Priceless: a little boy shows Pope Francis to his seat during a lunch break in Assisi today. Vatican Radio reports what the Holy Father had to say: Christians and the Church must strip themselves of worldliness, said Pope Francis while addressing some of the poor in the Italian hill town of Assisi early Friday. The Pope offered this message in the same hall in which St. Francis, about 800 years ago, undressed himself and laid his fine clothes at his... Read more
“It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his... Read more
From Catholic News Service: When Pope Benedict XVI answered a journalist’s 2010 question about condom use by offering a nuanced reflection on the ethical complexities of a hypothetical case, his words led to a worldwide media sensation, a clarification by the Vatican spokesman, and a statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that the pope had not changed church teaching on contraception. Three years later, papal interviews are still making news. Pope Francis, who during his time... Read more
Pope Francis is getting a lot of heat, and grief, for describing proselytism as “solemn nonsense.” He’s not the first pope, though, to reject it. It’s worth noting what others have had to say on the subject: “The Church respects the freedom of individuals to seek the truth and to embrace it according to the dictates of conscience, and in this light she firmly rejects proselytism and the use of unethical means to gain conversions.” — Blessed John Paul II, in Sri... Read more
I have no idea what this tastes like. But I can tell you this much: it’s tasteless. And offensive. Once again, popular culture deals with Christianity in a way it would never deal with any other major religion. From CNN’s Beliefs blog: A Chicago restaurant is pushing the boundaries of poor taste with its October Burger of the Month. Kuma’s Corner, a heavy-metal themed joint with an “Eat beef; bang your head” ethos, says its new burger is an homage... Read more
Just got this press release from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, which touches on something most people may not realize: If the government shutdown continues through the weekend, there will be no Catholic priest to celebrate Mass this Sunday in the chapel at Marine Corps Base Quantico. The priest who celebrates Mass there is a government contractor. Military personnel enjoy, like all Americans, the First Amendment guarantee of the “Free Exercise” of their particular religious faith. But because military personnel are... Read more
This is today’s reflection from Give Us This Day, the monthly prayer periodical published by Liturgical Press and my frequent companion on my morning subway ride. (Full disclosure: I’m also a contributor.) This meditation comes from Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty, who knew Thomas Merton back in the days before he entered the monastery (he writes about her in “The Seven Storey Mountain.”) In between being a prolific writer and speaker, she also founded Madonna House. I... Read more
To me, the fact that he’s impressed isn’t as surprising as the fact that a reporter in the mainstream media brought up the subject in the first place—and this, during an interview about a looming financial catastrophe. From USA TODAY: President Obama’s interview with the CNBC business news channel included high praise for Pope Francis. “I have been hugely impressed with the pope’s pronouncements,” Obama said, describing Francis as “somebody who lives out the teachings of Christ. Incredible humility —... Read more
Good question. I got an e-mail today from a deacon friend on the West Coast: Hey, are you aware if Pope Francis has ever mentioned deacons in any way? I haven’t seen anything with a mention of deacons and I’m curious about your thoughts here… A few people have written to me about that, usually with irritation. “Why hasn’t he mentioned deacons? Why doesn’t he address us in talks when he mentions priests and nuns? Are we being marginalized? Doesn’t... Read more
CNS has the answer: Pope Francis and his eight cardinal advisers on church governance spent much of their first day together discussing reform of the Synod of Bishops, but the Vatican downplayed expectations that their discussions would lead to major changes in the near future. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, told reporters Oct. 2 that the pope and the international Council of Cardinals had held morning and afternoon sessions the previous day, for the first of three days... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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