Los Angeles, Calif., Sep 8, 2015 / 04:29 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles ordained three new auxiliary bishops on Tuesday, including the prominent internet evangelist Father Robert Barron. The archbishop encouraged the new bishops to bring the joy of God’s love to their flock. “As bishops, you are servants of hope. And you always serve best by your own example,” Archbishop Gomez said at the Sept. 8 Mass at Los Angeles’ Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Archbishop Gomez encouraged the three new bishops to “stay close to your people,” especially the poor, the vulnerable and the weak. “Know your people’s joys and hopes and worries. Speak to their hearts and fill them with hope,” he said in his homily. He encouraged the bishops to teach by their example “the joy that comes in knowing God’s love and his plan for creation and history.” Archbishop Gomez concelebrated the Mass with several bishops and dozens of priests. Hundreds of people were in attendance, including the new bishops’ families and leaders from other religions. The co-consecrators of the new bishops were Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago and retired Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Sartoris. Present at the Mass were Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and emeritus Los Angeles archbishop Cardinal Roger Mahony. Archbishop Vigano read the decrees of Pope Francis approving the ordination of the three bishops. He asked that the congregation would pray that the new bishops will help “radiate the joy of the gospel.” The three new bishops are Robert Barron, David O'Connell and Joseph Brennan. Before his appointment, Bishop Robert Barron was rector and president of the Chicago Archdiocese's Mundelein Seminary at the University of St. Mary of the Lake. He has become well known through his online initiative, Word On Fire Catholic Ministries. He also produced the documentary “Catholicism.” The two other bishops have been serving in the Los Angeles archdiocese. Bishop O’Connell is a native of County Cork, Ireland. He was ordained a priest in 1979. He has worked to end inner-city violence in Los Angeles. He served as a member of the archdiocese's pastoral committee on immigration. Bishop Brennan was ordained in 1980. He served as the archdiocese’s Moderator for the Curia. Archbishop Gomez said the new bishops were chosen because they were “men of prayer, intelligence and prudence.” His homily reflected on the day’s Gospel readings in which Jesus exhorts Christians to be light and salt to the world. “Brothers, ‘You are the salt of the earth.’ Always remember where you come from. Never think that being a bishop makes you better, or puts you ‘above’ anybody else,” the archbishop said. He said to be a bishop is a “privilege of service” and not “a privilege of status.” “You are called to carry the Cross of Christ and be witnesses to his Resurrection. You are called to give your life as a gift for others, just as Christ did,” Archbishop Gomez continued. “Mercy is the face of God. So mercy must be the way of your ministry as bishops,” he said. “But always remember that the light you hold is not your own. Your mission is to radiate and reflect the light of Christ – and to lead others into this light.” Archbishop Gomez noted that the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary fell on the same day as the three bishops’ ordination. He said that the bishops’ spiritual fatherhood depends on Mary’s spiritual motherhood. He encouraged them to “intensify and deepen your love for Mary.” The Los Angeles archdiocese has about 5 million Catholics in over 280 parishes.   Read more

Denver, Colo., Sep 7, 2015 / 12:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- “I have a friend who has been divorced for 30 years. Her husband just left her one day, and she hasn't received communion in all this time,” author David Dziena recalled. “She was only told by me when I was writing this book that she could receive communion – and she could not believe me, because she felt that because she was divorced, that meant she was separated from the Church.” Stories like Dziena's are not uncommon. In fact, almost every Catholic can say that they have been affected – either directly or indirectly – by an irregular marriage over the course of their lifetime. This is why Dziena teamed up with co-author Woodeene Koenig-Bricker to write a book called “Catholic Prayer Book for the Separated and Divorced.” The book, published by Our Sunday Visitor, offers prayers and reflections for men and women who have been affected by the painful reality of divorce or separation. Throughout the book, the authors begin to relieve some of the stigma revolving around divorce by pointing to saints such as St. Rita, St. Helena, and St. Eugene who have all dealt with difficult or divorced relationships. They hope the book will bring peace and healing, and offer some solidarity to those struggling with the loss of their marriage. “There are many misconceptions of the status of divorced people within the Church,” Koenig-Bricker said, calling the confusion deeply unfortunate as it affects a widespread