(With Memorial Day upon us, and with it the unofficial beginning of summer, I thought it would be appropriate to reprint this column from last year, edited only slightly for length. It addresses a … more

Editor’s Note: During July and August, Rhode Island Catholic is sharing some of Bishop Thomas J. Tobin’s favorite Without a Doubt columns. The following column originally ran on October 19, … more

During vacation this summer I followed my normal practice of attending Sunday Mass as a “private citizen,” that is, in secular attire, with the congregation, in the pews. Even though I truly cherish the privilege of leading the liturgy as I do almost every Sunday, it’s also refreshing once in awhile to be on the other side of the altar. more

I saw a “Peanuts” cartoon recently that seemed especially timely. The kids are playing baseball and little Linus, in full catcher’s gear walks out to the pitcher’s mound and announces to Charlie Brown, “The bases are loaded again, and there’s still nobody out.” “So what do you think?” asks Charlie Brown. more

I don’t recall if it was on my flight to or from my Florida vacation this summer, but at one point the pilot announced, “Folks, we expect to be passing through a little turbulence in a few moments, so we’d like you to return to your seats and check your seatbelts to be sure that they’re securely fastened. more

The theme of this year’s Catholic Schools Week identified our Catholic schools as “Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service,” words that describe very concisely the mission of Catholic … more

Let us say once again: we need the greater and lesser hopes that keep us going day by day. But these are not enough without the great hope, which must surpass everything else. This great hope can only be God . . . God is the foundation of hope: not any god, but the God who has a human face and who has loved us to the end, each one of us and humanity in its entirety. (Spe Salvi, #31) more

Since we took some time off for the holidays, we need to catch up on a few items. *** First, once again, a word of sincere thanks to all those who helped to make my 25th Anniversary of Ordination … more

A long, long time ago I heard a story about a devout little boy named Jimmy who walked past his parish church everyday on his way to school. Remembering the presence of Christ in the tabernacle of the church, each day as he passed by Jimmy made the Sign of the Cross and said simply, “Hello Jesus, it’s Jimmy.” more

August 26th marks the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the widely acclaimed saint of our time who worked among the desperately poor of India for so many years and founded the Missionaries of Charity to carry on her work. more

Remember when green was just a color, like red and blue, or black and white? It’s so much more than that now. Green has become a political party, a sociological movement, and even amoral commitment. It’s all about the environment, of course; and the issue is way up there at the top of hot button list, along with the war in Iraq, gay marriage and illegal immigration. more

Excitement is growing as the Diocese of Providence looks forward to the ordination of five new priests – the largest class we’ve had for a while. more

Okay, let me say it and get it over with. Congratulations to the New England Patriots for winning their fifth Super Bowl! The Pats had a great season, culminated by their historic comeback and a … more

Extension Magazine is the publication of the Catholic Extension Society, an organization that "exists to sustain and extend the Catholic Faith in poor and remote mission areas of the United States." In that context, then, I wasn't surprised to find recently an article about the Church in Alaska. The story was an eye-opener, though, and reminded me of how easy it is, how convenient it is to practice our Catholic Faith here in Rhode Island. more

After attending Sunday Mass in Florida not too long ago I came across the following admonition in the Sunday bulletin: “Please come to Mass early enough not to disrupt. Leave late enough not to insult. (The Mass does not end until the final blessing). Worship reverently enough not to distract. And dress proudly enough not to offend.” more

So, we shared a little good news recently, with the release of the October Sunday Mass Count numbers, indicating that from October 2009 to October 2010 Mass attendance across the Diocese increased by about two percent. “Not a big deal,” you say. more

Dear God and Father, As Thanksgiving draws near, help me to realize all that it means to be a truly thankful person. more

I’m sure you’ve seen the commercial. An elderly lady has fallen down the steps in her home, is seriously injured and unable to move to the telephone when she cries out, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” The commercial promotes Life Alert Emergency Response, a medical alert pendant that’s used to notify dispatchers about someone’s health emergency. more

Okay, I have a confession to make. I support the sale of contraceptives. I don’t want to, and I don’t like it, but I do. I’ll explain in a moment, but first, a little background. more

“Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty if we are strong, and most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away.” (Ps 90:10) These words of the Bible have … more