Photo: by John Roca Um, no you’re not. Newsday has the scoop: Eda Lorello, a longtime church worker, said she was ordained during a service in Wellesley, Mass., on Aug. 10 organized by Roman Catholic Womenpriests, an advocacy group that says it has ordained 120 women to what it calls the priesthood in the United States in the past decade. The Vatican does not recognize the ordinations as legitimate, and has said that the women automatically “excommunicate” themselves when... Read more
It’s the Ostrich Pillow. And no, once again, THIS IS NOT FROM THE ONION. Details: Sometimes all you need is a power nap — after a stressful day; to counter jet lag; or for a chance to relax. The Ostrich Pillow is a dream come true. Burrow your head and arms into its cozy “cocoon” and you’ll be in dreamland before you know it. Created by STUDIO BANANA THINGS, a brand that puts the fun in functional, the Ostrich Pillow... Read more
Details: When getting blessed, you might also be getting sick. Researchers say holy water could actually be harmful to your health, as some of it contains fecal matter. “Austrian scientists tested water from more than three dozen holy springs and church fonts and found that none, not one of them were safe to drink.” (Via WPVI) Researchers say 86 percent of the samples from 39 different springs and church bowls they tested contained bacteria from fecal matter like e-coli which can lead... Read more
Today, traditionally the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, is also my parish’s feast day. Late yesterday, the parish administrator said, “You wanna throw together a few words for the 11:30 Mass?” Okay, I said. Here they are. Yesterday, as I do every month, I met with families to schedule baptisms. And I’m always surprised at the number of people who show up, wanting want to have baptisms here, even though they aren’t, technically, a part of the parish. By... Read more
Photo: Andy Colwell/Erie Times News Details: Deacon Ron Fronzaglia began his homily Sunday with a pop quiz. The retired teacher and principal asked members of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in McKean to list priorities in their lives. “Is prayer one of your priorities?” Fronzaglia asked. “Is going to church one of your priorities?” He told more than 100 worshippers at the 10:30 a.m. Mass that “God is first in our lives.” Sharing Christ with people is a reason... Read more
My parish, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, marks its feast tomorrow. Below is a homily I delivered for the occasion in 2008, with some reflections on the cross and Mary: This Sunday, marks the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. And like we do at every Sunday mass, we began this celebration with a procession down the aisle, following that cross. It leads us to the altar, and to Christ. That is what the cross is all about. But... Read more
Some of the remarks from Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, on the New Evangelization: We do not need a conformist Church. We need a Church of mature and authentic common commitment and concern for the spreading of the Gospel. That Gospel is perennially new and must always be presented in ways that are new, but we are not called to reinvent the fundamentals of faith. The Gospel is Good News and must always be presented with the enthusiasm which is... Read more
Photo: Mark Boster/LA Times A fascinating piece on what’s involved in the transformation, from the Los Angeles Times: The name has already been changed to the Christ Cathedral. But the work of liturgical consultants, priests and architects to transform a temple so closely identified as a symbol of Schuller’s sunny, uniquely Southern Californian theology into one that conforms to the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church has just begun. “The exterior will always be the Crystal Cathedral, at least for a while,”... Read more
My parish, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, marks its feast tomorrow. Below is a homily I delivered for the occasion in 2008, with some reflections on the cross and Mary: This Sunday, marks the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. And like we do at every Sunday mass, we began this celebration with a procession down the aisle, following that cross. It leads us to the altar, and to Christ. That is what the cross is all about. But... Read more
Watch this stunning, beautifully executed ad from Thailand and see if you don’t agree. It’s a commercial for a Thai telecom company, but I think they’re selling something much more important. Watch. Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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