group of people. “More than that, divorced people don't have a resource that allows them to pour out their hearts or pray about the situation they find themselves in because we have approached divorce from the status of a sin – which itself is not a sin – it is a tragedy,” she continued. For Catholics who are divorced and struggling with the tenets of the faith, Koenig-Bricker suggests that they first learn what the Church actually teaches. Seeking out counseling from a good priest or spiritual director can also be a good option for recently divorced individuals, she said. And, Koenig-Bricker would know. She has been divorced for several years, but is still living as a faithful Catholic. “The fact that your marriage has ended does not remove you from the Church,” she said, adding that viewing divorce as “the unforgivable sin” is misleading and untrue. However, remarriage outside of the Church without an annulment are the kinds of actions that would bar someone from receiving communion, Koenig-Bricker explained. Pope Francis himself has called this action a contradiction to the Christian sacrament. The release of the book is timely, considering the upcoming Synod on the Family later this year. Divorce and remarriage will be one of the issues discussed during the meeting of bishops and has excited anticipation on what the clergy will hash out over the course of their discussions. Koenig-Bricker is hopeful that the synod this the fall will shed light on the growing number of people who are actually affected by the suffering of divorce and find ways to extend mercy to them. “I am hoping it will be helpful to those involved in the synod to see the pain involved with this issue and the extent of the issue and to realize that there are probably millions of Catholics affected by irregular marriages,” she said. Co-author Dziena also believes the synod will be helpful, tackling a more directive approach for dioceses around the world on how to universally address divorce, separation, and remarriage. “I think it will just change things to be more pastoral when it comes to divorce and remarriage,” he explained, saying that the synod will also give Pope Francis an opportunity to steer the Church in a unified direction. Many people have concerns about the Church's stance on re-marriage, but Dziena believes that the Church is acting out of charity. Dziena is still coping with the fresh wound of his own divorce in 2009, but he found the Church's annulment process to ultimately be healing. “It puts closure and it's a healing process on the other end, as you talk about things that happened in your marriage, you put to rest a lot of the discourse that led to the divorce,” he recalled. “Anytime the Church makes a decision on doctrine, it's out of love for the person. Hopefully through dialogue, private reflection, and things like the Synod on the Family will take into account people's concerns,” Dziena continued. With the amount of people who are involved with and are affected by divorce today, the two authors hope that their book will be able to encourage peace and healing. They are also looking forward to a more directive response to divorced Catholics who are looking to remain faithful to the Church's teachings. “There is no such thing as a parish or a family who is not affected by divorce,” Koenig-Bricker said. “We can't afford as a Church to pretend it doesn't exist – because then we are failing to extend the mercy of Jesus to those in our communities who hurt daily.” Photo credit: www.shutterstock.com. Read more

Washington D.C., Sep 7, 2015 / 03:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The need for decent work at a living wage – one which can support a family – was a key theme of the U.S. bishops’ 2015 Labor Day message, which sought to restore work to its “honored place” in God’s service. “The continuing struggles of most families to make ends meet are on display before our eyes, both at home and abroad,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said Sept. 7. “This Labor Day, we have a tremendous opportunity to reflect on how dignified work with a living wage is critical to helping our families and our greater society thrive.” Archbishop Wenski, who chairs the U.S. bishops’ domestic justice and human development committee, authored the U.S. bishops’ message for Labor Day. “Sufficient decent work that honors dignity and families is a necessary component of the task before us, and it is the Catholic way,” he said. “In demanding a living wage for workers we give hope to those struggling to provide for their families, as well as young workers who hope to have families of their own someday.” Archbishop Wenski said the poverty rate is “painfully high,” while apparent declines in reported U.S. unemployment figures obscure the fact that many people have given up looking for work. “The majority of jobs provide little in the way of sufficient wages, retirement benefits, stability, or family security, and too many families are stringing together part-time jobs to pay the bills. Opportunities for younger workers are in serious decline,” he lamented. The archbishop said that dignified work