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The Deacon's Bench

The idea of better homilies — and finding ways to make them better — is emerging as a major theme from the Synod of Bishops. Zenit reports: A general instruction on homilies and a jubilee year dedicated to the art of preaching were two ideas that emerged from the world Synod of Bishops after several…

Some weeks back, I posted the dismaying news that a Saudi sheik considers Mickey Mouse “an agent of Satan.” Turns out it was all a terrible misunderstanding. (And, of course, it’s the media’s fault.) See the explanation below. And a tip of the mouse ears to Fr. Murphy.

This flick is sneaking into movie theaters this weekend — and it looks like something well worth checking out. It’s “Billy: The Early Years,” a biographical drama about the life of America’s most famous preacher. The New York Times has a piece today about how the movie got made. If you visit the movie’s website…

“We pray to God using His own words, as related to us in the Scriptures. Likewise we praise Him, also using His own words from the Bible. We ask for His mercy, mentioning what He has promised to our ancestors and to us. Our entire service is based upon an ancient rule, as related to…

This item in the Wall Street Journal — describing how a lot of voters are still undecided — reminded me of some conversations I’ve had recently with observant, faithful Catholics. These are people from different parts of the country, with different backgrounds and economic circumstances. But on three different occasions, three different people told me…

More heartening news on the vocation front: this comes to us from the innovative website VocationMatch.com, which reports a record number of hits, as more people seek information about religious life: Vision Vocation Guide and the popular VocationMatch.com website saw a record-breaking 6,930 people interested in Catholic religious vocations complete online profiles and request information…

Worried about these perilous times? A brother deacon sent me the following financial tip: If you had purchased $1,000 of Delta Air Lines stock one year ago, you would have $49 left. With Fannie Mae, you would have $2.50 left of the original $1,000. With AIG, you would have less than $15 left. But, if…

A couple years ago, I worked on a commentary for a certain news anchor who took issue with describing older people as “cute.” Isn’t that a little condescending? Now, the New York Times looks at the quiet but persistent insults that we seem to bestow on older Americans: Professionals call it elderspeak, the sweetly belittling…

Over at the biblical Synod, they’re getting an earful about — of all things — preaching. From CNS: After the current church year dedicated to St. Paul, the Catholic Church should dedicate a year to the art of preaching, Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., told the world Synod of Bishops on the Bible.…

It’s going to be a long, cold winter, and I can’t help but fear we’re going to be seeing more stories like this one, from California: Karthik Rajaram had fallen hard. The 45-year-old Porter Ranch financial manager who once made more than $1.2 million in a London-based venture fund had lost his job. His luck…
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