Cada decisión que la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos ha dictado alguna vez, ha tenido como resultado una profunda decepción para algunos, y reivindicación para otros. Si todos estuviéramos de acuerdo con los resultados de estos casos discrepantes, no habría razón alguna para que el Tribunal se reuniera. Esta última decisión no es diferente. De la misma manera, cada decisión de la corte está limitada en lo que puede lograr; y nuevamente, esta no es una excepción. Esta decisión... Read more

Each U.S. Supreme Court decision that has ever been rendered has resulted in deep disappointment for some and vindication for others. If we all agreed on the outcomes of divisive cases, there would be no reason for the Court ever to convene. This most recent decision is no different. Click aqui para español By the same token, every court decision is limited in what it can achieve; again this one is no exception. This decision does not change the biological... Read more

In 1977, San Salvador cautiously welcomed a new archbishop, Oscar Arnulfo Romero.  Three years later, the archbishop was killed by a single bullet shot from the backseat of a car parked outside the chapel where he was celebrating Mass.  Thirty-five years later, the same man was declared a martyr by Pope Francis and was beatified in San Salvador on May 23rd, 2015 at a ceremony attended by about half a million faithful, including 100 bishops and 1400 concelebrating priests.  Among... Read more

On December 2nd, 1980, only a few months after the murder of Archbishop Romero, four American women were raped and murdered by members of the National Guard of El Salvador. Jean Donovan, a lay missionary from the Diocese of Cleveland, and Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel picked up from the airport two Maryknoll religious, Sister Maura Clarke and Sister Ita Ford, who were arriving from a conference in Nicaragua.  Due to their work with the poor and forgotten members of society,... Read more

En 1977, San Salvador dio la bienvenida a un nuevo arzobispo, Oscar Arnulfo Romero. Tres años más tarde, el arzobispo fue asesinado por una bala disparada desde el asiento trasero de un automóvil estacionado fuera de la capilla donde estaba celebrando la Misa.  Habiendo recibido numerosas amenazas de muerte, Monseñor Romero ya no permitía junto a él en el altar a otros sacerdotes o monaguillos, pues no quería que la bala dirigida a él mate equivocadamente a otro. Click here... Read more

 In 1977, San Salvador welcomed a new archbishop, Oscar Arnulfo Romero.  Three years later, the archbishop was killed by a single bullet shot from the backseat of a car parked outside the chapel where he was celebrating Mass.  Romero, having received countless death threats, no longer allowed concelebrating priests or altar servers to accompany him in the sanctuary.  He did not want the bullet meant for him to kill someone else accidentally. Chapel where Archbishop Romero was murdered while celebrating... Read more

In June 2006, I landed at an airport where arrivals and departures were permanently painted on the wall and where every passenger, regardless of airline, went to the same one check-in counter.  After convincing the immigration agent that the picture on my passport was really me, I began one of the most meaningful events of my life, teaching English in Lviv, Ukraine. Nearly all my students were Greek Catholics, those who preserve the liturgy and traditions of the east while... Read more

With the upcoming ordination of two men to the transitional diaconate for our diocese, I have been recalling my own ordination. As the ceremony concluded, I remember thinking with great peace, “I did it, I made the promises.” In the ceremony where a man is ordained a transitional deacon he makes three promises: celibacy, prayer and obedience. These are lifelong commitments made at the diaconate ordination which continue once the deacon is ordained a priest. In a way, it all... Read more

La semana pasada un hombre me dijo antes de romper en llanto, “en los últimos tres meses he aprendido todo lo que no aprendí en treinta y siete años. Cuando llegué aquí no estaba enojado con Dios, estaba enojado conmigo mismo por no haber reconocido la invitación de Dios a seguirlo a lo largo de mi vida.” La semana pasada entré a un cuarto lleno de hombres vestidos de anaranjado. Parecían estar desorientados y un poco temerosos. Cuidadosamente nos miraban... Read more

Last week a man said to me before breaking down in tears, “in the past three months I have learned everything that I failed to learn in the past thirty-seven years.  When I arrived here I was not mad at God, I was mad at myself for not having recognized God’s invitation to follow him throughout my life.”  Last week I entered a room full of men dressed in orange.   They looked disoriented, lost and somewhat fearful.  They carefully... Read more