Fr. John's Blog

Labor Day has come and gone. School is back in session. This week we celebrate Catechetical Sunday. I am commissioning Catechists at all Masses this weekend. We also begin our Religious Education classes this week. For a parish to grow and flourish, parishioners need to contribute their time, talent, and treasure. I want to take the opportunity today to highlight some ways in which we can contribute our time and talent that will benefit all of us in the parish and also those to we reach out in love and service.

Last week I wrote about Saint Peter Damian, a Doctor of the Church who was a great reformer of the Church nearly 1,000 years ago. Today I want to write about another Doctor of the Church who was a great reformer in her era about three hundred years later. This is Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-80). Catherine was the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children. According to the Life of Catherine (hereafter Life) written by Fr. Raymond of Capua, her Dominican confessor, she made a vow of virginity at the age of seven after receiving a vision of Christ.

I first became acquainted with St. Peter Damian when I was in seventh grade. The date was February 23, 1962. Sister M. Damian, R.S.M., had returned to St. Paul School the previous September as the Principal. Sister M. Damian had previously taught fifth grade at St. Paul School in 1929-30. Two of her fifth grade students that year were my father and his brother, my uncle Charles.

Greg Erlandson, Director and Editor-in-chief of Catholic News Service, recently published a column in the Boston Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston that was entitled “A crisis regarding the responsibility of Church authorities.” In his column Mr. Erlandson gives four take-aways in the wake of the recently issued Pennsylvania Grand Jury report, revelations about Archbishop McCarrick, and other allegations that come to light regarding seminaries.

I am continuing my reflections today from my recent trip to Fatima, Portugal where I attended the Twelfth International Gathering of Teams of Our Lady from July 16-22, 2018.

I have returned after a wonderful trip to Portugal where I attended the twelfth International Gathering of Teams of Our Lady (Équipes Notre-Dame) in Fatima from July 16 to July 22, 2018. I have wanted to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima for many years, so I am was very happy when this opportunity came up. The theme of the gathering was “Reconciliation: A Sign of Love.” Nearly 9,000 Team Members came from 80 countries. We completely filled the little town of Fatima. Every hotel room was taken. Some even had to stay in private homes.

In 1999, the Catholic Bishops of the United States issued Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States.

In 1999, the Catholic Bishops of the United States issued Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States. In that document the Bishops note that the Catholic faith is like a symphony in which the unity of faith finds expressions in richly diverse formulations and manifestations. They state that the ongoing development of a living, explicit, and fruitful Christian faith in adulthood requires growth in six dimensions: knowledge of the faith, liturgical life, moral formation, prayer, belonging to community, and missionary spirit. This week I am continuing a series in which we shall explore these six dimensions. Today I want to look at moral formation and prayer.

In 1999, the Catholic Bishops of the United States issued Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States. In that document the Bishops note that the Catholic faith is like a symphony in which the unity of faith finds expressions in richly diverse formulations and manifestations.

The issue of immigration certainly raises controversy on both the national and state level. It often spurs passionate debate that does not offer a lot of hope for reconciliation and resolution. In May 2017, the Roman Catholic Bishops of Maryland issued a statement entitled “Addressing Immigration in Maryland: A Call to Compassion, Prudence, and Cooperation from the Catholic Bishops of Maryland.”

I want to continue a reflection on the three basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching on immigration. This is largely adapted on material found on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website: www.usccb.org. Today I want to discuss the third basic principle: a country must regulate its borders with justice and mercy.

I want to continue a reflection on the three basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching on immigration. This is largely adapted on material found on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website: www.usccb.org. Today I want to discuss the second basic principle: a country has a right to regulate its borders and to control immigration.