Phone: 860-673-9858
Fax: 860-675-4350
The Deacon's Bench
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Welcome to the Deacon's Bench
From time to time items will be posted here that the deacons think might be of interest to you. Deacon Tim likes to post his homilies in written and audio form for the hard of hearing, people for whom English is a second language, and those who simply want to mull over what they heard at mass (scroll down for these). You’ll also find links to inspiring YouTube videos and other web resources we’ve found helpful ourselves.
What is a Deacon, anyway?
Aside from being really large and old altar boys, deacons perform a variety of services in support of our Church’s mission to make real the Law of Love of God and neighbor in our world at this time. In a sense, deacons are “bridge people,” with one foot in the world of laypeople and another in the world of clergymen.
Deacons report to the archbishop and are assigned to parishes, working under the supervision of their pastors. You’ll find us in prisons (as chaplains, that is), hospitals, schools and a variety of other places where the need for ministry exists. Deacons are ordinary ministers of the Eucharist, baptism and Viaticum (your last communion on Earth), and can witness marriages. Many of us are involved in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), and help catechists in religious education, when asked. We also do wake services, funerals (without mass), committals, and Word services in senior housing and eldercare institutions. And of course, we can preach.
If you are interested in exploring the diaconate, please take a look here: http://www.deacon-hartford.org/formation/admission.html
Your pastor and deacons will happily answer your questions.
Videos for you to ponder...
Rather than try to tell you what they’re about, we’ll simply let the videos speak for themselves. Enjoy!
"Thou shalt Not Steal" funny short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijEfmJLV5PE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ejh_hb15Fc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaXVk5GBx-s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeph_eX_pVw
How our children teach us to be Christians
WestJet Christmas Miracle: real-time giving
The Skit Guys use drama & comedy to teach God's word...
The Skit Guys are a pair of happy, talented Christians who have a flair for taking religious topics and presenting them in humorous yet serious ways that appeal to many people.
Take a look at this one, which is humorous:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmBLjkFrLH4
And this one, which is anything but:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meWBCqPZmBk
You can decide for your self if you need to see any of their skits. Be advised, they're kind of like my homilies. Some are quite good an dothers, well... -
Deacon Tim's Homily Links
- 4/16/2023, Sunday of Divine Mercy, "Silver Bullets" (Text)
- 4/16/2023, Sunday of Divine Mercy, "Silver Bullets" (Audio)
- 3/19/23, 4th Sunday of Lent, "Cancel Culture" (Text)
- 03/19/23, 4th Sunday of Lent, "Cancel Culture" (Audio)
- 1/22/2023, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Leadership" (Audio)
- 1/22/2023, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Leadership" (Text)
- 12/18/22, Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Dreams" (Text)
- 12/18/22, Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Dreams" (Audio)
- 11/20/2022, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Forgiveness" (Text)
- 11/20/2022, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Forgiveness" (Audio)
- 10/23/22, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Prayer" (Text)
- 10/23/22, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Prayer" (Audio)
- 9/18/22, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Investments" (Text)
- 9/18/22, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Investments" (Audio)
- 7/17/2022, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Prayer" (Text)
- 7/17/2022, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Prayer" (Audio)
- 6/19/22, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, "Corpus Christi" (Text)
- 6/19/22, The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, "Corpus Christi" (Audio)
- 5/22/2022, 6th Sunday of Easter, "Love and Honor" (Text)
- 5/22/2022, 6th Sunday of Easter, "Love and Honor" (Audio)
- 5/1/2022, 3rd Sunday of Easter, "Recognition" (Text)
- 5/1/2022, 3rd Sunday of Easter, "Recognition" (Audio)
- 3/20/2022, 3rd Sunday of Lent, "Metanoia" (Text)
- 3/20/2022, 3rd Sunday of Lent, "Metanoia" (Audio)
- 2/20/2022, 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Insanity" (Text)
