You never know how history will judge the time you live in. Will our opinions be relevant a hundred years from now? A thousand years from now? Johann Sebas-tian Bach was a forgotten musician for almost a century. But suddenly in the 1800s, he was “brought back to life,” and to this day is considered among the best composers ever.
Editorials
Sept. 11 and the Cross
A priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn who was ordained a few brief years before 2001 related this story, reflecting on the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001:
Pope Emeritus Benedict Responds
In April, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI published an essay written in German and translated into English for the National Catholic Register and Catholic News Agency on the sexual abuse crisis.
Verdict Upheld for Cardinal Pell
This past week, Cardinal George Pell, who was the Vatican’s first prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy and who was archbishop of Sydney, had his conviction for sexual offenses upheld by a court of appeals in Melbourne, Australia. The statement by Chief Justice Anne Ferguson read:
Mary, Our Queen
On Aug. 15, we as the Church celebrated the great solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we know, it was a Holy Day of Obligation, one in which countless parishes around the Diocese of Brooklyn celebrated multiple Holy Masses, and it is our hope that they were well attended.
Pray for Seminarians
In a few weeks, seminarians will be returning from summer vacations, from retreats and from parishes. The seminary formation program usually takes at least seven years, consisting of two years of philosophy studies, four years of theological studies and, in many cases, a year of placement in a parish. The formation doesn’t include the years in which those young men may have attended a college-level seminary program or a high school seminary program.
Enjoy Your Vacation, but Remember to Keep the Faith!
There was a time when seminarians would be sent on their summer break with this reminder — there’s no vacation from a vocation. It was good advice to the distractions of being out of the seminary environment.
The Homily and Eucharist Are Connected
St. Mary Magdalene’s feast day this past year was greeted not only with the sing-ing of the Gloria at Mass, but also with a “Twitter-storm.” Father James Martin — a Jesuit priest who’s one of the most famous and influential priests in the United States — released the following tweet on July 22:
Some Thoughts on Priestly Celibacy
The Tablet has reported — and this editorial space has addressed — the idea of ordaining older married men as priests, which in addition to many other matters the upcoming synod for the Amazon region will discuss. There is much to consider.
The Canonization of John Henry Cardinal Newman
On July 1, John Henry Newman’s cause for canonization was approved by Pope Francis. Cardinal Newman, an Englishman who lived from 1801-1890, was declared venerable by Pope St. John Paul II in 1991 and Blessed by Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2009. Pope Francis will canonize Cardinal Newman on Oct. 13 at a Mass in Piazza San Pietro in the Vatican, along with four other Blesseds. There are two approved miracles attributed to the intercession of Cardinal Newman, both originating in the United States.