I just listened to two interviews performed in Peru to Father Pablo Larrán, an Augustinian priest working in Northern Peru and personal friend of Pope Leo XIV. I was struck by his words, “The new Pope is a person who loves, who feels deeply. Our Pope, what he comes to know, he loves. I am happy because I have received a Pope who is an Augustinian and a friend.” Father Larrán quickly summarized the Pope’s ministry in Peru: “In 1985,... Read more
This is an opinion piece I wrote for the Savannah Morning News After he was elected Pope on March 13th, 2013, I carefully followed every one of Pope Francis’ public appearances. I rapidly noted a reoccurring motif in every single address: “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.” Not knowing a thing about Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, now chosen by his brother cardinals to be the Bishop of Rome... Read more
On a Monday afternoon, I swung the door open into a Waffle House. To my surprise, I was the only customer. I sat at the bar. Before the waitress approached me, the cook looked over my way and asked, “do you know what you want?” I always know what I want at Waffle House. I ordered my usual All-Star Special with hashbrowns, bacon, and a regular waffle directly from the cook. As he began to work on my order, the... Read more
In early 2024, I visited Saint Paul Catholic Church in Ellicott City, Maryland, an old mill town a few miles west from Baltimore. The town had been terribly devastated a few years prior by flash floods. A welcoming secretary opened the parish church, which stood atop a hill overlooking the busy main road. A plaque inside the church noted that in that place in 1914, the baseball legend Babe Ruth married Helen Woodford. I asked the secretary if she was... Read more
The answer to the question might be found in the words of the Ukrainian National Anthem. When I taught English at the Ukrainian Catholic University in southwestern Ukraine in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, every single day began with the singing of the National Anthem. All the students and teachers lined up in front of the flag by the dining room, and everyone sang loudly and proudly. We the teachers, mostly from the United States, sang along. Here are... Read more
Darien is a small city along Highway 17 off the coast of Georgia in McIntosh County. Darien was well known in the past as the exit point for lumber from central Georgia. Logs were transported by river to the city from which they were hauled off in ships to London and other major cities of the world. Today, it is mostly known for its shrimping industry and stunning views of nature. What can the quaint city of Darien have... Read more
Frank Pavone, the defrocked Roman Catholic priest most known for being the founder and national director of the civil organization Priests for Life, recently posted the following on his social media regarding President Trump’s executive order seeking to expand the availability of in vitro fertilization (IVF). “On IVF: don’t overthink what Pres Trump is doing or why he does not share our moral position. He wants to help families have babies, because he believes life is a beautiful blessing. That’s... Read more
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a treatment by which, according to the Mayo Clinic, “mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. Then a procedure is done to place one or more of the fertilized eggs, called embryos, in a uterus, which is where babies develop.” When this procedure is conducted, there is always an excessive number of embryos created. The majority of embryos are frozen in liquid nitrogen for later use by the couple. ... Read more
On February 4th, 2025, Archbishop Gregory J Hartmayer, OFM Conv. and Bishop Stephen D. Parkes, along with the three Auxiliary Bishops of Atlanta, issued the following statement. I am grateful for the support shown to the immigrant community of Georgia, a significant percent of which is Catholic. La versión en español sigue luego de la original en inglés. Here’s the statement: The Catholic Church proclaims to the world that human life is sacred and has intrinsic value because every human... Read more
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A Pope with a Pastor’s Heart
This afternoon the world greeted Pope Leo XIV as he stood at the loggia of Saint Peter Basilica overlooking the thousands who had gathered. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago and missionary for many years as an Augustinian priest in Peru, has become Leo XIV. He also resided in Rome as the General of the Augustinian Order. His life experience harkens the reality of a universal Church. “Peace be with you!” he said to us. The words of the... Read more