The Deacon's Bench
It’s all about how they teach their young to go down the stairs. This one-minute video says it all. Read more
It’s all about how they teach their young to go down the stairs. This one-minute video says it all. Read more
Here’s a great video look-ahead, from Catholic News Service: Keep all who are attending the march this year in your prayers—especially those braving the storm to travel long distances. I know some groups have reluctantly decided to cancel their plans because of the weather (including a busload of seminarians from New York City). Let’s pray there’s still a strong turnout. Read more
Details: President Obama will meet with Pope Francis on March 27, capping a European trip that will take him to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. “The President looks forward to discussing with Pope Francis their shared commitment to fighting poverty and growing inequality,” said a statement from White House press secretary Jay Carney. During his trip in late March, Obama will participate in a nuclear security summit in the Netherlands and a U.S.-European Union summit in Belgium. Obama also traveled... Read more
John Allen (still at NCR for a little while longer) takes a closer look at a story that made a splash late yesterday: A rift has seemingly opened between two cardinals with significant Vatican influence, as the head of the pope’s “G8” council of cardinals has suggested that the Vatican’s doctrinal czar needs to be more “flexible” in his views on divorced and remarried Catholics. Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga made the comment yesterday, Jan. 20, in an interview with... Read more
People who visit The Bench regularly know that I never tire of gushing about my parish’s altar servers. We have about 140 of them, boys and girls, aged 9-22. As I’ve posted pictures and sung their praises, readers have asked repeatedly, “How do you do it? What’s the secret?” Well, after much prodding, the moderator of our altar servers has finally written a tell-all, explaining how our program works. David James (shown in the center above) has been doing this... Read more
The cardinal describes last week’s ecumenical service in Boston on his blog: The celebration was essentially a Bible service with hymns and Scripture readings, followed by a renewal of baptismal vows, because the service was held on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The people came up and Bishop Devadhar and I put a cross of water on their forehead as a reminder of their baptism. Of course, baptism is one of the elements of our faith that... Read more
One of the most balanced writers on this subject, across several years, has been Diane Korzeniewski, whose blog Te Deum laudamus has followed the saga of Medjugorje with clarity and charity. She responds today to reports in Italian media that appear to quote people with inside information who have concluded that what is happening in in the village is “no hoax.” Diane explains: I would encourage people to read these things very carefully and to wait for the Holy See... Read more
With all the controversy that swirled around this image of Cardinal O’Malley, a reader reminded me of the picture below. It surfaced shortly after Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected pope. Description: On June 19, 2006, the Third Fraternal Encounter of the Renewed Communion of Evangelicals and Catholics was held in Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Present were the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, and the Preacher of the Pontifical Household, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. The highlight of... Read more
It’s Mother Cabrini High School in New York City. A little background: Mother Cabrini High School was founded in 1899 by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini as Sacred Heart Villa and continues to be sponsored by her order, the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. What began as a “residential school for young ladies” remains today an institution dedicated to secondary education of young women. Mother Cabrini High School is among the nation’s award winning schools and is the... Read more
Details: Mr Blair announced in 2007 that he was leaving the Anglican Church to become a Catholic. His wife and children were already Catholic and there had been speculation that he would convert after leaving office that year. In tonight’s BBC interview, Mr Paisley recalls how Mr Blair told him of his plans shortly before he converted. “I used to meet him in his private room, not so much in his office,” Mr Paisley states in the programme. “He said, ‘look, I’m... Read more
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