REFLECTIONS ON RECENT VATICAN DECLARATION – Part 2
REFLECTIONS ON RECENT VATICAN DECLARATION Part 2 Last week, I provided you with a summary of the recent Vatican declaration entitled Fiducia Supplicans in response to questions that had been raised over the past several years regarding same-sex couples. As you read this summary, you will recall that it ended with: “beyond the guidance provided above, no further responses should be expected about possible ways to regulate details or practicalities regarding blessings of this type.” It sounded as if the Vatican’s Office for the Doctrine of the Faith [...]
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)
Jonah 3:1 – 5, 10 This Sunday, we will hear from the Book of Jonah. The passage was clearly chosen to prepare us for the Gospel, as we shall see. We only hear from this book once every three years on Sunday – that is, this Sunday – so let’s spend some time understanding its genre. It is listed as a prophetic book, but is unique among the prophets for two reasons: 1) it is not a collection of oracles, but a narrative; and 2) Jonah’s behavior is the opposite [...]
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Year B
1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19 As we return to Ordinary Time, time that is ordered for our salvation, this Sunday we will hear about the calling of Samuel to become a prophet. You may recall the birth of Samuel to Hannah, who had been sterile (cf. 1 Sm 1:1-28). Shortly after his birth, Hannah dedicated Samuel to God by bringing him to the temple. We begin the season of Ordinary Time with a classic vocation narrative. For those who know the story of his early life, Samuel’s call is not much [...]
REFLECTIONS ON RECENT PAPAL DECLARATION
As you probably know, the Vatican Office for the Doctrine of the Faith recently issued a declaration entitled Fiducia Supplicans in response to questions that had been raised over the past several years regarding same-sex couples. You may also have read about the controversy that this declaration has raised throughout the Church around the world. In case you haven’t read it, I would like to offer a summary of this declaration and some reflections about it. The document begins with an introductory Presentation that offers the context for this [...]
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD (Year A, B, C)
Isaiah 60: 1 - 6 This Sunday, we will hear again from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. The section we will hear is from the 60th chapter, so we know that it is from trito-Isaiah, which comes from the time when the people have returned from the Babylonian exile. Whereas Isaiah’s prophecy is filled with warnings of impending doom, here we will hear a message of hope. Those of you who have the Catholic Study Bible will want to check the footnote on these verses: The Church makes use [...]
SOLEMNITY OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
As you may recall, I was the chancellor of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem before I was assigned here in 2011. In that previous position, I had the privilege of working with this international Catholic organization that supports the Christians living in the Holy Land, most particularly in the West Bank and Gaza. We would raise approximately $10 million annually to support parishes, schools, orphanages and hospitals operating in the West Bank and Gaza. This support was essential for the Christians who are trapped there due [...]