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The Deacon's Bench

That’s the title of a new documentary about New Orleans marching bands competing to perform in the Mardi Gras parade. It was produced, directed and edited by a former colleague of mine from CBS, Richard Barber — and, judging from the preview trailer below, it’s a stunner. Just watch.

It’s a phrase that has become synonymous with going over the top, and signaling the beginning of the end — whether in life, politics or entertainment. Now the guy who wrote the infamous “Happy Days” episode that “jumped the shark” is jumping to its defense. From the LA Times: In 1987, Jon Hein and his…

In a rare move, a priest who has been cleared of charges of sexual abuse is taking aim at his bishop — and others — in court. From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: A priest at St. Vincent College filed a libel suit Friday in Westmoreland County against officials of the Greensburg Catholic Diocese and St. Vincent…

That seminary would be Sacred Heart in Wisconsin. Details: Sacred Heart School of Theology, the nation’s largest Catholic seminary geared toward older men, posted its biggest enrollment gain in 20 years this month, seminary officials said. Forty-two new students are signed up for the fall, pushing enrollment to around 210. The incoming class is nearly…

In the late 18th century, there was no American portrait artist more famous, more celebrated, more sought-after than Gilbert Stuart. He was born in Rhode Island and was something of a prodigy, producing a formal portrait at the age of 12. In 1796, at the height of his career, Stuart was commissioned to do what…

Last month, Felipe Esparza won NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” taking home $250,000 and a TV development deal. But the story of how he got there is pretty amazing. From CNS: Esparza’s life has not been a laughing matter. He grew up in a housing project. His father was a welder, while his mother was employed…

It happened in Phoenix: The Catholic Bishop of Phoenix responded Wednesday to a priest’s reported participation in an attempted priestly ordination of a woman. Urging prayers for all involved, he said such actions are “divisive” and have “profoundly harmful consequences.” Writing in a Sept. 1 letter published in the Catholic Sun, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted…

She pops up in one of Paul’s epistles, and now an Anglican priest has blogged about her. While debate continues about female deacons (or deaconesses), here’s some interesting context: As is often the case with these first century saints, we do not know much about them, outside of their names being mentioned in Paul’s epistles…

For Labor Day weekend: a classic performance of a great anthem. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, at the Concert for New York in 2001. Days after the attacks of 9/11, some of the biggest names in music gathered for this incredible event, raising money for the families of firefighters, rescue workers and cops. Thousands of…

Today is the feast day of my patron, St. Gregory the Great — who, among many other things, was a writer and a deacon before he went on to becoming a pope and earning the title “great.” (When my wife wished me a “happy feast day” this morning, I told her: “Heh. He was Greg…
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