideal priest to be? “The priest essentially exists to do what Jesus did. He helped the... Read more
A shorter version of this clip has been making the rounds on social media: it’s an ad for a lingerie company in Asia with a beautiful and unexpected pro-life message. But you really should see the two other films that are part of this campaign. They are stunners, and convey again and again the theme of inner beauty, stoicism, strength and integrity. More than that, they also remind us of something we often forget: what people see on the outside... Read more
He spoke to members of the American Jewish Committee today. The text: Dear friends, I welcome you here today. Your organization, which on various occasions has met with my venerable Predecessors, maintains good relations with the Holy See and with many representatives of the Catholic world. I am very grateful to you for the distinguished contribution you have made to dialogue and fraternity between Jews and Catholics, and I encourage you to continue on this path. Next year we will... Read more
A writer at the Christian Post applies this to pastors and church workers—but there’s a lot here for everyone to chew on: The conversation is always sad, always tragic. The pastor who left his church after a two-year affair with another church member. The student pastor who has been out of vocational ministry since he had a brief sexual encounter with his assistant. I have spoken with countless numbers of these men and women. And each time I am reminded... Read more
Details: Gabriel Axel, a director whose 1987 labor of love, “Babette’s Feast,” received the first foreign-language Oscar awarded to a Danish motion picture — and heralded a growing popular interest in all things food — died on Sunday in Copenhagen. He was 95. His death was confirmed by a spokesman for the Danish Film Directors Association. Mr. Axel struggled for more than a decade to find backers for a film in which the characters shared equal billing with plates of... Read more
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski sports his custom riding vest – a gift from the Florida Knights of Columbus group, Knights on Bikes – as he stands beside his Harley Davidson motorcycle before the start of the Poker Run. Photo: Tom Tracy/Florida Catholic First, Pope Francis auctioned off a Harley. Now this. From Florida Catholic: Computer systems engineer Pierre Victor’s Italian-made MV Agusta F4 motorcycle is evidence that almost any hobby or special interest can be an intersection for faith-sharing and... Read more
Bible-based movies are proliferating on movie screens this year. The Hollywood Reporter has a preview: Exactly a month before Noah and his ark arrive, another Bible-based movie is hitting the big screen, and this one already has earned the stamp of approval from religious leaders. Son of God (Feb. 28, Fox) features a mix of new and used footage from History’s hit miniseries The Bible — which averaged 11.4 million viewers during its five-week run and became the top-selling miniseries on DVD of... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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