It is difficult to fully comprehend the fullness of what we celebrate this Easter Day. We are “worldly people” celebrating an event that took place in history, and yet is “other worldly” in its origins and designs. Jesus is not only the Author of Life, and of all creation, Read more
Homily, Good Friday, 2010 St. Mary Cathedral, Cheyenne The tabernacles throughout the world today are empty. Not a sacrament is celebrated in the Church, because the Savior of the world lies in death. This reality alone gives stark relief to the tremendous significance of what we celebrate today. Imagine Read more
Tonight as I processed around the church, the word “Christ-Bearer” kept repeating itself in my mind. Carrying the Eucharist in procession is a beautiful symbol of how the bishop and priest is the presence of Christ in the midst of the People of God. But as the presence of Christ is Read more
Holy Thursday, a day to celebrate Eucharist and Priesthood. Holy Thursday has always been a day when I give thanks for the gift of my ministry as a priest. It is a day when I think about the fraternity I share with my brother priests, and now, as a bishop, Read more
Chrism Mass Homily, 2010 Most Reverend Paul D. Etienne St. Anthony, Casper & Cathedral, Indianapolis As we gather this evening, we gather as a local Church – Bishop, Priests, Deacons, Religious, Lay Leaders, Seminarians, and the Faithful of our many parishes. Together, we are Church, Read more
Thursday and Friday this week marked two diocesan celebrations of significant proportion. Thursday, we celebrated the annual Chrism mass at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Casper. The priests and deacons of the diocese gathered for a day of recollection and prayer. I gave two talks, and we also offered the sacraments Read more
This Thursday, our local Church of the Diocese of Cheyenne will gather in Casper for our Chrism Mass. I wish to encourage anyone from the diocese who can make this trip to try to be present. As I am quickly learning, distances are great in this state from one parish Read more
Tomorrow morning I will depart for Washington, D.C. for Monday meetings. I recently agreed to an appointment on the Bishops Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People. I am not yet sure of the extent or scope of the work of the committee, but it is an offshoot Read more
As a pastor, I always placed the parish families, facilities and finances under the protection and intercession of St. Joseph, and he always provided for every parish. As we celebrate his feast again today, I’m reminded to do the same now for the families, facilities and finances of the diocese. Read more
Today wraps up this week long visitation to the deaneries of the diocese. Saturday evening I celebrated Mass at St. Anthony parish in Casper. The Casper community was hosting their annual fund-raiser for the St. Anthony Tri-Parish school. It was quite an event, as well as quite successful. We are Read more