As I prepare to leave Washington DC on my way back to Anchorage, please allow me to share a little bit of my thoughts from this week. Knowing that I was coming to our USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) headquarters for some committee meetings this week, I took Read more
Yesterday, I was in town taking care of an errand, and a young woman at a check out counter noticed my ring. She said something to the effect of: “That is a nice ring. Does it have any significance?” I said: “Yes. It is a bishop’s ring, and I am Read more
As the Americas celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe today, I have been reflecting upon the synthesis of faith Our Lady reveals in the miraculous image that appeared on the tilma of Blessed Juan Diego many years ago. Despite the efforts of Spanish missionaries prior to this apparition Read more
As this national day of giving thanks dawns, I reflect upon the first reading from St. Paul for today’s Mass of Thanksgiving. St. Paul gets to the heart of it when he says: I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you Read more
Installation Homily; Co-Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe November 9, 2016; Archdiocese of Anchorage Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, DD, STL Good afternoon! Thank you for coming here to pray with us today! I wish to thank today Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States and representative of Our Read more
Today is the feast day of a saint who has deep roots in Indiana, St. Mother Theodore Guerin. Mother Theodore was invited to come to Indiana by the first Bishop of Vincennes, The Most Reverend Simon Brute, who also was from France. Bishop Brute’s cause for sainthood was introduced several years Read more
I am back in Southern Indiana for a wedding this weekend. I celebrated Mass this morning at my home parish, St. Paul, in Tell City. There is always something comforting in going home, and even more nourishing in the celebration of daily Mass. I always enjoy the opportunity to celebrate Read more
When was the last time you updated your job description? Does it include a faith component? Because, faith is to be a part of every aspect of our life. In today’s Gospel (Luke 9: 57-62) Jesus calls each of us: “Come, follow me.” With this invitation is the commission of Jesus: Read more
Most of you are familiar with the often quoted phrase of Pope Francis that the good shepherd needs to have the smell of his sheep. Well, this shepherd had the opportunity to spend Monday with some of his flock, er, ranchers on horseback in the mountain rounding up the last Read more
For the past few days, during Mass we have been reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Yesterday’s passage touched me deeply, because it spoke directly to a challenge of our day. Please take a moment to read this passage from St. Paul: The Spirit scrutinizes Read more