Summer's end signals the beginning of a new school year and the harvest of autumnal crops. Unfortunately, for some children, farm work proves a considerable and often insurmountable obstacle to achieving academic and career goals. Labor laws allow children as young as 12 to work on farms with their parents or with parental [...]
Last week we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the moon landing which gave us new insights into the solar system and a new perspective on our fragile earth. The fragility of our nation and challenge of our times became apparent when in a July 14th tweet, President Trump suggested that four freshman Congresswomen [...]
Last week's feast of Pentecost reminds us of the history of our church and of our current obligations to care for those in need. A walk through most neighborhoods or a glimpse of the evening news will reveal many needy people, but perhaps among the most compelling stories have been those of unaccompanied minors [...]
Last Friday on the Feast of the Visitation, we remembered how after the annunciation Mary hastened to help her older cousin Elizabeth through her pregnancy. In contrast to Mary's outreach, Friday's news announced President Trump's intention to put new tariffs on Mexico unless Mexico stems immigrant migration. Likely to face legal challenges and delays, the [...]
Established by the UN General Assembly in 1993, the May 3rd observance of World Press Freedom Day reminded us of threats to reporters, including the targeted killing of five Capital Gazette employees in Annapolis, Maryland, last June and the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia this past October. According to recent [...]
Last week as we celebrated Easter's promise of new life, we heard news of death in Sri Lanka, where four hotels and three Catholic churches were bombed. Early reports counted over 200 fatalities and over 500 wounded. Sorely in need of God’s healing mercy, we will conclude the octave of Easter with the Feast of [...]
Last week civil and ecclesiastical authorities of South Sudan participated in a 2-day religious and ecumenical retreat at the Vatican in an effort to end the country's civil war. Organized by the Vatican Secretariat of State and the Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the retreat ended with Pope Francis speaking and then [...]
On Monday we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation. As we continue our Lenten practices and end Women's History Month, the feast’s Gospel reminds us how Mary's humble and unwavering Yes to God's will facilitated the Incarnation and so changed history. Mary must have wondered how God's will would play out in her life, but [...]
Several times in the gospel, we read that Mary pondered God’s work in the events of her life and the life of her son Jesus. The season of Lent also calls us to consider God’s work in our lives, identifying and transforming those attitudes and actions that distance us from God and from others. In [...]
As we once again enter into the holy season of Lent, we will be signed with ashes and reminded to repent and believe in the good news of the Gospel. Last week in Rome, Pope Francis and church leaders ended the summit on sex abuse with a penitential Mass, acknowledging the evil of abuse, the [...]
