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The Deacon's Bench

They are an exotic, quirky breed. Now the New York Times offers this look at some of them: The graffiti has been replaced by advertising. The tokens have been replaced by MetroCards. But the subway preachers are a constant. They were there before I was born and will likely be there after I die —…

From the AP in Florida: A Catholic priest reportedly died during morning Mass at a church near Tampa. The website for the St. Stephen Catholic Church in Valrico says Monsignor John Scully died Friday while consecrating a holy ceremony. Scully had been a priest for 62 years. A cause of death was not immediately released.…

Several years ago a friend of mine named Heather King published a powerful book called “Parched.” It is the story of her life as an alcoholic, and her long road to recovery. Heather lived much of her youth thirsting for the next drink – feeling parched – and the book is a riveting, sometimes harrowing…

The other day, I posted on New York’s archbishop and his on-going feud with the New York Times. The local CBS affiliate aired the report below, which includes an interview with Archbishop Dolan (as he’s rarely seen — without his clerical attire.)

He posted this on his Facebook page, and I re-post it here with his permission.  I like the title under the name…

In the past, I’ve noted the curious habit in some dioceses of referring to deacons and their wives as “deacon couples”. Now, Deacon Bill Ditewig is tackling that subject — and some others involving spouses, terminology, and what it all means: Another expression that still has traction is that of “deacon couples”; we often hear…

A posting on a church bulletin board has now become a case for the courts: A 31-year-old woman who placed an ad for a Christian roommate on her church bulletin board has been charged with housing discrimination. The Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing the Christian woman, has called the complaint filed by the Fair…

“Last year when Pope Benedict XVI met with the permanent deacons of the Diocese of Rome, he recalled an incident that occurred at the Second Vatican Council. Each day when the council was in session, the Gospel was enthroned to demonstrate that the council’s proceedings were subject to the authority of God’s Word. One day,…

That’s the surprising distinction that Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Ann Rodgers explores: The City of Champions can claim a new American title: No. 1 in producing cardinals for the Catholic Church. With the expected elevation of Cardinal-designate Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., four living cardinals will have grown up in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Cardinal-designate Wuerl…

Hundreds of clergy gathered earlier this week for the first-ever joint convocation of priests and deacons in the Brooklyn Diocese. Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley delivered the keynote (which contained the sterling quote in the headline).  The story, from “Currents,” below.
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