Hurricane Sandy left plenty of devastation in her wake, causing destruction in many countries and leading to at least 68 deaths.
Whenever these disasters occur, people seem to forget their differences and unite in a common purpose to help those in need.
We can especially be proud of Catholic Charities USA — the umbrella organization of Catholic Charities agencies in dioceses throughout our country.
Hurricane Sandy left plenty of devastation in her wake, causing destruction in many countries and leading to at least 68 deaths.
Whenever these disasters occur, people seem to forget their differences and unite in a common purpose to help those in need.
We can especially be proud of Catholic Charities USA — the umbrella organization of Catholic Charities agencies in dioceses throughout our country.
We are beginning the Year of Faith in the Catholic Church during October, the month traditionally dedicated to the Rosary.
Pope Benedict XVI formally entrusted the world Synod of Bishops and the Year of Faith to Mary during an October 4 visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto in Italy.
It is interesting to recall that another pope visited this same Marian shrine 50 years ago. Blessed John XXIII visited Loreto to entrust the Second Vatican Council to Mary’s care in 1962.
Those of us who are “cradle Catholics” — baptized as babies, raised in Catholic homes, educated in Catholic schools — may wonder why we should participate in the Year of Faith declared by Pope Benedict XVI.
We’re already believers, so this Year of Faith must be for other people, right?
Wrong!
In announcing the Year of Faith, the Holy Father said it is a “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world” (Porta Fidei, 6). In other words, the Year of Faith is an opportunity for all Catholics — even cradle Catholics — to experience a new conversion. It’s an opportunity to turn back to Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with him.
The pope has described this conversion as opening the “door of faith.” This door was originally opened at our Baptism, but many of us weren’t aware of what was happening at that time.
During the Year of Faith we’re called to open it again, walk through it, and rediscover and renew our relationship with Christ and his Church.
Pope Benedict XVI has invited the entire Church to celebrate a “Year of Faith” beginning this October.
Most of us like to have control over our lives. We decide when to get up in the morning, we choose the food we eat at our meals, and we decide what to do throughout the day.
Of course, there are outside circumstances that have an impact on our decisions. The weather comes to mind as an important factor affecting some of our plans. If it’s raining, for example, we might not mow the lawn, or we may choose to eat inside rather than have a picnic in a park.
However, in most cases we like to exercise control over what we do. We’re in charge of our lives. At least that’s what we like to believe.
As we grow older, we may start to realize that this way of looking at life isn’t the whole truth. Although we can have a great deal of control over our thoughts and actions, we aren’t the ones ultimately in charge.
God is the one who has the final say over what happens in our lives.
It’s so sad that we mourn the deaths of 12 people and the injuries of so many others following the tragic rampage of the suspect, 24-year-old James Holmes, at the movie theater in Aurora, Colo., all happening shortly before the start of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Let us join in prayer with the religious leaders in Colorado and throughout the world for those affected by this tragedy. Pope Benedict XVI at his weekly Angelus address at Castel Gandolfo July 22 expressed his sadness over the tragedy, saying he was “deeply shocked by the senseless violence,” adding, “I share the distress of the families and friends of the victims and the injured, especially the children.”
Much as we are saddened by the tragedy in Colorado, we should not let our sorrow marr our joy as we we look forward to the Olympic Games beginning on July 25.
This is the time of year when families celebrate in so many ways. We have Mother’s Day, First Communions, graduations, Father’s Day, and the start of the wedding season.
It’s an opportunity for families to enjoy each other’s company and emphasize the good things that are happening in their lives. I hope that most people are able to take time away from other commitments and spend time with their family members of all ages.
Most families do get together for some of these occasions, but I know that other families do not have the opportunity to get together. These days some families are split apart by geographic distance, difficulties with health, or divorce and separation.
Violence seems to dominate the news recently in our state, nation, and world. A man shoots a young intruder hiding on his porch. A neighborhood watch vigilante kills a young man who is walking down the street. An American soldier kills civilians — including children — in Afghanistan.
What are we to make of this senseless violence? What is the world coming to and what — if anything — can we do about the violence that pervades our society?
We hear these days that more people — especially young adults — are “dropping out” of organized religion. They say they are still “spiritual,” but they don’t want to belong to a particular church.
In the past, young people sometimes took time off from regular church attendance. There were those who shopped around at different churches to see what they were all about, but many of them ended up returning to the denomination of their youth.
