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The Deacon's Bench

A car commercial to make you smile. Enjoy.

The Leader of the Free World had some warm words today for the Vicar of Christ, at the Catholic Prayer Breakfast: It was a privilege to welcome Benedict XVI to the United States, President George Bush told the crowd at the 5th Annual Catholic Prayer Breakfast. The president said this today to the sold-out crowd…

The excellent papal commentator and writer David Gibson has zeroed in on an important theme of Benedict’s visit thus far — one that, perhaps, has been overshadowed by all the headlines about the sex abuse crisis. From the Wall Street Journal: Call Pope Benedict XVI a “cultural Catholic” and you’re likely to get puzzled looks…

My wife and I have been wondering the same thing — and so this nifty article in the Washington Post was of particular interest: “So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat? or ‘What are we to drink? What are we to wear?’ . . . ” — Matthew 6:31 But what…

“I don’t go to Mass, but today I went with my mother, and his sermon there and his apology about the sexual abuse blew me away, and I had tears in my eyes that I wasn’t ready to have. It was an incredible moment for me.” — Sexual abuse victim Bernie McDaid, after meeting with…

Pope Benedict, at Nationals Stadium, Washington DC. April 17, 2008. Photo from Associated Press/CBS News.

A Protestant writer is saying what many Catholics should already know: our Church matters. Greatly. Here’s Michael Gerson (former Bush speechwriter), in today’s Washington Post: The occasion of a papal visit is a chance to take stock of the health of the Roman Catholic Church in America, which, like any church, reflects the flaws of…

A beautifully produced video celebrating the Church. UPDATE: For some reason, the video has been pulled. Argh. You can still watch it by going to this link, scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking on the video titled “Epic.”

All you have to do is read the lead in the Boston Globe’s exclusive to realize this is a Big Deal: Pope Benedict XVI, in a dramatic move likely to alter forever the image of his pontificate, met this afternoon with five victims of clergy sexual abuse from Boston. But wait, there’s much more: The…

That’s the question posed by Fr. James Martin at the continuing blog, A Papal Discussion, over at the New York Times, and he’s got some compelling answers: Most Catholics, even those who may disagree with some of the pope’s statements, have an inherent understanding of his role as the “Vicar of Christ,” that is, Christ’s…
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