As summer sets in and temperatures rise, there is nothing like a few political hot potatoes on the grill to add to the heat. The meaning of marriage, immigration policy reform, the IRS, voting rights, drones and espionage – matters about which few feel indifferent – are all smack at picnic table discussion before the […]
Editorials
A Remarkable Freedom
As Independence Day approaches, a cacophony of voices tempts us to look back on what was or might have been – instead of forging ahead. “Wasn’t it nice when…” is one such chorus. To that theme belong many variations, which sing of past glories, national and ethnic, or even ecclesial – for it cannot be […]
A Bishop of Charity
Words cannot count nor render account for all of the good works that Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan did for so many. He was an outstanding bishop and a wonderful human being. We will miss him. With his passing, not only do the Catholics of our diocese lose his warm and comforting pastoral presence, with […]
‘Our’ Church
What if “the” Church really became “our” Church? What if each of us took personal responsibility not only for some of the great works accomplished by the Church but also in the face of the corruption that, during its pilgrimage throughout history, has tarnished the Church, its purity and sometimes its reputation? Catholics have much […]
The State of Marriage
No one ever asked Jesus to define marriage. At least, we have no specific scriptural reference. One man united with one woman for life in mutual support and cooperating in the procreation and rearing of children was essentially normative even in pagan circles throughout the Jewish diaspora of Christ’s time. We do, however, have a […]
Spiritual v. Religious
Research shows the number of Americans not identifying with any religion is rising rapidly. The 2012 Pew Research Center Survey finds that this large and growing group (32 percent of “under 30s”) mostly believe in God (68 percent) and often feel a deep connection with the earth and nature (58 percent). One in five say […]
Courageous Witness
Jesus prepared His disciples for the inevitability of persecution once He ascended to His heavenly Father. We have been reading John’s account of these warnings in recent days. The experience of the early Christian community, as St. Luke narrates in the Acts of the Apostles, amply confirms both the oppression of the Christians and their […]
No One Is Worthy
Much of the news about Church teachings tends to emphasize not what we are for but what we are against. Typically, it has to do with issues of moral conduct in relational or more intimate matters, such as marriage and sexuality. These are important issues, and so are the ongoing concerns about the role of […]
Questions About Suffering
Suddenly and devastatingly, last week’s explosions shattered the lives of innocent people and raised serious questions that are not easily answered. Four much-loved persons, one a young child, were killed in the Boston incident and, as currently accounted for, 14 in the heart of Texas, 11 of whom were emergency responders (three in training!), as […]
Confronting the Problems
Do we worship the Lord? Last Sunday, visiting the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls (the site of the Apostle’s tomb), Pope Francis posed that question during his homily. The topic of his message was: fearless and joyful witness to Jesus as Lord. Reflecting on the sudden transformation of the Apostles after encountering personally the risen […]