Blog - December 2009 RSS Feed

What a joy it has been to celebrate my first Christmas as Archbishop of New York. Here is a copy of my homily from Midnight Mass. An audio clip of the homily is now online here . A blessed Christmas to all!

Although this past weekend’s heavy snowstorm understandably dominated the news headlines, for me, this past Sunday was about much more than the weather. At the 10:15 a.m. Mass in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, I was delighted to see an overflow crowd of worshippers who braved the elements to join in the greatest of prayers, the Mass.

Several people have sent me their reactions to my Catholic New York column of two weeks ago, “ Advent Must Be Preserved .”  One that I found particularly interesting was from Sister Joan L. Roccasalvo, C.S.J., a member of the Congregation of Saint Joseph who lives in the Bronx.

I would like to draw your attention to what I believe are powerful recent statements on the debate over health care reform legislation, in case you may have missed them. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles wrote an op-ed article published in the New York Times that focuses on “the lack of adequate health care for immigrants who live in our midst but who do not yet have legal standing.”  The full text is here .

Today marks the 30 th Anniversary of the death of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, and I am honored to be the principal celebrant and homilist at the Mass to commemorate his life. A large gathering of priests, bishops, and cardinals are expected to attend.

A few days ago, the New York Daily News asked me to write an op-ed article on the so-called “Christmas wars.”  I was happy for the invitation, and submitted my article, which appears in today’s paper.

“A blessed Advent, everybody! I hardly dare ask, but…do you take part in the annual Advent Debate?” That’s the opening to my column, Advent Must Be Preserved, in the current edition of Catholic New York .