As the author of this new blog describes it: Rob Hart was replaced with a reporter with an iPhone, so he is documenting his new life with an iPhone, but with the eye of a photojournalist trained in storytelling. Rob Hart is a Freelance Photojournalist and Adjunct Faculty of Photojournalism at the Medill School of Journalism. He’s got a beautiful web page, btw. But check out his photo blog “Laid Off From the Sun-Times.” Start at the bottom, with the first hour,... Read more
Happy news from the Diocese of Charlotte, where a permanent deacon took part in the ordination of his son as a transitional deacon: It is a great grace for the whole Church when a new transitional deacon is ordained on his journey toward the holy priesthood. For seminarian Paul D. McNulty, June 1 was an especially joyous occasion as his father, permanent Deacon Brian McNulty, assisted at his ordination and vested him during the Mass at their home parish of... Read more
Mark Shea strikes a poignant tone of contrition and humility in this morning’s post. Listen closely and you can hear the fervent thumping of his fist against his chest. Snip: The past week has not been a pleasant one, but it has been a fruitful one. I won’t bore you with a lot of autobiography, but I will say that the Holy Spirit has been very busy, turning over some rocks in the heart that have nasty things living under... Read more
At the height of her popularity in 1973, the actress wrote a piece for the religious magazine Guideposts that showed a different side of the woman we remember as Edith Bunker: For myself, I have seen how my own niggling, personal prejudgments often have robbed me of pleasure and peace of mind. There have been times when I have tried to cure these prejudices, and I recall one time in particular when a conscious effort at healing resulted in a... Read more
A great insight from Elizabeth Tenety at the Washington Post: In homilies and speeches in the months since assuming the Seat of Saint Peter, Pope Francis has demonstrated his simple style applies not only to his dress and living accommodations –but to the words he uses to share the faith. A few recent examples: Eternity “will not be boring.” “Long faces cannot proclaim Jesus.” “War is madness. It is the suicide of humanity.” “We are not part-time Christians.” “The Lord has redeemed all of us,... Read more
This kid has his head screwed on straight. Details from the New York Daily News: Sal Cocchiaro knows numbers. He just graduated as valedictorian of St. Francis Prep with a 100.7 average and won $480,000 worth of scholarships from seven Ivy League-caliber colleges. But this middle-class Bayside, Queens, kid chose a full four-year ride at Fordham University — just 30 minutes from home and family. So how did the 17-year-old wind up with a 100-plus average? “I took some advanced-placement... Read more
Details: A federal jury awarded Christa Dias $171,000 after finding a Catholic school discriminated against her for conceiving a baby out of wedlock via artificial insemination. The court case that asked whether Catholic schools can legally fire a pregnant teacher for violating church doctrine came close to a conclusion last week after a day of testimony from the teacher and her former bosses. Dias, 33, was fired in 2010 for conceiving a baby out of wedlock via artificial insemination. A... Read more
From Venezuela, we learn this fascinating tidbit: The descendants of African slaves donned masks and bright red costumes as they danced through the streets of this small Venezuelan town on Thursday for its annual commemoration of Corpus Cristi. [sic] Young men beat drums and shook maracas as the “devils” paraded through the streets and people gathered to celebrate Corpus Cristi, a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating the transformation of the body and blood of Christ into bread and wine. If you... Read more
Details: At a time when the dearth of religious vocations to convents and to the priesthood is epidemic, there is one bright ray of hope. Archbishop Charles Chaput ordained 15 married men of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to the permanent diaconate on Saturday, June 1 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. The diaconate, third in rank in ordained ministry behind bishops and priests, is second only to the episcopacy in ancient tradition, tracing back to the choosing... Read more
The picture above, from yesterday, shows Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez before the Blessed Sacrament in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. And the tabernacle? From the cathedral website: The bronze tabernacle in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was designed and fabricated by sculptor Max DeMoss. The tabernacle reserves the blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist, which is taken to the sick and elderly by Eucharistic Ministers during the week. Since the... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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