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The Deacon's Bench

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for one of the great Christmas classics of my generation, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” In the recent PBS documentary about Charles Schulz, he described the difficulties he had with CBS — they wanted a laugh track, they were nervous about having children do the voices, they…

Grim news from the Archdiocese of Washington, where a deacon has been charged with sex abuse: Police have charged a Roman Catholic deacon with incest for allegedly abusing an underage female relative in the 1960s and 1970s. Dan Paul Stallings has served as deacon at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Silver Spring since…

Our Lady of Guadalupe, mystical rose, intercede for the Church, protect the Holy Father, help all who invoke you in their necessities. Since you are the ever Virgin Mary and Mother of the true God, obtain for us from your most holy Son the Grace of a firm faith and sure hope amid the bitterness…

For all those who are, were, or ever will be pregnant, here’s some fascinating news: scientists (who evidently have too much time on their hands) have figured out why women who are preggers don’t fall over when they stand up: Evolution provided them with slight differences from men in their lower backs and hip joints,…

This is what happens when you have a minister running for president. Mike Huckabee undoubtedly has what might be called a “pulpit trail” — but he won’t let anyone see it. This, from Mother Jones: Before beginning his political career, Huckabee was a Southern Baptist minister for 12 years in his home state of Arkansas.…

You may have heard the pope will be doing a little traveling next year. You may also have heard that he’s decided to skip one particularly large and troubled archdiocese. The graphic below explains why. H/T, and much laughter, to The Ironic Catholic.

The Washington Post’s Sally Quinn has been talking to various well-known public figures about their faith, and this week she’s chatting with NBC’s Tim Russert about politics, his upbringing, and Catholicism. Take a look at this link.

Every now and then something pops up online that is a real breakthrough — and a wonderful resource. This link is one of those: Biblia Clerus, a bible commentary set up by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy. As Catholic World News puts it: The Biblia Clerus site links each passage of the Bible– Old…

Straying momentarily from the world of religion, I just thought this was too funny not to post: the best typos and media blunders of 2007. A sample: In an article in Monday’s newspaper, there may have been a misperception about why a Woodstock man is going to Afghanistan on a voluntary mission. Kevin DeClark is…

You have to see this to believe it: a Providence, Rhode Island traffic cop who, every year, puts on a show right in the middle of the street. I’m told he comes out of retirement for the holidays just for this. Enjoy. Bless him. This really is a gift that keeps on giving.
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