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The Deacon's Bench

During a recent trip to Florida, I was stunned to visit a parish that had not just one deacon, or two, but six. Yes, six. The vocation in the Sunshine State is booming. And Florida Catholic looks at this trend in Palm Beach: The number of permanent deacons serving Catholics in the Diocese of Palm…

One Michigan diocese is struggling with some familiar problems — less money, fewer priests, crumbling churches — and is taking steps to address those issues. First up: eliminating at least one mass at every parish. Here’s more, from the Jackson Citizen-Patriot: Bishop Earl Boyea said changes to parish life may be painful, “but on the…

I’ve updated the original post on Douglas Kmiec and communion — but here’s one canon lawyer’s take on the incident. In a nutshell, at least according to canon law, the priest was wrong.

For the answer to that and other provocative questions, check out this very amusing conversation between My Close Personal Friend (MCPF) Stephen Colbert and Dr. Peter Gomes, on the “scandalous gospel” of Jesus. Enjoy.

The answer, for now, seems to be…maybe. From the Catholic News Agency: Leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have invited both major party presidential candidates to meet with them before the election, reportedly to discuss social issues. The bishops who would attend any such meeting are chairmen of USCCB committees on pro-life…

It’s never happened before, but the Archbishop of Canterbury is about to make a historic visit to the most popular Catholic shrine in the world. From the Daily Mail: Doctor Rowan Williams is to become the first leader of the Church of England to make a pilgrimage to the Roman Catholic shrine of Lourdes. The…

Only hours after I blogged about the U.S. bishops’ voters’ guide, I stumbled across this bit of news. They’re trying to entice people to read it — and using a decidedly unorthodox (ahem) way to get attention: In an effort to get Americans to read their voters’ guide, the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops announced today…

Douglas Kmiec knows, and has posted this account of a day he’d rather forget: It was time for Communion. Notwithstanding the indictment of the homily, I did not think of myself as unworthy of receipt of the sacrament–at least no more so than pre-Obama endorsement. Communion in the Catholic tradition is indeed sacred. We believe…

“Tim would have liked this: the people, warm weather, sunshine and the Buffalo Bills are winning right now.” — Sister Lucille Socciarelli, September 15, 2008, at a memorial mass for Tim Russert sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy near Russert’s hometown of Buffalo, NY.

It’s another spectacular September morning in New York City. And I can’t think of a better way to start the day than with this song of praise. Morning, all.
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