A lot of folks around here know Deacon Bill Ditewig. Tonight, he’s flying to Iowa for a trip no one ever wants to make, especially around the holidays. His four-year-old grandson, Vincent Hurd, has a mass on his brain. He’s undergoing the first of two surgeries tonight, and another on Thursday. I don’t usually rattle the tin cup around here, begging for prayers, but tonight I will. Please remember little Vinnie in your prayers, and whisper a petition for all... Read more
That’s just one of the questions in this uplifting interview by Kathryn Lopez with Fr. Scott Hurd, who talks about his terrific new book “When Faith Feels Fragile.” Snip: KJL: Why do you encourage receiving the Eucharist when faith feels fragile? Shouldn’t you wait until you make sure you believe? Fr. Hurd: The Eucharist is not a reward for good behavior or perfect faith. Instead, it’s nourishment the Lord gives us to keep making headway on our faith journey — a journey... Read more
Who knew? From the AP: Last year, Catholic Online profiled the school, too: Began in 1937 by Charles W. Howard, who originally served as Santa for Macy’s, Howard sought to indoctrinate the utmost values and etiquette in those looking to wear the fur-trimmed cap. The Santa Claus school is now run by Tom and Holly Valent, who explain that becoming St. Nick is not a job, but a “privilege.” “We come together to share our common love of Christmas and... Read more
“The pope is not a politician, a media loudmouth or an activist. He is a religious figure, wholly dedicated to representing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as he understands it to a world caught up in a thousand other things. As conservative Catholic George Weigel writes, ‘Pope Francis is a revolutionary. The revolution he proposes, however, is not a matter of economic or political prescription, but a revolution in the self-understanding of the Catholic Church.’ Prophetic is probably the best... Read more
December 10 looms large in the life story of Thomas Merton. He entered the Abbey of Gethsemane in Kentucky on December 10, 1941, and died tragically in Thailand in an electrical accident on December 10, 1968—45 years ago today. He was 53. Considering the Incarnation, he once wrote words that seem fitting for Advent: Into this world, this demented inn, in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ has come uninvited. But because he cannot be... Read more
What starts as an interesting social experiment on the New York subway becomes something better. Take a look. Read more
An episcopal priest, Fr. Tim Schenck, has some interesting observations on his blog, and I think they apply to Catholic parishes, as well: My only living predecessor as rector at St. John’s (they all stay 30 years) has a theory about free-standing altars. He says the unintended consequence when they pulled them out from the walls for a more communal feel is that it turned the priest into the “guy behind the counter.” And from this perspective the priest does... Read more
Father Jerry Sherbourne ordained a Catholic priest by Archbishop Timothy Broglio at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. This e-mail from the Archdiocese for Military Services gives the details: Father Jerry Sherbourne, an active-duty U.S. Army Chaplain, and former Anglican priest, was ordained a Catholic priest Sunday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Through the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the imposition of hands, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio,... Read more
Photo: Paul Haring/CNS This story moved over the weekend and may have escaped your attention. But it’s worth reading, from Vatican Radio: Pope Francis on Saturday met with the participants of the 26th Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, meeting under the theme “Proclaiming Christ in the digital age.” Pope Francis said the rise and development of the internet raises the question of the relationship between faith and culture. Looking back to the first centuries of Christianity, the... Read more
Photo: Bradley C. Bower/AP A poignant footnote to a story that made headlines around the world several years ago, courtesy the Associated Press: Once a week, Terri Roberts spends time with a 13-year-old Amish girl named Rosanna who sits in a wheelchair and eats through a tube. Roberts bathes her, sings to her, reads her stories. She can only guess what’s going on inside Rosanna’s mind because the girl can’t talk. Roberts’ son did this to her. Seven years ago,... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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