By Pope Benedict XVI 20. Love of neighbor, grounded in the love of God, is first and foremost a responsibility for each individual member of the faithful, but it is also a responsibility for the entire ecclesial community at every level: from the local community to the particular Church and to the Church universal in…
December 31, 2022 Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap Statement on the Passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI “Today a loving God called Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI home to his eternal reward for a lifetime of dedicated service to the Church. That service included 71 years as a priest, 28 years as a Cardinal, and…
The preparations 522 The coming of God’s Son to earth is an event of such immensity that God willed to prepare for it over centuries. He makes everything converge on Christ: all the rituals and sacrifices, figures and symbols of the “First Covenant“.195 He announces him through the mouths of the prophets who succeeded one…
By the President of the United States A Proclamation The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are…
The following is a quote from The U.S. Bishop’s Reflection on Catholic Teaching and Political Life: 17. The Church equips its members to address political and social questions by helping them to develop a well-formed conscience. Catholics have a serious and lifelong obligation to form their consciences in accord with human reason and the teaching…
“What have you done?” (Gen 4:10): The Eclipse of the Value of Life “10. The Lord said to Cain: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground” (Gen 4:10).The voice of the blood shed by men continues to cry out, from generation to generation, in ever…
Beginning this weekend, the musical instruments and choir for our Masses will be located in the choir loft. Our hope is that this new, or renewed, practice will help facilitate a more prayerful participation of everyone in the sacred liturgy. The choir has an important role in our worship and is part of the whole…
Beginning this Advent, we would like to begin a practice in the Mass that was the norm for many centuries and is still an option. I am referring to what is called celebrating Mass “Ad Orientem” or “to the East“. This describes, first of all, the ancient practice of building churches that face toward the…