Blog - August 2010 RSS Feed

Ah, it’s true: those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer –thank you, Nat King Cole –are coming into the station. Soon, all we’ll have are memories. One stands out for me. I was on the Jersey Shore, at the Villa Saint Joseph, in company with priests.

Written 17 years ago by one of my predecessors, John Cardinal O’Connor, this column reminded us then what we must remember now — Haiti needs our help and prayers. As the Cardinal said, Pierre Toussaint (now declared “Venerable” — another step on the road to possible beatification and canonization) is the “perfect mediator” for “those looking for peace in Haiti.” In the Cathedral Crypt, A Prayer for Haiti John Cardinal O’Connor , Catholic New York October 21, 1993 It’s time to take Pierre Toussaint seriously.

Our nation and our city can be very proud of is its long history as a welcome home for immigrants, respecting religious freedom, beliefs, and practices. Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Patterson, and many other civic and religious leaders have recently eloquently reminded us of this noble heritage.

I just caught up with a great piece by Terry Golway in the Irish Echo. The Well Trod Line Between Church and State talks about illegal immigrants and the role of Church and state. Here’s an excerpt: “The descendants of the Ellis Island generation may argue that their ancestors did it the ‘right way’ – shuffling through the lines, answering the questions of government agents, submitting to cursory health examinations.