My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
Much has been said by many who have voiced their opinions about what qualities will be needed in our new pope. After all is said and done, I simply place my trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the cardinal-electors in the conclave to choose wisely in accord with God's will.
More important for our immediate consideration is our understanding of the qualities needed by us in relation to the pope and our attitude toward the new Holy Father, whoever...
In the process of retiring one pope and electing another, I’ve had a bunch of media interviews. Members of the secular media, as well as the general public, have been keenly interested in the drama and the circumstances of Benedict’s surprise resignation.
And now the focus has quickly changed to the prospects for the next pope. The two questions I’ve been asked most frequently are: “Who will be the next pope?” and “What will the next pope have to do?”
The first question is easy...
We are living through a historic moment in the life of the Catholic Church.
For the first time in centuries, the “seat” of St. Peter is vacant because the Pope has resigned office. As I write, Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down and arrangements are being made for a conclave of the College of Cardinals who have the sacred duty to select a new Pope.
This is a beautiful spiritual moment for all of us in the Church, a time for prayer, sacrifice and worship. Sadly, this...
David is the only man in the entire Bible called “a man after God’s own heart.” (cf. Acts 13:22; 1 Sam 13:13-14) Anointed by God, he established the Golden Age for the kingdom of Israel. From the time of Samuel the prophet onward, David became the prototype of the Messiah yet to come. Nonetheless, the Scriptures do not fail to tell us that he sinned. Not only did he commit murder and adultery, he also failed in trusting God.
No other historical record is more honest about its heroes...
The surprising news spread quickly around the world: The Holy Father had resigned! The last time a Pope had resigned was in 1415, almost 600 years ago. Although more than once Pope Benedict XVI had given some indications that he would resign if he ever thought he could not fulfill the ministry of Pope due to age or infirmity, the timing of his announcement took the Church by surprise.
At age 85, Pope Benedict apparently felt now was the time to step aside. As he explained in his statement...
There have been challenging days for our local Church here in Los Angeles.
I have been talking and reflecting with Cardinal Mahony and Bishop Curry, along with our other Auxiliary Bishops about the events of the past weeks. We are committed to moving forward in our ministries with hope and confidence in God’s grace.
We need to keep praying for those who are hurting. We need to ask again for forgiveness for the sins of the past and for our own failings. And we need to match our prayers for...
To live well is nothing other than to love God with all one’s heart, with all one’s soul and with all one’s efforts; from this it comes about that love is kept whole and uncorrupted (through temperance). No misfortune can disturb it (and this is fortitude). It obeys only [God] (and this is justice), and is careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery (and this is prudence).
– Augustine
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that prudence is...
As we mark the solemn 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, I would like to address my column this week to our teens and young adults, who I believe will ultimately prevail in restoring a sense of respect for all human life, including the innocent baby in her mother’s womb. Please feel free to share this column with a young adult in your life, or ask them to look for it at www.cny.org.
For much of the 40 years since the Supreme Court’s tragic Roe v. Wade decision ushering in an...
Three years after he wrote the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. With the assistance of James Madison, the bill became law on January 16, 1786. The law guaranteed that all individuals have the natural right to exercise their religious beliefs.
Jefferson considered this law one of his greatest achievements. In fact, in his own full epitaph, he wrote: “Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of American...
These first days of this New Year give me hope that 2013 will be the time when our leaders finally come together to enact a just reform of our immigration policies.
This is the end of “National Migration Week” (Jan. 6-12). And this year, my brother bishops and I in the United States are stressing the urgent need for comprehensive reforms that would end deportation policies that break up families and that would offer illegal immigrants a path to make restitution and become citizens.
It is...
