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The Deacon's Bench

For over two decades, the Virgin Mary has allegedly been appearing in Medjugorje — and visitors there have numbered in the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands. (My wife is one of them; she made a trip there herself several years ago and was deeply impressed by the experience.) The Vatican has ruled that it…

Sad but true: one of the most famous voices in the world is no more. From the AP: Don LaFontaine, the man who popularized the catch phrase ”In a world where…” and lent his voice to thousands of movie trailers, has died. He was 68. LaFontaine died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from complications in…

This is just too cool for words. Just click and enjoy. h/t to American Papist. How’d they do it? Check right here.

If you’d like some spiritual distraction from the noise and nastiness of this election year…try this on for size. The USCCB has published a Novena for Faithful Citizenship, designed to be prayed on the nine Tuesdays leading up to the election on November 4. Good old reliable Rocco has posted part of the opening prayer,…

Late last month, I linked to a controversial piece in America by Sister Camille D’Arienzo, on forgiving abusive priests. Sunday, the Boston Globe published an interview with Sr. Camille: Two weeks ago, she wrote an essay for America magazine, the Jesuit weekly, asking “Has the church, from top to bottom, determined that those who have…

I saw this item last week in my local diocesan paper, the Brooklyn Tablet, and made a mental note: “Link to this.” And, of course, I forgot. But better late than never. It’s a fascinating glimpse at the celebrated starlet who became a cloistered nun, Dolores Hart: As Dolores Hart, she was a well-known and…

I found this over at the Concord Pastor’s blog, and thought it well worth sharing. For all those empty-nesters and parents coping with kids trudging back to school, this prayer’s for you: A Parent’s Prayer When A Daughter Leaves Home Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child and entrusted me with…

The world’s most famous former hostage finally met with Pope Benedict on Monday, in a dramatic encounter full of emotion. From Reuters: Freed French-Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt hugged Pope Benedict on Monday and told him how she was overcome with emotion when she heard him appeal for her freedom on a radio broadcast during her…

The organization Catholics United has noticed something missing from the GOP platform — one sentence about reducing abortions. They point out: The draft platform, which the party will vote to ratify in St. Paul today, originally contained the following language: “We invite all persons of good will, whether across the political aisle or within our…

“I’m going to Disney World!” Well, it helps if you live right down the road from The Mouse, like the gentleman on the left. A reader sent me his picture with the following note: “Congratulations to Deacon James Stokes — ordained by Bishop Thomas Wenski, ordinary of the Diocese of Orlando, to the diaconate on…
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