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The Deacon's Bench

The popular but rarely-seen Rocco “Whispers in the Loggia” Palmo made an appearance recently on “Currents,” chatting with contributor and “Catholic Guy” Lino Rulli at a nearby pub. Over a couple brewskies, the two media mavens chatted about a wide range of topics– everything from blogging to baseball.  Anyone curious to see the mysterious Loggia…

And not only that: evidently, the anchorwoman is Catholic. From Britain’s Daily Mail: Sky New presenter Kay Burley was forced to make an on-air apology after mistaking a Roman Catholic symbol on American vice president Joe Biden’s forehead for a ‘large bruise’. Miss Burley, 49, made the comments yesterday during a conversation with the news…

Now I’ve seen everything. I have a brief break between services on this Ash Wednesday, so I wanted to share this incredible-but-true moment from this afternoon. It was our noon mass. It was, predictably, mobbed. Standing room only. During the distribution of ashes, a father carrying his baby came forward to receive ashes from me.…

This is the time of tension between dying and birth The place of solitude where three dreams cross Between blue rocks But when the voices shaken from the yew-tree drift away Let the other yew be shaken and reply. Blessèd sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden, Suffer us not to…

Last year, the writer Mary Karr published a beautiful memoir of her life, and her conversion to Catholicism. Some have actually compared it to the “Confessions” of St. Augustine. The book is called “Lit.” The title refers to literature, but also to the idea of carrying within you a kind of light, of being “lit.”…

Have something you’d like to get off your chest? The confessionals will be fully staffed, round-the-clock, in New York next month: A young adults group in the Archdiocese of New York has recently announced a 24-hour confession event which will take place in March during the 2010 Lenten season. The Cathedral of Saint Patrick Young…

This could make for some fascinating reading: The Vatican plans to make some of its World War II archives available on the Internet soon to calm down the controversy over Pope Pius XII’s actions during the Holocaust. The Vatican’s newspaper announced the plan, saying it will “render service to the historic truth,” and officials said…

Just in time for Lent, the Archbishop of St. Louis will continue a tradition, by celebrating a special mass for couples who are struggling with infertility: “Be fruitful,” God instructed Adam and Eve, “and multiply.” They were the first words God spoke to his creation, and his creation has heeded them ever since. But over…

It’s a little late for Valentine’s Day, but this has to be a love story for the ages: His hand brushed hers ever so lightly, and in that moment, Charlie Wellen’s life changed. “A big jolt of electricity went through me,” he says. “Wow! I’ll never forget that. And it’s been that good ever since.”…

A fella by the name of Dan Meyer has put together an “annual report,” detailing how he spent his time in 2009. He then decided to post it online, for the rest of the world to see. As we head into Lent, and take the measure of our lives, perhaps this can give each of…
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