Inspiration Faith & Prayer Health & Wellness Entertainment Love & Family
Newsletters Special Offers

The Deacon's Bench

“The truth is, if you’re a conscious human being, you are conscious more and more of two things. First, you’re going to die. Second, while you’re alive, bad things are going to happen to you and people around you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. And I don’t think we’re good at that.…

The other day, in the Boston Globe, former priest and current author James Carroll had this to say about celibacy: The Catholic scandal has laid bare an essential pathology that is unique to the culture of clericalism, and mandatory celibacy is essential to it. Immaturity, narcissism, misogyny, incapacity for intimacy, illusions about sexual morality —…

One of the world’s most famous — and controversial — theater pieces is opening once again, and garnering even more attention than usual: Time advances slowly in this Alpine village, measured in decade-long spans between performances of Oberammergau’s nearly 400-year-old enactment of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Changes to the ritual, started in…

The always-enterprising Rocco unearthed this fine interview with the man who will one day oversee the largest Catholic flock in the United States. His Mass of Welcome unfolds next week and, to judge from this posting, it will be a doozie. Meantime, enjoy these reflections from Archbishop Jose Gomez, as he departs San Antonio for…

Every now and then — not nearly often enough — I read about something vital and important that shows the gospel being lived in ways that are truly transforming lives, and I say: “This has to continue. This has to be supported.” This is one of those stories, from the Los Angeles Times: This should…

So say some Catholic scholars who have issued a document on the subject, according to CNS: A group of Catholic scholars contends that management efforts to break labor unions are a grave breech of the church’s social doctrine and tantamount to committing mortal sin. A statement from Weymouth, Mass.-based Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice, released…

The legendary rock star who made his name in the group Black Sabbath died over the weekend, after a battle with cancer. And it seems he also had a battle with faith. Deacon Scott Dodge unearthed this interview, from Heavy Metal Magazine, from a few years back: HMM: “How has your Roman Catholic background inspired,…

Health care reform hasn’t deterred at least one pro-life group from using a loophole in the new law to limit funds used for abortions: Abortion opponents fought passage of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul to the bitter end, and now that it’s the law, they’re using it to limit coverage by private insurers. An…

That’s part of the reflection below, from my sibling in Catholic broadcasting, Fr. Thomas Thomas Rosica, the CEO of Salt + Light Television, Canada’s national Catholic network. This Sunday marks World Communications Day. Happy and Blessed Communicating, one and all!

The Cardinal Newman Society, which keeps track of these things, has compiled a list of speakers at Catholic colleges who violate Catholic teachings: At least nine Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. have invited spring commencement speakers and/or honorary degree recipients whose public positions and actions are clearly at odds with fundamental Catholic teachings,…
archives most recent
search this blog
More from Beliefnet and our partners