This past week, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, once again drew attention to the fate of persecuted Christians in the Middle East. In a letter to Archbishop Maroun Lahham, the pontiff wrote that these suffering Christians “are the martyrs of today, humiliated and discriminated against because of their fidelity to the Gospel.” He went on to state that these believers are victims of “fanaticism and intolerance” throughout the world.
Editorials
Integral Ecology
The news last week concerning the killing of Cecil the lion by U.S. citizen Walter Palmer is troubling and tragic to say the least. And yes, we can join our voices to the obvious inconsistency that more people are outraged by the murder of an animal than by the slaughter of the innocent unborn in the womb, by the horrors of human trafficking and sexual slavery, by the abuse of children and elderly, by massive homelessness and poverty – locally, nationally and internationally – and by the myriad of other problems running rampant in our fallen world today.
Integral Ecology
The news last week concerning the killing of Cecil the lion by U.S. citizen Walter Palmer is troubling and tragic to say the least. And yes, we can join our voices to the obvious inconsistency that more people are outraged by the murder of an animal than by the slaughter of the innocent unborn in […]
Bishop of the Media
Last Tuesday, Pope Francis appointed Father Robert Barron, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago as one of the new auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. This, in many ways, is a recognition by the pope, of the unique ministry of Father Barron.
He’ll Talk About Jesus
Prior to the ordination liturgy of our two new auxiliary bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan was asked by one of our stalwart producers from NET-TV what he thought Pope Francis would be speaking about during his visit to the U.S. in September. The cardinal simply replied with one word: “Jesus.”
Lifeless Conversation
The comments from Dr. Deborah Nucatola of Planned Parenthood concerning the obtaining of fetal tissue from abortions have served as a wake-up call to many Americans. Abortion is murder, period. It is a horrific act that harms both mother and child, as well as the father of the child and society in general. The casual […]
Say It Isn’t So, Donald
The comments of presidential candidate, Donald Trump, concerning Mexican people, do not gel with the experience of so many in our beloved country and in our churches in Brooklyn and Queens. One at first simply hoped that Trump was being misquoted, merely having his words being taken out of context. But this clearly was not the case. One then hoped that Trump, ever the showman, was simply engaging in negative rhetoric and would eventually draw out something positive from his comments. He did not.
Defying Reality
With the decision rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States of America declaring same-sex marriage as the law of the land, Catholics are once again called to recognize that, like abortion, another unjust law has been passed. The Court has decided to disregard the common definition of marriage in all cultures since the beginning of time, namely that marriage is between a man and a woman, as well as completely, flagrantly ignoring natural law.
Impacting the World
Last week, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, released his encyclical, “Laudato Si,” which is on the care of our common world. Far from just a letter on environmental issues, the pope is addressing a larger issue: the impact that we, as human beings, have on the world. We are each called to be good stewards of the gifts which with the Lord has blessed us.
We Are One Nation
The reaction of the people of Charleston, South Carolina, to the horrendous shootings in a Bible Study class has been inspirational. There have been no riots, no demonstrations, just a call for justice and even the offer of forgiveness.