Bishop Hartmayer of the Diocese of Savannah and I recently traveled to the ends of the earth. After the familiar drive to Atlanta from Savannah, we boarded two long flights which after twenty-four hours carried us to the city of Abuja in central Nigeria. The purpose of the long journey was simple: to participate in the ordinations to the Priesthood of Theodore Agba, Solomon Kaanan, and Peter Lanshima. These three young men came to the Diocese of Savannah after completing... Read more
I arrived to the office where I had booked a tour of the landing beaches of Normandy. It was a beautiful spring day, the sun shining brightly with an occasional cool breeze reminding me that I was close to the edge of the world. The tour appeared to be delayed, so I sat for several minutes outside the office which was right across the street from the train station of Bayeux. About ten minutes after the anticipated departure time, the... Read more
The Baltimore Sun reported this evening that Bishop Mark Brennan, Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore, is expected to become the new bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. After the disgraceful exit of Bishop Bransfield last year who has denied any wrong-doing during his leadership over the rural West Virginia diocese, Bishop Brennan will have the overwhelming task to bring healing and peace to the faithful of the state. Rome recently published sanctions against Bransfield after a detailed investigative report was submitted by... Read more
Le preguntaron a Jesús, “¿maestro, que debo hacer para heredar la vida eterna?” El respondió: “amarás al Señor tu Dios… y a tu prójimo como a ti mismo.” Continuaron con otra pregunta: “¿y quién es mi prójimo?” Jesús contestó con la gran parábola del Buen Samaritano. Click here for English Para heredar la vida eterna debemos imitar al Buen Samaritano. Debemos amar a aquellas personas que son diferentes a nosotros. Debemos amar a aquellos que nos cuesta amar. Debemos amar... Read more
Jesus was asked: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He answered: “You shall love the Lord your God… and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus was then asked: “And who is my neighbor?” He responded with the masterful parable of the Good Samaritan. To inherit eternal life, we must be like the Good Samaritan. We must love those who are most unlike us. We must love those we struggle to love. We must love those we deem unlovable... Read more
Cuando hice mi primera comunión recibí muchos regalos de amigos y parientes. Entre ellos había una placa rectangular marrón de cerámica con unas manos unidas en oración en una esquina junto con las siguientes palabras, “Dios concédeme la serenidad para aceptar las cosas que no puedo cambiar, el valor para cambiar las cosas que puedo, y la sabiduría para reconocer la diferencia”. Esta oración ha estado colgada en mi dormitorio por todos estos años. Este regalo de primera comunión fue... Read more
Un carro Mercedes-Benz verde oscuro se detuvo en el semáforo de una intersección congestionada. Hacía frío. En el asiento de cuero trasero estaba sentado un joven de quince o dieciséis años. Viajaba solo y al frenar el carro su mirada que había estado fijada en el reposacabezas delante de él se reubicó lentamente hacia la ventana. En ese instante otro joven de aproximadamente la misma edad se acercó al carro vendiendo algo. Llevaba una caja de madera llena de chicle... Read more
Llegué a la unidad de recién nacidos del hospital después de recibir una llamada telefónica solicitando un posible bautismo de emergencia. Soné el timbre de la unidad y a los pocos segundos una voz preguntó a través de un pequeño parlante, “¿en qué puedo servirle?” Me presenté y compartí con la enfermera la información de la familia que quería ver. Me informó que el bebé no estaba allí y me recomendó ir al hospital de niños. Me alejé de la... Read more
A dark green Mercedes-Benz slowly came to a complete stop on a busy intersection as the light turned red. It was a cold day. On the tan leather back seat of the car sat a fifteen or sixteen year old young man. Riding alone, his eyes had been fixed on the headrest in front of him, but as the car reached the light he turned his eyes toward the window. Within seconds another young man about his same age approached... Read more
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Forgotten Rural Georgia Catholic Mission
There is a small, old Catholic church not many know about in rural Georgia. For decades it was the only Catholic church between Augusta and Savannah serving a small Catholic community. I have driven countless times between those two cities, and I never knew about Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Bay Branch just a few yards away from Highway 21. Yesterday I found it and took some pictures. After the Civil War in the 1870s, Slavic and German Catholic families... Read more