We very often hear about the shortage of priests.  Some dioceses may have plenty now, but they still have a sense of upcoming uncertainty as priests age and retire. As the number of priests in the United States has dropped from 58,632 in 1965 to 39,466 at present, the number of priests worldwide has dropped relatively little, 419,728 in 1970 to 409,166 at present.  This calming worldwide statistic loses its calming effect when we realize that the worldwide Catholic population... Read more

I have been keeping up with the news regarding Alabama’s new strict immigration law.  I began following it after the two Catholic bishops of Alabama along with Episcopal and Methodist bishops filed a lawsuit to stop the state’s new immigration law in August earlier this year.  The religious leaders believed that the enforcement of the new law would violate first amendment rights of church members, violate the right of free assembly and interfere in the ability of the churches to... Read more

[part of a homily series at my parish on the new translation of the Roman Missal]Last week Father Fred gave an overview of why we will soon have a new translation of the Mass. Change can be uncomfortable; especially if you grow used to doing things a particular way for forty years as we have as Catholics praying with these prayers during Mass. But change can provide an opportunity to look at things we have been doing for a long... Read more

On October 18th, 2011 Bishop-elect Gregory J. Hartmayer will be ordained and installed the 14th Bishop of Savannah at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Savannah. One cardinal, nineteen bishops, four abbots, five provincials and 250 priests are expected to attend, along of course with hundreds of family members and friends of Bishop Hartmayer as well as faithful from Georgia’s southern counties. The celebrations will officially begin Monday night at 7pm with Solemn Vespers and Benediction at the... Read more

This morning I heard about riots in Rome and I immediately became curious about where they had happened. I began searching online and found a very sad picture! The Church of Saints Marcellino and Pietro was vandalized by rioters. They tore down the front door into the church as well as the door into the sacristy causing damage and desecrating religious images. The riots centered mostly around the Colosseum and the square in front of the cathedral of Rome, the... Read more

Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) is best known reforming the Carmelite Religious Order in the 16th century by founding the Discalced Carmelites and writing the spiritual masterpiece The Interior Castle. After spending thirty years at the Monastery of La Encarnacion in Avila, Spain, three of those years as prioress, Teresa founded the Monastery of San Jose for the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Primitive Rule of Saint Joseph in 1562.  Saint Teresa believed the religious of the Carmelite Order had... Read more

I bought the book Making Sense Out of Suffering by American Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft while on retreat a few weeks ago.  I highly recommend it.  Kreeft is clear, concise, humble and full of wisdom. Kreeft does not attempt to provide a conclusive explanation for suffering in the world, but rather looks at clues that together point to possibilities.  He first explores and debunks ten easy and common answers to the problem of suffering.  He then goes on a journey... Read more

Today the Feast of Our Lady of Pilar is celebrated throughout Spain, Latin America, the Philippines and other Hispano-influence regions in the world.  Patroness of Spain, devotion to Our Lady under this title was spread by the Spanish Church to all its colonies and missions.  Devotion to Our Lady of Pilar unites millions of faithful Catholics in recognition of their common heritage of Spanish evangelization. Nuestra Señora del Pilar, or Our Lady of the Pillar, has the distinction of being the first... Read more

  One of the last things you may want to see before your airplane takes off is a tornado a few miles away from the runway.  On Monday morning in Rome, minutes before my flight began to board, most passengers were looking out the window of the terminal at a waterspout (a mild tornado over water).  Only one formed even though three others began forming from the same dark cloud, but they withered away. Even though waterspouts are not as... Read more

This morning, Jason Adams of Cordele, Georgia was ordained to the Order of Deacon at the Altar of the Chair at Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican State, by Cardinal Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Above is Jason Adams rising after his name was called.  On the left wearing a miter is Cardinal Levada.  You can hear his name called and his answer “present” in the video below. //www.youtube.com/get_player Me vesting Deacon Jason Adams during the... Read more