- 2/20/2022, 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Insanity" (Audio)
- 1/16/2022, 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Celebration" (Text)
- 1/16/2022, 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Celebration" (Audio)
- 12/19/2021, Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Icons" (Text)
- 12/19/2021, Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Icons" (Audio)
- 11/21/2021, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Christ the King" (Text)
- 11/21/2021, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Christ the King" (Audio)
- 10/24/2021, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Restoration" (Text)
- 10/24/2021, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Restoration" (Audio)
- 9/19/2021, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Envy" (Text)
- 9/19/2021, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Envy" (Audio)
- 7/18/2021, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Priests" (Text)
- 7/18/2021, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Priests" (Audio)
- 6/27/2021, 13th Sunday in Ordinary TIme, "Death", (Text)
- 6/27/2021, 13th Sunday in Ordinary TIme, "Death", (Audio)
- 5/23/2021, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost" (Text)
- 5/23/2021, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost" (Audio)
- 4/25/2021. Fourth Sunday of Easter, "Vocations" (Text)
- 4/25/2021, Fourth Sunday of Easter, "Vocations" (Audio)
- 2/21/2021, First Sunday of Lent, "Temptation" (Text)
- 2/21/2021, First Sunday of Lent, "Temptation" (Audio)
- 1/17/2021, 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Encounters" (Text)
- 1/17/2021, 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Encounters" (Audio)
- 12/20/2020, The Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Christmas Narrative" (Text)
- 12/20/2020, The Fourth Sunday of Advent, "Christmas Narrative" (Audio)
- 11/22/2020, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Buried Talents" (Audio)
- 11/22/2020, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Buried Talents" (Text)
- 10/25/2020, The 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Love" (Text)
- 10/25/2020, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Love" (Audio)
- 9/20/2020, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "It's Still Not Fair" (Text)
- 9/20/2020, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "It's Still Not Fair" (Audio)
- 8/16/2020, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Dogs" (Text)
- 8/16/2020, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Dogs" (Audio)
- 3/15/2020, 3rd Sunday of Lent, "Samaritan Woman" (Text)
- 3/15/2020, 3rd Sunday of Lent, "Samaritan Woman" (Audio)
- 2/16/2020, 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Don't Even Think About It" (Text)
- 2/16/2020, 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Don't Even Think About It" (Audio)
- 1/26/2020, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "The Light" (Text)
- 1/26/2020, 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "The Light" (Audio)
- 12/15/19, Third Sunday of Advent, "The Real Deal" (Text)
- 12/15/2019, Third Sunday of Advent, "The Real Deal" (Audio)
- 11/24/2019, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Acceptance" (Text)
- 11/24/2019, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, "Acceptance" (Audio)
- 10/20/2019, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Persistence" (Text)
- 10/20/2019, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Persistence" (Audio)
- 9/15/2019, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Hide and Seek" (Text)
- 9/15/2019, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Hide and Seek" (Audio)
- 8/18/2019 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Firestorm" (Text)
- 8/18/2019, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Firestorm" (Audio)
- 7/21/2019, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Martha and Mary" (Text)
- 7/21/2019, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Martha and Mary" (Audio)
- 6/16/2019, The Most Holy Trinity, "Trinity" (Text)
- 6/16/2019, The Most Holy Trinity, "Trinity" (Audio)
- 5/26/2019, 6th Sunday of Easter, "Indwelling Love" (Text)
- 5/26/2019, 6th Sunday of Easter, "Indwelling Love" (Audio)
- 4/28/2019, 2nd Sunday of Easter, "Doubting Thomas" (Text)
- 4/28/2019, 2nd Sunday of Easter, "Doubting Thomas" (Audio)
- 3/24/2019, 3rd Sunday of Lent, "Fig Tree" (Text)
- 3/24/2019, 3rd Sunday of Lent, "Fig Tree" (Audio)
- 2/24/2019, 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Enemies" (Text)
- 2/24/2019, 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Enemies" (Audio)
