Blog - August 2011 RSS Feed

We unite with the entire community in thanking God for His protection during the hurricane, in asking His ongoing help for the clean-up and recovery, in commending to Him those of our neighbors who were harmed — and, in New Jersey and Connecticut, those who lost their lives — and in praising God for the preparation, vigilance, and care of our civic officials, volunteers, and emergency personnel.

A few days ago, I came across this editorial in The New York Times about Alabama’s newest immigration law. Four religious leaders, including Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile and Bishop Robert J. Baker of Birmingham in Alabama, have sued to stop this law.

Last week, the Catholic League highlighted an interesting article written by William McGurn in the Wall Street Journal . McGurn defends religious freedom in his article. Here is an excerpt: The latest example is a case called Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which the Supreme Court has just agreed to hear.

The early days of this month I had the honor and joy of attending the International convention of the Knights of Columbus, this year in Denver. Close to 3,000 knights and their wives crowded the “mile high city” for meetings, camaraderie, business, prayer, and festive celebration.

It caused somewhat of a stir . . . A few months back, you might have heard, the bishops of England reintroduced the discipline of abstinence from meat on Fridays. Every Catholic mid-fifties and older can recall how abstinence from meat on all Fridays was a constant of our lives.

Last week, Archbishop José H. Gomez addressed delegates at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in Denver, Colorado. He spoke about the immigration policy in America. I thought you might want to read Archbishop Gomez’s remarks.

My thanks to Bill Donohue and the Catholic League for the following p ress release issued last week. ARCHBISHOP DOLAN LIBELED BY SNAP August 4, 2011 Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the reaction of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) to the news that an elderly New York priest was arrested for a sexual infraction: A 16-year-old girl started working in a Bronx parish last Saturday and now claims she was inappropriately touched by an 87-year-old priest.

A few weeks ago, I came across this fine editorial in Our Sunday Visitor about the potential threat to religious freedom. The editorial board shared two examples in this insightful piece. Here is an excerpt: The issue of religious freedom until now mostly has been a tangent to the debate over civil unions and same-sex marriage.

I cam e across two great articles from Public Discourse: Ethics, Law, and the Common Good that I thought was worth sharing. Austin R. Nimocks, a Senior Legal Counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, wrote an article about the Defense of Marriage Act.

There is an article in the Wall Street Journal written by William McGowan about the Sisters of Life, a wonderful order of nuns dedicated to promoting and protecting the sanctity of life. These sisters assist hundreds of pregnant women a year.

The headline was so familiar: Yet another group was “challenging the Vatican” on something, this time, on upholding the timeless teaching of the Church that only men are called to the Sacrament of Holy Orders.