Details: There was a huge outpouring an faith and devotion as more than 8,500 worshippers from across the United Arab Emirates celebrated the first Mass at the emirate’s new Catholic church on Friday the 14th June 2013. It was one of the biggest ever turnouts, with residents travelling from across the country despite the summer heat for the consecration of the Saint Anthony of Padua Church in Jazirat Al Hamra. Residents from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, many of whom had... Read more
Details: God may be omnipresent — but His priests aren’t. So a holy man in Madison, Wisc., has turned to app development, along with divine guidance, to find a better way to tend to the needs of his 800-family flock. Father Richard Heilman is launching a My Confessor App that will let his parishioners know when and where he is available to listen to their sins. After 25 years in the ministry, Heilman believes Catholics could do with a bit... Read more
Paula Cooper’s case garnered international attention—earning sympathy from Pope John Paul II and from an Italian friar, Fr. Vito Bracone (shown above) who organized a petition drive to spare her life. Now, after nearly three decades, she is about to go free. Details: Paula Cooper was just 16 years old when she became the youngest person on death row in the United States. That was in 1986. On Monday, after 27 years behind bars, Cooper will walk out of the... 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 from Allentown, PA: A young boy from Lehigh County is practicing what he preaches. Alex Trinidad, 8, recently celebrated his First Holy Communion. Family and friends gave him money for the occasion. Alex turned around and gave it to people in need. The elementary student donated $465 to the Ecumenical Kitchen in Allentown. “I [was] inspired by Pope Francis because he said to feed the poor,” said Alex. “I feel good because everybody gets to eat!” Watch a video... Read more
It happened in Ogden, Utah: Everything was calm and peaceful at St. James Catholic Church on Sunday afternoon before a man walked in and shot his father-in-law in the back of the head. Witnesses said they had just started to say a prayer when a man and woman walked into the church holding hands. The victim and his wife “were sitting in the back pew off to the right side when their daughter and her husband walked in holding hands,”... Read more
From the Times of Israel: An Italian Catholic activist and journalist who was declared a Righteous Gentile for saving Jewish lives during World War II has formally been put on the road to sainthood by the Roman Catholic church. Odoardo Focherini was beatified – the step before sainthood – at a ceremony Saturday in his hometown of Carpi, near Modena in northern Italy. Declared a martyr by the church, Focherini is believed to be the first Righteous Gentile, and the... Read more
Details: Biker culture has come to the Vatican. Pope Francis on Sunday blessed thousands of Harley Davidsons and their riders as the American motorcycle manufacturer celebrated its 110th anniversary with a loud parade and plenty of leather. Thundering Harley engines nearly drowned out the recitation of the “Our Father” prayer in Latin that accompanied Francis as he greeted the crowd before Mass. In St. Peter’s Square, bikers in their trademark leather Harley vests sat alongside nuns and tens of thousands... Read more
Some are making the argument that, when it comes to the big day itself, less is more: Noting the sharply increasing costs of weddings, marriage advocates have begun to urge couples to be less extravagant in their nuptial celebrations for the good of their relationships. “We ran a survey early this year with a law firm that looked at reasons for not marrying, and the top reason for men was the cost of the wedding,” said Harry Benson, an official... Read more
That’s what the producers are hoping, anyway, thanks to a savvy marketing campaign: As the new Superman movie takes flight this weekend, filmmakers are hoping the Man of Steel lands not only in theaters, but also in pulpits. Warner Bros. Studios is aggressively marketing “Man of Steel” to Christian pastors, inviting them to early screenings, creating Father’s Day discussion guides and producing special film trailers that focus on the faith-friendly angles of the movie. The movie studio even asked a... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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