Recently, I have been rereading some documents from the Second Vatican Council. These documents speak just as prophetically to our present situation today as they did over 50 years ago. As part of our strategic planning and because of some of the challenges we face today, I wanted to take a fresh look at the document Lumen Gentium (LG) – The Dogmatic Constitution On The Church. Each generation benefits by growing in their own understanding of the nature of the Church and the grace and calling that belongs to each of us as members of […]
In some ways, our earthquake, ‘end of times’ experience yesterday, and the aftershocks through the night, were too graphic of an ‘ending’ to this liturgical year. Though it felt somewhat ‘like the end’ several times yesterday, here is a reflection to begin the new liturgical year and Advent. May this ‘new year’ hold much grace for you, your family, for our Church and world! Over the course of my childhood, our home was a bee hive of activity during Advent. The center piece during that liturgical season was the Advent Wreath, and I remember vividly […]
Happy Easter! I hope and pray your Lenten journey was fruitful and your Easter celebration is one of even greater appreciation for the love of God who sent his only Son into the world and for Jesus Christ who coming into the world took on our human condition, walked among us, preached and healed, laid down his life on the cross and rose from the dead for our salvation. Salvation, what a precious gift! Eternal life, what a precious hope for those of us who believe in the Risen Christ! I do not know about […]
Today, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Fatih released a document entitled Placuit Deo, On Certain Aspects of Christian Salvation. The focus is on the gift of Salvation that is ours through Jesus Christ. Likewise, the document draws attention to some of the errors in today’s concept of the human person as well as certain concepts of Christian Salvation that can be difficult for people to properly understand. The document seeks to correct two modern ways of thinking, which are called a ‘neo-pelagianism’ which is an extreme individualism which believes each person is capable […]
Several years ago, while I was still a pastor of a parish, I felt that some parishioners were beginning to treat their religion as one more item to be consumed. Their consumer practices and attitudes were corrupting their understanding of what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. Particularly concerning where parishioners who were leaving not only our parish, but were leaving the Catholic faith. On the occasion that I had the opportunity to speak with people who were making this transition, I heard things like: “I’m not being […]
On this 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we hear of the Providential Goodness of God. He is like the landowner who planted a vineyard. He chose a fertile hillside, prepared the soil, planted the choicest vines, put a hedge around it, hewed out a wine press, built a watchtower, and looked for the crop of grapes. (Isaiah 5:1-7; Matthew 21:33-43) The Psalm today (Psalm 80) tells us that the vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel. We are the vineyard of the Lord. We are the one’s whom God has cared for with […]
The mission of the Church is to proclaim Christ to the world. The world has always needed this proclamation, and it is no different today. Our best, most credible proclamation of Christ comes in the form of witness, by the way we live, as much as by the creed we profess. Many of our cultural challenges today will be solved only with a proper understanding of the human person. Christian anthropology is an appreciation of the truth that every human person is created by God. This is the foundation of our human dignity and sanctity […]
During the June Pilgrimage to Rome, I was aware of many graces, not the least of which is the unity that we share as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. This truth was represented in a small way by the group that travelled with me, from the various places of my life and ministry – Indiana, Wyoming, and Alaska; and in its fullness as the new Archbishops from around the world celebrated Mass with Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square. The universality of the Church is a beautiful mystery and reality, one that calls us […]
“The Church draws her life from the Eucharist.” With these words, St. Pope John Paul II began his last Encyclical on the Life of the Eucharist in Relationship to the Church. This simple statement has so many implications for our lives. To fully understand this teaching, we must begin with a proper understanding of the Eucharist. As Church, we believe that the Eucharist is the true presence of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, body, soul, and divinity. Think about that … Jesus Christ is present through his Church – in the Eucharist. In every Mass, the […]
Monday of this Week, I arrived in Indianapolis for the June 2017 Meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. I was pleased that a good percentage of our time together was spent discussing pastoral issues of concern to many of our people across the United States. Another highlight was our Mass together on Wednesday evening, June 14 at the Indianapolis Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. This past year, Pope Francis asked that every Episcopal Conference offer a Mass of Prayer & Penance for Healing of Survivors of Clergy Sex Abuse – and this […]