Reports a few weeks ago indicated as much—and now it’s closer to reality: While unrest in Turkey continues to capture attention, more subtle and more telling events concerning the Islamification of Turkey — and not just at the hands of Prime Minister Erdogan but majorities of Turks — are quietly transpiring. These include the fact that Turkey’s Hagia Sophia museum is on its way to becoming a mosque. Why does the fate of an old building matter? Because Hagia Sophia... Read more
An followup on a story I posted over the weekend: A California Catholic school teacher fired for allegedly posing a safety risk because she was a victim of domestic violence has received a new job offer in a different city, KNSD-TV reported on Monday. Carie Charlesworth told the station that an anonymous school official at a private institution in the Los Angeles area offered her a position after watching reports about Charlesworth being placed on indefinite leave from her position at... Read more
Remember when air travel was like this? Yeah. Neither do I. This is more like it: As I write, I’m sitting at a table in Au Bon Pain at the United terminal at LaGuardia, waiting for my flight to Denver for the Catholic Media Conference (you can follow on twitter at #cmc13). I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with My Idol, (who writes about this event here) and gawking at a few other idols, too, like Fr. Robert Barron... Read more
Details: Because James Evans turned his head at just the right moment, the bullet came out through his cheek instead of entering his brain, his wife said. Tara Evans spoke briefly during a news conference Monday at McKay-Dee Hospital. She nodded and smiled, then cried as Dr. Barbara Kerwin, the hospital intensive care unit medical director, talked about the extent of James Evans’ injuries. Police say James was shot in the head by his son-in-law during a Father’s Day Mass... Read more
H/T to Deacon Don Weigel for passing this along. The men were ordained Saturday at St. Joseph Cathedral. Caption: Laying hands on Deacon Paul Augustyn; Deacon Thomas Friedman; Deacon Mark Kehl; Deacon Francis Lagona; Deacon Marc Leaderstorf; Deacon V. Gregory Moran; Deacon David Rotterman; Deacon Miguel Santos and Deacon John Wlos Photo by Patrick McPartland | Western New York Catholic Congratulations and welcome, brothers! Ad multos annos! Read more
H/T to Deacon Don Weigel for passing this along. The men were ordained Saturday at St. Joseph Cathedral. Caption: Laying hands on Deacon Paul Augustyn; Deacon Thomas Friedman; Deacon Mark Kehl; Deacon Francis Lagona; Deacon Marc Leaderstorf; Deacon V. Gregory Moran; Deacon David Rotterman; Deacon Miguel Santos and Deacon John Wlos Photo by Patrick McPartland | Western New York Catholic Congratulations and welcome, brothers! Ad multos annos! Read more
A pleasant surprise, courtesy Fr. Z: Decades after John XXIII placed the name of Joseph in the Roman Canon, it seems that the name of the great Patron of the Dying, Terror of Demons, will be in the Eucharistic Prayers II, III and IV in the 3rd edition of theMissale Romanum. I received a copy of a document from the USCCB which communicates the decree – Paternas vices(Prot. N. 215/11/L) – of the Congregation for Divine Worship. II: that with the... Read more
A reader writes: I belong to a wonderful parish in GA about 20 minutes outside Savannah, GA. I would so love to renew our vows for our 40th wedding anniversary, but my husband, [who is not Catholic] will not consent to doing this in church by my priest (even though he was married in the church). Am I pretty much out of luck on this one? Is a Catholic allowed to renew vows in a place other than a church?... Read more
They are a diverse bunch: The men of the deacon class of 2013, who have made this formation journey together, are a diverse yet cohesive group: They range in age from 45 to 64, with the average being 55. One is single; the rest are married and, collectively, they have a total of 49 children and 12 grandchildren — with one more on the way any day. They come from 21 parishes and four of the six counties that comprise... Read more
Details: The Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites Boutros Bechara Rai consecrated Lebanon and the entire Middle East to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, praying that all the peoples of the region are freed “from the sins that lead to divisions, aggression and violence “. The solemn Act of Consecration took place yesterday, Sunday, June 16, with the recitation of a prayer read during the Eucharist Liturgy presided by the Patriarch in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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