The Deacon's Bench
What do you think about kids crying in church? We’ve been reading about it here and here and here. Tomorrow, I’ll be talking about it on the Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick at 6:35 am ET. Read more
What do you think about kids crying in church? We’ve been reading about it here and here and here. Tomorrow, I’ll be talking about it on the Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick at 6:35 am ET. Read more
It could be coming soon: “A saint now!” The canonisation of Wojtyla is getting closer quickly and it could be celebrated next October. In fact, in the past few days, the medical council of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints has recognized as inexplicable one healing attributed to the blessed John Paul II. A supposed “miracle” that, if it is also approved by theologians and the cardinals (as it is very likely), will bring the Polish Pope, who died... Read more
Some potentially big news on the sainthood front, from John Allen: A Vatican official responsible for the sainthood cause of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador announced Sunday that the cause has been “unblocked” by Pope Francis, suggesting that beatification of the assassinated prelate could come swiftly. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia spoke Sunday in the Italian city of Molfetta at a Mass honoring the 20th anniversary of the death of Bishop Antonio “Tonino” Bello, known as one of Italy’s premier “peace... Read more
Details: Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras said he was backing more posts for women after the Pope named him this month to lead a task force of eight cardinals from around the world to reform the Roman Curia, an alleged hotbed of intrigue, infighting and corruption. The cardinal’s comments, made to The Sunday Times, were backed by Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi on Sunday. “It is a natural step – there is a move towards putting more women... Read more
From The Record in Northern New Jersey comes this lengthy look at why Catholic schools are closing, and the impact on communities: Padre Pio Academy in Hackensack will close its doors this year, following Assumption Academy in Emerson, which was shuttered in 2012. The Archdiocese of New York plans to close 24 schools in June. And nationwide, nearly 150 Catholic schools will close this year, a troubling trend for the church in America. The effects ripple through communities as schools and the parishes... Read more
Over at NCR, Tom Fox notes: I think this is the first time I have ever seen a pope touching a woman or have seen a woman’s hand on a papal hand. The times are changing! Well, “touching a woman” beyond a handshake, that is. I have to say: the image here is strikingly warm and intimate. Indeed, this is clearly a pontiff comfortable around women and babies. (For further evidence, check out this video.) The woman here is former... Read more
This happened today at the 11:30 Mass. Our celebrant, the vocations director for my diocese, had preached a homily about vocations—how we are all called to something—and was about to launch into the Eucharistic Prayer when, lo and behold, he got some company: a child who felt called to the sanctuary and all that neat stuff up there. A little girl, maybe all of three-years-old, started toddling up the center aisle. It’s a big, long aisle in a massive church.... Read more
Details: Boston’s Catholic archbishop marked the city’s renewed sense of community after the marathon bombings but warned of the “culture of death” that led to the tragedy, calling on the faithful to “build a civilization of love.” At the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley offered Sunday’s Mass, which was attended by the city’s police commissioner, “for the repose of the souls” of those who died as a result of Monday’s bombing and the manhunt for its... Read more
To mark the 50th World Day of Prayer for Vocations —which falls every year on Good Shepherd Sunday—Pope Francis ordained 10 men to the priesthood at St. Peter’s Basilica today. Below, his homily, from Vatican Radio. +++ Beloved brothers and sisters: because these our sons, who are your relatives and friends, are now to be advanced to the Order of priests, consider carefully the nature of the rank in the Church to which they are about to be raised.... Read more
When you think about it, it may be the most unusual war memorial in the world: one dedicated to pacifists. From the BBC: A memorial recognising the wartime work done by Quakers has been unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Quaker beliefs, among them pacifism, meant that many were unable to serve in the armed forces during wartime. Many volunteered to serve in warzones in the Friends Ambulance Unit (FAU). Leslie Steed, 94, who served with the Friends... Read more
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