- 12/16/2018, 4th Sunday of Advent, "Joy" (Text)
- 12/16/2018, 4th Sunday of Advent, "Joy" (Audio)
- 10/21/2018, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Leadership" (Text)
- 10/21/2018, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Leadership" (Audio)
- 9/30/2018, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Abuse", (Text)
- 9/30/2018, 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Abuse", (Audio)
- 8/12/2018, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Wisdom" (Text)
- 8/12/2018, 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Wisdom" (Audio)
- 7/22/2018, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Walls" (Text)
- 7/22/2018, 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Walls" (Audio)
- 6/4/2017, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost" (Text)
- 06/17/2018, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Father's Day" (Audio)
- 5/20/2018, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost", (Text)
- 5/20/2018, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost", (Audio)
- 4/22/2018, 4th Sunday of Easter, "Good Shepherd" (Text)
- 4/22/2018, 4th Sunday of Easter, "Good Shepherd" (Audio)
- 2/18/2018, 1st Sunday of Lent, "Temptation and the Good Person", (Text)
- 2/18/2018, 1st Sunday of Lent, "Temptation and the Good Person", (Audio)
- 1/28/2018, 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Exorcism" (Text)
- 1/28/2018, 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Exorcism" (Audio)
- 12/17/2017, 3rd Sunday of Advent, "Preparing the Way" (Text)
- 12/17/2017, 3rd Sunday of Advent, "Preparing the Way" (Audio)
- 11/19/2017, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Failure" (Text)
- 11/19/2017, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Failure" (Audio)
- 10/22/2017, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Render to God" (text)
- 10/22/2017, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Render to God" (audio)
- 9/24/2017, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "It's Not Fair" (text)
- 9/24/2017, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "It's Not Fair" (audio)
- 8/27/2017, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Flags" (text)
- 8/27/2017, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Flags" (audio)
- 8/6/2017, The Transfiguration of the Lord, "Transfiguration" (text)
- 8/6/2017, The Transfiguration of the Lord, "Transfiguration" (audio)
- 7/2/2017, 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Looking Like Jesus" (Text)
- 7/2/2017, 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, "Looking Like Jesus" (Audio)
- 6/4/2017, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost" (Text)
- 6/4/2017, Pentecost Sunday, "Pentecost" (Audio)
- 5/7/2017, 4th Sunday of Easter, "Messages" (Text)
- 5/7/2017, 4th Sunday of Easter: "Messages" (Audio)
- 4/2/2017, 5th Sunday of Lent: "Lazarus" (Text)
- 4/2/2017, 5th Sunday of Lent: "Lazarus" (Audio)
- 2/5/2017, 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Salt" (Text)
- 2/5/2017, 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Salt" (Audio)
- 1/1/2017, Mary, the Holy Mother of God: "Blessing" (Text)
- 1/1/2017, Mary, the Holy Mother of God: "Blessing" (Audio)
- 12/18/2016, Fourth Sunday of Advent: "Miracles" (Text)
- 12/18/2016, Fourth Sunday of Advent: "Miracles" (Audio)
- 11/27/2016, 1st Sunday of Advent: "Being Prepared" (Text)
- 11/27/2016, 1st Sunday of Advent: "Being Prepared" (Audio)
- 10/2/16, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Duty" (Text)
- 10/2/16, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Duty" (Audio)
- 8/28/16 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Modesty" (Text)
- 8/28/16 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Modesty" (Audio)
- 7/31/16 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "What's Important" (Text)
- 7/31/16 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "What's Important" (Audio)
- 7/3/16, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Mission" (Text)
- 7/3/16, 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Mission" (Audio)
- 6/5/16, 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Bring Back the Dead" (Text)
- 6/5/16, 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time: "Bring Back the Dead" (Audio)
- 4/3/16, Divine Mercy Sunday, 2016 (Text)
- 4/3/16, Divine Mercy Sunday, 2016 (Audio)
- 2/28/16, 3rd Sunday of Lent "Holy Stones" (Text)
- 2/28/16, 3rd Sunday of Lent "Holy Stones" (Audio)
- 2/7/16, 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time: “Chosen” (Text)
- 2/7/16, 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time: “Chosen” (Audio)