Today marks the feast of this proto-martyr, patron of deacons. Curious to find a prayer invoking this powerful saint, I discovered this great resource online. St. Stephen, pray for us and for all deacons! +++ The Litany of St. Stephen (For private recitation only) Lord, have mercy on us Christ, have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, hear us, Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. God, the Son, Redeemer of the... Read more
You probably saw this story a few days ago. Her journey has come to an end: A little girl whose Christmas wish inspired thousands of people to sing in the streets died overnight. Laney Brown, 8, suffered from leukemia. “Our little angel on earth earned her pink glittery angel wings in heaven,” a post on an official Facebook page about her said. “She took her last breath at home in her bed at 3:10 surrounded by all her family and friends. I... Read more
From the President’s weekly address: So many people all across the country are helping out at soup kitchens, buying gifts for children in need, or organizing food or clothing drives for their neighbors. For families like ours, that service is a chance to celebrate the birth of Christ and live out what He taught us – to love our neighbors as we would ourselves; to feed the hungry and look after the sick; to be our brother’s keeper and our... Read more
A man who made a nice living on Wall Street, and prided himself on his cynical atheism, finds his belief in unbelief sorely tested—and in ways he never expected. Here’s writer/photographer Chris Arnade: I eventually left my Wall Street job and started working with and photographing homeless addicts in the South Bronx. When I first walked into the Bronx I assumed I would find the same cynicism I had towards faith. If anyone seemed the perfect candidate for atheism it was the addicts who... Read more
Well, that’s one way to put it. Their headline: Pope, Off Script, Nods to Atheists In Holiday Call For World Peace. The story: Pope Francis used the first Christmas address of his papacy on Wednesday to make a broad call for global peace and an end to violence in Syria and parts of Africa, urging atheists and followers of other religions to join together in this common cause. On a windy Christmas Day, Francis spoke from the central balcony of... Read more
Visiting Maryland for a few days, I stumbled on this unusual story in a local paper: When her daughter was discharged from the Navy at the end of 2010 and returned home after serving 2½ years, Darline Bell-Zuccarelli discovered that the young veteran could not afford her own place to live, and she was determined to do something about it. So, Bell-Zuccarelli built a small home for her daughter — in her own backyard. “My daughter was a little depressed... Read more
Merry Christmas! Read more
The text of Pope Francis’s Christmas message, delivered Christmas Day in Italian from the balcony at St. Peter’s: +++ Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors (Luke 2:14) Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, Happy Christmas! I take up the song of the angels who appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem on the night when Jesus was born. It is a song which unites heaven and earth,... Read more
From CNN: Eight-year-old Laney Brown will never see Christmas again. Her doctors say leukemia will take her soon. Laney loves music. Loves to dance, loves Taylor Swift, loves Christmas carols. As her dying wishes, she asked to meet the country superstar and for some people to come by her house for a night of caroling, CNN affiliate WFMZ reported. On Friday — her birthday — Laney and Swift video chatted through FaceTime, a software application that allows callers to see each... Read more
After the version by The Muppets (with John Denver), this remains my favorite. Enjoy. Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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