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The Deacon's Bench

“GTG.” “BRB.” “LOL.” “ROFL.” Anyone who’s sent or received a text message knows what those mean. Last week, I read a story that put them in perspective. It was about a monologue, on radio, delivered by Adam Gopnik, a writer for the New Yorker. He said that he’s learned to keep in touch with his…

It’s happening in more dioceses around the country, and the New York Timesthis morning looks at the impact that parish closings is having on Camden, New Jersey: Eleanor Medany remembers when South Jersey was in thrall to Roman Catholicism. There was a church every mile, or so it seemed, and priests were as common as…

At a church in Michigan, the pastor has posted a parting shot for people who decide to leave mass early: Some people still take off right after Communion at St. Peter Church, but not as many now that they have to walk under signs that read “Judas left early too.” Fr. Cooney says putting the…

After all the controversy swirling around CBS accepting a pro-life Super Bowl ad featuring Tim Tebow, people were wondering: would the network wade further into controversy, and accept an ad from a gay dating service? Now, we have the answer. And it’s no. From CNN: Super Bowl network CBS rejected an ad Friday from ManCrunch.com,…

Well, who knew? This item, from a sports fan site, lays it all out (with tongue planted firmly in cheek): In unrelated events, the following actions and cease and desist orders were served to the National Football League and NFL properties. The office of the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has sent a…

If you don’t mind a quick f-bomb near the beginning, you’ll appreciate this pretty hilarious generic news story. I know I did. He nails it. See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today’s Big Thing.

Minor-league star-turned-future-seminarian Grant Desme should know.  We were able to get a quick phone interview with him the other day. He’s sort of quiet, probably a little shy, but he has some reflections on his vocation — and peoples’ reaction to it — that are worth hearing. Check it out here.

My pal Fran just posted this on her Facebook page, and it’s too good to pass up. It’s part of an interview with Jacob Needleman, an atheist who came to believe in God, and the author of a new book “What is God?” A snip: Without a community, without help, without interrelationship, I don’t think…

The reports that Los Angeles’ Cardinal Roger Mahony is ready to retire have an interesting backstory: For the record, any claims of a selection already made cannot be confirmed and, as the lay of the land is looking at present, would appear premature. What’s more, lacking an announcement from the Holy See, it should —…

As one might expect, they’re not crazy about the Virgin Mary, or Father Flanagan, either: The Freedom from Religion Foundation is urging its supporters to boycott the stamp — and also to engage in a letter-writing campaign to spread the word about what it calls the “darker side” of Mother Teresa. The stamp — set…
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