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Ordination of Transitional Deacons Columnists and contributors Father Robert M. O’Grady A happy surprise Posted: 3/5/2010 I gathered my reading material -- a book, a few documents that I had not yet, but wanted to read, and headed over to the church at 6:15 p.m. Vested for confessions, I went to the confessional, reading material in hand and closed the door behind me... Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk Facing death in solidarity and hope Posted: 3/5/2010 When I make presentations on end-of-life decision making, I sometimes have audience members approach me afterwards with comments like, “You know, Father, when my mom died 6 years ago, and I look back on it, I’m not sure my brothers and I made the right decisions about her care.” Remarks like these serve to remind us how the circumstances surrounding death are important not only for the person who passes on but also for those who remain behind. Michael Pakaluk A second spring for Catholic education Posted: 3/5/2010 Thousands of saints die every year, but only a handful among this “cloud of witnesses” will be raised to the altars. This we remind ourselves of every All Saints Day. Every saint could be canonized, but very few saints are. Jaymie Stuart Wolfe Meeting Maria Posted: 3/5/2010 I’ve been at St. Maria Goretti in Lynnfield for almost six years. Whenever I have to tell someone where I work, invariably they ask how to spell “Goretti.” Now I just say, “One R and two T’s.” I imagine that people from St. Athanasius and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha have it even worse. Clark Booth Winter Olympics adieux Posted: 3/5/2010 In the requisite song and dance awash in cheers and tears, the Winter Olympics end leaving behind more questions than answers. Chief of which is: “Are these glorious games any longer worth it?” George Weigel Robert Charles Susil, 1974-2010 Posted: 2/26/2010 Four days after my son-in-law, Rob Susil, re-entered Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he would die of an aggressive sarcoma on Feb. 5, the Church marked the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and read the Gospel of Simeon’s prophecy to Mary--that a “sword will pierce through your own soul” (Lk 2:35). That image of a sword, often described as a sword of sorrow, is the first of the traditional “seven dolors” of Our Lady of Sorrows, commemorated throughout the Church on Sept. 15, the day after the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Yet if Our Lady is the first of disciples and the model of Christian discipleship, then the sword of sorrow must pass through each disciple’s life, too, configuring us more closely to the Son from whose pierced side flowed blood, water and the Church.	Nation Chaput: Kennedy’s 1960 speech damaged believers’ role in public life By Nancy Frazier O'Brien WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Although John F. Kennedy's famous speech in Houston nearly 50 years ago could be seen as "a passionate appeal for tolerance," the candidate's remarks about how his Catholicism would affect his presidency "profoundly undermined the place ... of all religious believers in America's public life," said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver. Posted: 3/9/2010 World Haitian students lend a hand in earthquake recovery efforts By Tom Tracy Catholic News Service PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CNS) -- Colonb Mitsuka was on a playground at Louverture Cleary School when the massive magnitude 7 earthquake shook Haiti Jan. 12, causing a cinder block to fall on her, significantly injuring her face. Posted: 3/9/2010 World 100 traditionalist Anglican parishes seek to join Catholic Church By Catholic News Service ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- About 100 traditionalist Anglican parishes in the United States have decided to join the Catholic Church as a group. Posted: 3/9/2010 World Pope’s brother apologizes to abuse victims at his former school By Jonathan Luxmoore WARSAW, Poland (CNS) -- The brother of Pope Benedict XVI apologized to child victims of sexual abuse at his former school even though he said he was unaware of the alleged incidents. Posted: 3/9/2010 Nation Different laws on same-sex marriage bring different church responses By Nancy Frazier O'Brien WASHINGTON (CNS) -- When San Francisco passed an ordinance more than 13 years ago requiring agencies that contract with the city to provide spousal benefits to employees' domestic partners, then-Archbishop William J. Levada asked for a religious exemption, arguing that it imposed "an unconstitutional condition" on religiously affiliated organizations like Catholic Charities. Posted: 3/8/2010 Latest news briefs from Catholic News Service Posted: 3/11/2010 Sheik Tantawi, supporter of Muslim-Catholic dialogue, dies at 81 Priests must promote confession, show people God's mercy, pope says Pope appoints two Dallas priests as auxiliary bishops for diocese Relief partners plan to move Haitian Catholic hospital to new location Report expected in April on investigation into abuse by Dutch clergy Bishop criticizes singling out Irish church for mishandling abuse Irish bishops considering court challenge of same-sex partnership bill Love, honesty essential for facing sex abuse crisis, archbishop says Mentors at Phoenix transitional shelter help homeless seniors OCP announces 2010 grants to US parishes for music, liturgy projects New York Catholics lobby state lawmakers on public policy day