with a living wage is critical to helping both families society as a whole to thrive. But fewer young adults are starting families than ever before in the U.S. “Couples intentionally delay marriage, as unemployment and substandard work make a vison of stable family life difficult to see,” he continued. He noted the negative effects of busy work schedules that interfere with raising children and nurturing faith and community, as well as wage stagnation and increased costs of living. Labor unions and other worker associations are imperfect but indispensable to efforts to secure a living wage, he said. He lamented violations of human dignity, such as the exploitation of workers, trafficking in women and children, and “a broken immigration system that fails people and families desperate for decent work and a better life.” He encouraged Catholics to reflect on how they might be harming human dignity in their choice of clothes, food, and other purchases. He said our personal wants create economic realities “that cause others to live in ways that we ourselves would not.” “This Labor Day and always, let us pray, reflect, and act, seeking to restore our work and relationships to the honored place God has ordained for them.” The archbishop cited Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si', which discusses work as “a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfillment.” The Pope said that mankind was “created to work.” Archbishop Wenski said the dignity of workers, family stability, and community well-being are all intertwined. “The path to a renewed society is built on authentic solidarity and rooted in faith,” he said. “The changes we make to how we live and interact with each other can help change the world.” Read more

Washington D.C., Sep 6, 2015 / 04:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Texas attorney general has said he will challenge abortion clinics’ appeal asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider striking down safety regulations that only about a dozen of the state’s abortion clinics can meet. Texas attorney general Ken Paxton's office stated Sept. 2 that the 2013 law aims to “protect the health and safety of women and ensure abortion clinics in Texas meet basic standards.” Paxton’s office said he plans to file a response to abortion groups’ request for a hearing. The 2013 Texas law increased safety regulations for abortion clinics and physicians who perform abortions. It requires all abortion clinics in the state to follow surgical facility standards in their buildings, equipment, and staffing. Physicians at the clinics must have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles, and a 24-hour hotline for patients experiencing post-abortive complications. Most of these rules would have gone into effect July 1. By a 5-4 margin on June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the law pending further action from the plaintiffs. About half of Texas’ 41 abortion clinics have already closed due to the law. The abortion clinics’ Wednesday appeal to the Supreme Court said that about half of the remaining clinics could close if the law is not halted. The abortion clinics noted that Texas is the second-most populous state in the U.S. and has more than 5.4 million women of reproductive age, the New York Times reports. The abortion providers said the law would “delay or prevent thousands of women from obtaining abortion.” They said this would mean some women would then turn to “unsafe or illegal methods” of abortion. Some abortion clinics cannot afford upgrades to meet the safety standards, while some are not in range of a hospital that will accept an abortionist. A federal appellate court has already allowed an exemption for one doctor who performs abortions in McAllen, the center of a metropolitan area more than 800,000 which is 60 miles away from Brownsville. The court said that in the McAllen doctor’s case, the requirement of hospital admitting privileges would create an unconstitutional burden on women seeking abortions there. Paxton has previously spoken in defense of the law. “Abortion practitioners should have no right to operate their businesses from sub-standard facilities and with doctors who lack admitting privileges at a hospital,” he said in June when a federal appellate court upheld the law. Texas Right to Life has also supported the law. Emily Horne, senior legislative associate with the Texas pro-life group, said June 9 that the law means “Texas women and their preborn children will no longer be subjected to the grotesque reality inside Texas abortion facilities.” Some backers of the law cited the case of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who in 2013 was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter as a result of negligent practices. The grand jury report in the case said that surgical facility standards for Gosnell’s clinic, like wider hallways for paramedic access, could have saved the life of one young woman who died. The Texas law also bans abortions after 20 weeks, on the ground that an unborn baby at that age can feel pain. This provision has not faced legal challenge. Read more