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In my column today I want to draw attention to another issue of great concern to the Catholic Bishops of Maryland. This is the issue of human trafficking. On April 3, 2017, our Bishops issued a statement in which they remind us that human trafficking is an international, national, and local scourge and a grave violation of the dignity and freedom of all its victims. Human trafficking includes both labor and sex trafficking, and rivals the global drug industry in its scope and profits. Human trafficking affects the lives of countless victims from all over the world.

Recently I read an interview on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop (USCCB) with the Most Reverend Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of Venice, Florida who is also chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. He was asked to comment on “A New Foundation for American Greatness,” the recently released presidential budget proposal that would increase defense spending by $54 billion and then offset that by stripping money from many agencies that serve millions of people, including the poor.

On May 30, 2017, the Catholic Bishops of Maryland released a statement addressing immigration in Maryland. Our Bishops have called for compassion, prudence, and cooperation. They note that the complexity of federal immigration enforcement policies at the local level are of particular concern.

One of the things that really grieves me as a pastor is when I need to talk with families where a young adult is in the throes of drug addiction. I really empathize with parents who suffer so and feel so very helpless when they see their adult children in crisis.

Ordinary Time, the longest season of the church year, fills the weeks “which do not celebrate a specific aspect of the mystery of Christ.” It’s the no-particular-reason season. Christmas Time honors the birth of Christ. Easter Time rejoices in the resurrection. Ordinary Time is devoted to the mystery of Christ in all its aspects.

My sister Annemarie, my brother Jim, and I want to thank the parishioners who have sent us cards or stopped to offer condolences on the death of our mother. Yesterday (June 10) I was in Butler, Pennsylvania where I offered a second Mass for the repose of her soul and then said the prayers at the cemetery as she was laid to rest beside our father and our sister Katie. May mother rest in peace!

Today we celebrate Pentecost, which is traditionally celebrated as the “birthday of the church.” On this great feast of Pentecost we might spend some time thinking about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. I am going to talk about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in Isaiah 11:2-3 in a description of the savior: wisdom, understanding, counsel (right judgment), fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety (reverence), fear of the Lord (wonder and awe).

I want to begin this column with a Prayer for Memorial Day taken from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. I found this prayer on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and present it to you for your thoughts and prayers, particularly for when we celebrate Memorial Day. I want to devote this rest of this column to the Mass Preferences Survey to report on some more of the interesting information that we have gleaned from it.

At all the masses last weekend I announced that Father Jonathan (Jack) Berard has been assigned by Cardinal Wuerl to be the Parochial Vicar (formerly known as Assistant or Associate Pastor) for St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Derwood, MD. Fr. Berard will report here on July 12, 2017.

I am happy to tell you that Cardinal Wuerl has assigned Joseph Salser, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Washington to our parish for eight weeks or pastoral training and service this summer. Joseph will arrive on Wednesday, May 17. As you know I announced at all the Masses last weekend that we will soon phase out the 1:00 p.m. Sunday Mass. I did this light of several things. The survey that was administered online and in church in March asked parishioners whether they preferred to keep the 8:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. Mass. 53% of respondents favored keeping the 8:00 a.m. Mass and 47% preferred retaining the 1:00 p.m. Mass.

Several weeks ago now I began what will be a series of columns on Being Catholic Today: Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge, a Pastoral Letter that Cardinal Wuerl issued on May 24, 2015. The Cardinal identified five key themes of being a Catholic today. I want to devote this column to the fifth and final theme: Expressions of our Identity.

Several weeks ago now I began what will be a series of columns on Being Catholic Today: Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge, a Pastoral Letter that Cardinal Wuerl issued on May 24, 2015. The Cardinal identified five key themes of being a Catholic today. I want to devote this column to the fourth theme: Religious Liberty.

Several weeks ago now I began what will be a series of columns on Being Catholic Today: Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge, a Pastoral Letter that Cardinal Wuerl issued on May 24, 2015. The Cardinal identified five key themes of being a Catholic today. I want to devote this column to the third theme: Participation in the Mission.

Christ is risen, alleluia! He is risen indeed, alleluia! Today on Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

The mission of the church is to proclaim the good News of God's kingdom. this was entrusted by Jesus to the Apostles and their successors the Bishops

Last week I began what will be a series of columns on Being Catholic Today: Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge, a Pastoral Letter that Cardinal Wuerl issued on May 24, 2015.

On May 24, 2015 (Pentecost Sunday) Donald Wuerl issued a pastoral letter entitled “Being Catholic Today: Catholic Identity in an Age of Challenge.”

Today is the Third Sunday of Lent.  It seems to be going by very quickly.  On Friday and Saturday of this week we have our Parish Mission.  This is an event we have planning for several months now.  The theme for our mission this year is “Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times.”  

Our parish is beginning a new relationship with a local advocacy group in Montgomery County. Action in Montgomery – AIM – was founded in 1998 by our own Father Ralph in cooperation with clergy from other faiths. From its inception AIM has been a non-partisan, multi-faith, multi-racial organization dedicated to working together to get funding from Montgomery County and the State that benefit all – not just the affluent - in the community. In becoming a partner with AIM St. Francis joins other Catholic parishes – St. Martin’s, St. Rose of Lima, Our Lady of Mercy, St. Andrew’s, St. Camillus – as well as a plethora of other religious congregations in Montgomery County.

A few weeks ago now on President’s Day (February 15) several hundred Catholics from throughout the state of Maryland gathered to meet with our state legislators to put forward the Church’s position on several key legislative issues being considered by the Maryland General Assembly.  Let me present here what the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) staffers consider the most pressing issues during the current session.  I am relying on the summary of the issues written by Richard Szczepanowski in the February 23 issue of the Catholic Standard: