From the Archbishop

There is no doubt we live in polarized times.  Virtually every topic seems to be fodder for political division.  In such times, our Catholic faith can be tested even more intensely than usual, especially when our faith runs up against public policy.  Of course, Catholic teaching is not just for the United States in the 21st century; it is universal and enduring. 

In his homily for the opening of the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Benedict XVI said, “The Church exists to evangelize. Faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ’s command, his disciples went out to the whole world to announce the Good News, spreading Christian communities everywhere” (Homily, Oct. 7, 2012).

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Francis de Sales, principal patron of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.  As a bishop and renowned confessor and spiritual guide, St. Francis de Sales led people to follow the Lord more devoutly, and his writings have inspired countless thousands over the past 400 years to walk the path of holiness.  It is good for us to consider how we also can lead people to Christ in our time and place, particularly through the parishes of the archdiocese.

The last Sunday in January marks the kick-off of National Catholic Schools Week, a time set aside by dioceses throughout our country to highlight the importance of faithful, integral Catholic formation and education to the salvific mission of the Church. During this week we also celebrate the feast days of two saints whose legacies are significant for Catholic education. On January 28 . . .

On Christmas morning, in the opening prayer of the Mass at Dawn, e ask God to allow the light of faith, which radiates from the incarnate Word, to shine through in our deeds. This prayer reminds us of . . .

Yesterday’s passage of Issue 1 is deeply disturbing. The people of Ohio missed on this important opportunity to demonstrate that the health and safety of women, the fundamental rights of parents, and the lives of preborn children deserve protection.

In his encyclical Evangelium Vitae on the value and inviolability of human life, Pope St. John Paul II speaks about God’s call for each person to share in the fullness of life for all eternity with Him. Even during our life in this temporal, physical world, we participate in the life of grace and have a foretaste of the blessedness of heaven. It is this call from God to . . .

In the Gospel according to St. John, Jesus emphasizes that He came so we might have fullness of life (cf. Jn. 10:10). Most significantly through His Paschal Mystery, but also through every aspect of His life, Jesus worked for our good so that we might have life in abundance, both in this world and for all eternity. It is important to remember that . . .

After His death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and sent the Holy Spirit upon them that they might continue His work of preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Through baptism we are incorporated into this mystery. Made partakers in His death and resurrection, we are commissioned to contribute to the Church’s mission. Each of us . . .