Last week, while presiding at the Stations of the Cross in his Co-Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the Cardinal-Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, Daniel DiNardo, who is also the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, suffered a stroke.
Editorials
Violence in New Zealand
The violence that occurred in Christchurch, New Zealand, against worshippers in a mosque, orchestrated by an individual, a true domestic terrorist, who was a white supremacist, leaving behind a lengthy manifesto, was truly horrific.
A Good, Faithful Servant
Auxiliary Bishop Rene A. Valero, who died this past week, was a significant figure in the life of the Church in Brooklyn and Queens. He was the first person of Hispanic heritage to be ordained as a Bishop for the diocese. He also performed pioneer service for Catholic Charities, the Office of Hispanic Ministry and the Catholic Migration Office.
Lent Basics
By the time that you are reading this, the Holy Season of Lent has begun. Lent is a season of penitential preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. As we progress in this season, it might be good for us to recall that the Church prescribes three main ways for us to grow in our spiritual life during Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Here are some practical suggestions on how we can grow in these three disciplines this Lent:
Above All, Pray for Them!
As we write this, the Vatican is holding its meeting for the heads of the Catholic Episcopal Conferences from around the world on the sad and distressing topic of child sex abuse.
A Path to Justice
The release by the Diocese of 108 names of ordained men credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors has caused great concern and consternation. The clergy sexual abuse crisis has been revived at a time when the Church has been making great strides to heal the wounds caused by this sorry chapter in its history.
This Is Infanticide
While excommunicating Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his pro-abortion flunkies is a popular notion, it may not be the solution to the problem. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio says he will not excommunicate the governor who last month signed into law the most permissive abortion law in the country. The bishop bases his decision on sound reasoning. First of all, Cuomo and his allies would wear such an action as a badge of courage. He could play the martyr and say, “Look what the big bad Church has done to me.”
A True Existential Threat
In 1983, ABC Television broadcast a “made-for-TV” film entitled “The Day After.” This film helped shape the consciousness of a generation of young people who watched it. It tells the story of what would occur if a nuclear war actually occurred between the then-Soviet Union and the United States. Watching the film today, nearly 36 years later, one is aware that, artistically perhaps, it has not aged well. Regardless, the message remains the same. To engage in a nuclear war would be catastrophic.
Let Us Not Judge, Let Us Pray For Governor Cuomo
Recently, some in the Catholic community have called for the excommunication of Governor Andrew Cuomo and those Catholic members of the legislature who supported the change in the law to allow for the termination of a pregnancy up until the moment of birth.
Rush to Judgment
If we can learn anything from the Covington Catholic event which so overshadowed the real intent of the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., perhaps it is to be aware of how quickly we respond to news we read on the internet. As has become known since more video footage has been released, some of the immediate reactions of the media like that of The New York Times has been proven wrong.