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June 2014

June 20, 2014

Team Patheos!

A little group of us, representing part of the Patheos Catholic Channel, gathered to lead...

June 19, 2014

Gospel and BBQ in Charlotte!

No one can say the visit to Charlotte has been dull. This evening's Mass was...

June 14, 2014

Happy Father’s Day, Dad

Love you and miss you.

June 11, 2014

Where it all began

A little early Throwback Thursday action, for those of you who follow such things... The...

June 08, 2014

So long, Springfield!

Thanks for a wonderful retreat. Praying for you all as you journey forward to "go...

June 05, 2014

Headed to Springfield!

Illinois, that is. I'll be giving a retreat to deacon candidates this weekend, as they...

May 2014

May 23, 2014

Happy Anniversary. And yeah: I’d still walk 1,000 miles to fall down at your door

On May 24, 1986, my life became complete. Happy 28th Anniversary, Siobhain! I think I've...

May 19, 2014

May 19, 2007

May 14, 2014

A great night in Brooklyn: dedicating the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph

A little history was made in the Diocese of Brooklyn last night, as Bishop Nicholas...

May 05, 2014

Happy birthday, dear Patheos, happy birthday to yooooouuuu….

Patheos is pretty big for a five-year-old, don't you think? Today marks the five-year anniversary,...

April 2014

April 20, 2014

Happy Easter

April 19, 2014

Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil rehearsal

My Holy Saturday always begins with coffee and bagels with the RCIA folks in the...

April 12, 2014

Deacon, on a mission from God

The third Blues Brother has been discovered. Palm Sunday vigil Mass at Our Lady Queen...

April 07, 2014

Queens street renamed for Pope John Paul II

From the In My Backyard Desk, via the New York Daily News: Years before he...

March 2014

March 17, 2014

Can you spot the future deacon?

Someone posted this on Facebook this afternoon. Eighth grade at St. Peter's Catholic School, Olney,...

March 13, 2014

Holy Toledo

I spent part of last week in Ohio, and in four days visited three dioceses:...

March 09, 2014

Deacon Gary is back

Just returned from a trip to snowy Ohio. I'll post more in the next day...

March 06, 2014

“Got the ashes. Now what?”

That's the title of a one-day retreat I'll be giving Saturday at Our Lady of...

March 05, 2014

The hunger game: the challenge of fasting during Lent

The good people at Legatus Magazine invited me to write a few words about fasting...

March 05, 2014

The deacons got ashes

With Deacon Bill McNamara, my classmate and the DRE at my parish.

February 2014

February 23, 2014

Back from retreat

Sorry for the long silence: I was away Friday night through Sunday morning at the...

January 2014

January 31, 2014

Super Bowl fever: just another day in New York

I found myself this morning in Times Square, which was teeming with pre-Super Bowl festivities....

January 20, 2014

“How to Build an Awesome Altar Serving Program in 10 Easy Steps”

People who visit The Bench regularly know that I never tire of gushing about my...

January 19, 2014

Flying south

I'll be in scenic Seneca, South Carolina next week, at the kind invitation of Fr....

January 13, 2014

Staying power

The picture below appeared in our diocesan newspaper, The Tablet: The caption: Our Lady Queen...

January 05, 2014

How I spent Epiphany Sunday

I spent part of the day with these guys: Our 11:30 Mass included the presentation...

January 03, 2014

Snow day in Queens

It's not the snow that's so bad. It's the cold—with wind chill, hovering in the...

January 02, 2014

Snow

Went downstairs tonight to look out the front window of our building. Here is what...

December 2013

December 31, 2013

Where were you on New Year’s Eve 1977?

I was here: A friend sent me this shot. I was a freshman in college,...

December 30, 2013

My favorite church

It's where my wife and I were married 27 years ago: the chapel at St....