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January 11
I have said it before and I say it again. There is one thing we all have in common, my brothers and sisters. Regardless of our race or place of natural origin; regardless of our religion or absence of it; regardless of our age or status or station in life: God gave us the gift of life which our mothers carried until the day of our birth. We were allowed to live!Read More -
December 14
The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in suburban Mexico City is the most visited Marian shrine in the world. Millions of people pass through the Basilica’s doors each year, especially as the December 12 feast day approaches.Read More -
November 30
I confess, I’m guilty. Once Thanksgiving is over my thoughts turn to Christmas. I put up my tree and decorate the house for that “most wonderful time of the year.” I pull out my Christmas CDs and watch all those great Christmas specials and movies on TV. All these preparations —-admitted secular —- put me in a happy frame of mind and give me a good feeling to welcome my favorite holiday. I don’t want to miss a minute!Read More -
November 28
A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M. ‘Open Wide Our Hearts’ Our Church must take the lead in eliminating racism “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” These words spoken by Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s classic American novel on race, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” have come to my mind frequently since first reading them in high school. As reasonable as they seem, they are not so easy to put into practice. They offer, however, a compelling and profoundly Christian suggestion for us all.Read More -
November 21
As we look to Thanksgiving, many of us will gather with our dear loved ones, and sometimes people we do not know, to celebrate God’s abundant blessings in our lives.Read More -
November 8
A message from Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. On May 12, 1962, General Douglas MacArthur returned to West Point to receive an honor from that venerable institution and to address the corps of cadets there.Read More -
November 5
This is “National Vocation Awareness Week,” a time that the Catholic Church in our country sets aside to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated life as a religious sister or brother through prayer and education. We are asked to encourage young people in particular to consider dedicating their lives to follow the Lord Jesus in a special way. But, in order to “consider,” to “dedicate,” to “follow” the Lord, you must first listen for his call.Read More -
October 31
A message from Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M. on All Saints Day and All Souls Day Many times during the course of the year, I visit the graves of my parents. I bring flowers or small plants to place there in loving memory as I pray for them. Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays bring me there, as well as other days with no particular significance. As memories flood my mind, I sometimes smile, and other times, shed a few tears. Their graves remind me how much I miss them and love them still. In faith, I know they are not “there” but their remains rest in that sacred place. I always feel a real “communion” with them.Read More -
October 29A message from Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., on the mass killing in a Pittsburgh synagogueRead More
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October 26I have written before of my admiration for Pope Paul VI (1897-1978). With his recent canonization — one of only eight popes in the 2,000-year history of the Church — much attention has been given to him and his papal teachings. He was, of course, the pope who presided over the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council (1962-65). Many of the writings he authored both during and after Vatican II are considered “landmark” documents for the Church in the modern world. To me, one of the greatest legacies of his pontificate (1963-78) is the attention he devoted to the role of the laity in the Church. Unfortunately, the lay faithful have too often been simply described as the “non-ordained.” True, the laity do not share in the Sacrament of Holy Orders but their significance and place in the Church cannot be defined by a negative.Read More
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