As we put out into the deep of the new Ordination of 10 to the Permanent Diaconate and welcome 15 new candidates into the first-year program, join me as we remember the deacons in our prayers. These men of generosity, surrounded by their wives and families, offer themselves to the Church in a special service that is unique to their charism.
The present violence against our Asian brothers and sisters is certainly lamentable. This violence must stop. I ask that you include in your prayers and intentions that we might come to recognize that societal blame for any ills of the world is not tenable.
This Thursday, we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. In some ecclesiastical provinces in our country, the feast will be celebrated on Sunday, May 9, while others will celebrate the feast on Sunday, May 16, giving more people an opportunity to celebrate this meaningful feast.
Mother’s Day, by a wonderful coincidence, falls in the month of May, which is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. As we contemplate the great gift of motherhood, there is no better backdrop from which to view motherhood than looking to the Motherhood of Mary, the Mother of Jesus — the Mother of God.
The work of recruiting vocations for the priesthood and religious life is a never-ending task. One method that our Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens has found to be very rewarding is to have an annual retreat for discerners. This began when now-Bishop Kevin Sweeney was our director of vocations and was continued by Father Kevin Abels, Father Sean Suckiel, and now Father Christopher Bethge. These men had one mission: to recruit.
Last year, during the height of the pandemic, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, made a special plea during a Wednesday audience to his fellow Catholics to mark the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. He said, “This is an occasion for renewing our commitment to love and care for our common home and for the weaker members of our human family.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month, observed each April, is a campaign that aims to increase awareness about the causes and risk factors for sexual assault, empower individuals to take steps to prevent it in their communities, and especially to inform minors of ways to be aware of sexual abuse and how they can protect themselves.
This year, as I celebrate my 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination, I share with you my brother priests, especially my fellow Jubilarians, some insights that perhaps I have gathered over these many years of priesthood. There is a certain parallel, or dichotomy in some ways, between two concepts of priesthood.
In a cemetery, there is a tomb on which was placed huge slabs of granite cemented together and fastened by heavy steel clasps. It belonged to a woman who did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. She directed in her will that her grave be made so secure, if there was a resurrection, it could not reach her. On the marker were inscribed these words, “This burial place must never be opened.”
March 25th marked the Feast of the Annunciation, and perhaps an in-depth understanding of how this feast, which not only highlights the virginal conception of Our Lady, but also Mary’s willingness to do God’s will, is so important to understanding our faith.
