The Blog
Explore the latest from the Deacon’s Bench.
Worth a thousand words: Look what Spike Lee wore to the NBA finals
I missed the game Monday, but Spike Lee didn't — and he gave a boost to the pontiff: The “Do
Religious statues on public buildings?
From The New York Times (gift article): As a gleaming new police and fire headquarters took shape last year in
The writer the Tony winners forgot: E.L. Doctorow
Like a lot of people, I was mightily impressed by the stirring performance from the cast of Ragtime on the
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Befriending St. Joseph: Finding Faith, Hope and Courage in the Seven Sorrows Devotion

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The Handy Little Guide to Fasting
From the Archives
Other articles you may find interesting
Ordination update: 8 new deacons for Orlando
From the In My Backyard Desk...some happy news. Congratulations! The deacons were ordained by Bishop
Cardinal McElroy removes controversial exorcist over remarks linking demons to UFOs
From EWTN News: Washington archbishop Cardinal Robert McElroy on June 3 removed a prominent priest
Ordination update: 8 new deacons for Patterson
From The Beacon newspaper: On May 30, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney ordained eight men of different
Ordination update: 2 new deacons for Rochester
Photo: by Jeff Witherow/Catholic Courier From the Catholic Courier: For one day, the spotlight shone
It’s here: ‘Magnifica humanitas,’ Pope Leo’s first encyclical
You can read the entire document here. Some initial news coverage below. First, as Katie
For Memorial Day: James Garfield’s speech for the first Decoration Day
A grateful h/t to Heather Cox Richardson, who posted this beautiful tribute from 1868, when
Seriously: In his last monologue, Stephen Colbert cracked a deacon joke
Television history will note that deacons were mentioned during Colbert's last hurrah. Colbert — an
Timothy Shriver at Notre Dame: “In the eyes of God, there ARE no ‘least of these, no ‘them and us'”
The Chairman of the Special Olympics — and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, and
It’s official: Vatican announces first encyclical by Pope Leo to be published next week
From Vatican News: Pope Leo XIV’s first Encyclical Letter Magnifica humanitas, on preserving the human person in
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