Today marks the completion of two weeks on the road. I’m at St. Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary in Southern Indiana this morning. I’m looking forward to visiting with our three seminarians studying here as well as with the faculty, and celebrating the community Mass today. I remember as a seminarian Read more
This colloquium was held at Stanford University on Friday, April 25, 2014. The event was hosted by the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Menlo Park, California, and sponsored by the University of Notre Dame, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the Read more
Last Friday I had the opportunity to join a highly qualified group of individuals interested in raising awareness to the serious threat still posed to today’s world by nuclear weapons. I am presently writing up my own reflections from this day-long colloquium which I will share here very soon. For Read more
As our 2013 Plenary meeting of the US Bishops’ Conference draws near to conclusion, a special statement was issued at the close of our executive session today. I share that with this readership now, in the hopes that after I get home, a more complete review may be offered. The Read more
I field a fairly regular question these days, and it goes something like this: “Bishop, what are the bishops going to do about…the HHS Mandate, or the recent Supreme Court rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act, or religious liberty, or about the growing support for same sex marriage?” Obviously, Read more
St. Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians teaches: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world…” This is perhaps one of Read more
On this Vigil for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the faithful gathered for our Mass to mark the celebration of the Fortnight For Freedom. Below is the Homily. Thank you for your presence here today to celebrate this Eucharist. Thank you for your presence with us to pray Read more
As most of you are aware, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) held its annual June General Meeting in Atlanta this past week. Here are some thoughts regarding out time together. The General Meeting of the full conference ran Wednesday thru Thursday. However, many other Committees and sub-committees gather Read more
As promised, I wish to keep you informed of developments in the U. S. Bishops’ Conference’s efforts to respond to this challenge to our Religious Liberty. Earlier this week, Cardinal Dolan, President of the USCCB issued the following letter to all Bishops. The letter is co-signed by Bishop Lori, the Read more
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ: As you are most undoubtedly aware, on January 20, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services announced its decision not to expand the unacceptably narrow “religious employer” exemption to its mandate that virtually all health insurance plans must include, as so-called Read more