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December 2013

December 04, 2013

Dutch bishops give bleak report to Pope Francis

Details: Dutch bishops visiting Rome this week have given Pope Francis a dramatic snapshot of...

December 02, 2013

What Catholics with developmental disabilities bring to the Church

Photo: Karen Callaway Here's an aspect of parish life that doesn't get much attention. From...

November 2013

November 24, 2013

Flip this abbey: six Catholic couples buy South Dakota monastery

Here's an interesting update on a story I posted on The Bench back in January: ...

November 22, 2013

Altar servers: “Apostles who help make Jesus present”

From The Catholic Standard in Washington: Altar servers play an important role in the Church's...

November 13, 2013

Stop everything and read this. It will make your day. Really.

From Rebecca Frech at "Shoved to Them," a testimony that will make you see everything...

November 09, 2013

Churchy phrases that are scaring off millennials

From a 30-year-old, Addie Zierman, in The Washington Post: The statistics are in. The millennials are...

November 05, 2013

Vatican releases full text of document and survey questions for 2014 Synod of Bishops on the Family

From News.va: The preparatory document for next year’s Synod of Bishops on the Family was...

November 03, 2013

Hot cross bums: cold church tries pew warmers

As one reader noted, on sending this to me, "Leave it to the Anglicans." Check...

October 2013

October 29, 2013

Catholic ministry reaches out to porn addicts

From the Columbus Dispatch: Responding to concerns arising in prayer groups and confessionals, some central...

October 27, 2013

The Francis Effect in Nebraska

From the World-Herald in Omaha: At his sister’s wedding reception, Taylor Leffler sat down for...

October 13, 2013

Church confronts the “silent schism” of divorced and remarried Catholics

From Vatican Insider: Shock declarations, such as the ones contained in the document issued by...

October 10, 2013

Study: multicultural parishes growing in U.S.; Hispanic membership booming

Details: The percentage of multicultural Catholic parishes in the U.S. is on the increase, according...

October 07, 2013

Poll: most Catholics who attend Mass weekly support gay marriage, women priests

Details: American Catholics agree 68 - 23 percent, with little difference between more observant and...

October 06, 2013

“You can make a difference”: a terrific stewardship video

We're just launched a new stewardship drive at my parish. The video below, produced and...

October 06, 2013

Move over “nones” and make room for “nominals”

A trend worth noting, from Religion News Service: They’re rarely at worship services and indifferent...

September 2013

September 28, 2013

Hispanics becoming less Catholic

From the Washington Post: A new poll finds that major changes in religious affiliation are underway...

September 22, 2013

New Orleans archbishop orders school calendars changed to keep Sundays free

Details: After months of nudging Catholics to reclaim Sunday as a day to attend Mass...

September 22, 2013

“I walked out of Mass and said, ‘I can’t do this anymore’…”—UPDATED

Writer Mary DeTurris Poust unloads: One of the reasons I cried while reading Pope Francis’...

September 20, 2013

Duquesne disputes claims surrounding death of adjunct professor

This story, posted earlier in the week, received tons of attention from around the internet—and...

September 19, 2013

The “black Tebow”? Meet Prince Amukamara—Catholic football star and a virgin

Details: Giant's cornerback Prince Amukamara is being compared to Tim Tebow as more people take...

September 18, 2013

Professional and poor: the story of Margaret Mary Vojtko—UPDATED

I think this is a story that needs to be told. When we think of...

September 15, 2013

“What is a parish?”: a homily for September 15, 2013

Today, traditionally the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, is also my parish's feast day....

September 02, 2013

More evidence that the Catholic Church is falling apart—UPDATED

I'm being ironic. The fact is: there are abundant signs of life and hope that...

August 2013

August 30, 2013

Why a liberal Catholic won’t leave the Church

Award-winning journalist (and Friend of the Bench) Paul Moses offers the reasons why he stays...

August 23, 2013

“Don’t you dare shake hands with me or offer signs of peace…”

A parishioner shared this with me, and it's priceless. A little ditty by Richard Stilgoe...

August 13, 2013

A man of God with a gun?

The Anchoress had a scare the other night—and it turns out, there are many out...

August 13, 2013

A man of God with a gun?

The Anchoress had a scare the other night—and it turns out, there are many out...

August 03, 2013

Dress up for Mass?! Absurd.

Well, looking around the pews on any given Sunday, I get the impression that's what...

August 03, 2013

Dress up for Mass?! Absurd.

Well, looking around the pews on any given Sunday, I get the impression that’s what...

July 2013

July 29, 2013

“Amazing”: Serving as Lector Before Three Million at WYD

A teenager from the U.S. at World Youth Day tells all: The young woman who...