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The Deacon's Bench

Those words, the title of Maryland’s state song, were echoing in my ears as I read over the installation homily of the new Archbishop of Baltimore, Edwin O’Brien. God bless Rocco, who has posted the text in full. Among other things, it contains this passage below, celebrating the venerable history of my home state —…

This is what happens when you have a pope who loves cats. One of them goes and writes a tell-all: Chico the cat describes the life of his “best friend”, Pope Benedict, in an authorised biography for children released this week. “Dear Children, here you will find a biography that is different to others because…

That local boy would be St. Paul, and his hometown of Tarsus evidently plans to get into the act for the recently-announced Year of St. Paul: Pope Benedict has declared 2008 the year of Saint Paul and so preparations gained speed in Mersin’s Tarsus district, Saint Paul’s birthplace, and an area recognized as a place…

St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke is wading into the ’08 presidential campaign, and he’s already stirring the waters: As the 2008 presidential campaign revs up, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke is reprising his role from 2004. And the blogs are buzzing. Four years ago, Burke drew international attention when he said that if Democratic presidential…

Well, here’s something they never covered in homiletics class: what happens if a parishioner sues you for something you allegedly said during a homily? From the Chicago Tribune: An Algonquin man is suing a Crystal Lake priest for defamation of character, alleging that the priest insulted and humiliated him during the homily at mass. Angel…

This piece in the current National Catholic Register has some interesting voices on the subject of Rudy Giuliani and Catholicism. I’m not persuaded that a majority of Catholics are “turned off” by a candidate who is pro-abortion, even one who is a nominal Catholic like Giuliani; a good number of Catholics backed Kerry, and they…

It was a year ago today, October 2, 2006, that tragedy was visited upon the Amish people of rural Pennsylvania. USA Today has an insightful interview with someone who understands their culture very well, and who tries to explain one of the great mysteries of their faith: After the shooting deaths of five Amish girls…

Up in Alaska, there’s a report from the local diocesan paper about a man who has launched a remarkable and inspiring ministry to those who are facing their final hours: Ed Iwata thoughtfully sipped a latte while talking about his foray into the land of the dying. Iwata, a convert to Catholicism and a member…

Our Catholic-dominated Supreme Court surprised some observers yesterday, deciding not to rule in a case involving Catholics and artificial birth control: The court issued a list of cases it would not hear this year. No explanation was given for the justices’ decision not to consider the cases. Among them was the dispute over a New…

Turns out a lot of priests, nuns and religious are doing something right — and it’s going to their heads. Or, at least, their brains. Here’s how U.S. News and World Report describes it: People who are conscientious and prone to “doing the right thing” are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as they age,…
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