Dear Brothers and Sisters, “In this year, the Diocese of Providence will renew its devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. We will strive anew to imitate her virtues, and to seek her grace and … more

There is an urgent need, especially nowadays, for a more widespread and deeply felt conviction that all the members of the Church, without exception, have the grace and responsibility to look after … more

Well, dear reader, I hope you’ve had an enjoyable and relaxing summer. But now it’s time to get back to work, and so I reclaim my regular spot here in the Rhode Island Catholic. During the … more

Near the end of a recent television interview, the reporter asked me a couple of rather interesting and personal questions. “As a bishop, what is it that you fear the most?” he asked. A tough … more

Dear High School Graduate: I’d like to take a couple of minutes to share a few personal reflections and suggestions that you might think about at this important time in your life. I write as … more

(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

The legal status of marijuana: approve for medical use, decriminalize or completely legalize? That’s the question being debated across the country right now, including here in Rhode … more

“Fragile” refers to something that’s easily broken; “fickle” to something that changes frequently. Both adjectives describe adequately the experience of friendship we sometimes have. If you … more

• The Pope’s Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, is long, really long – 60,000 words, 325 paragraphs, 256 pages. That’s unfortunate. I’m convinced that the length of a Church document … more

“Those who have been baptized continue on the path of Christian Initiation through the Sacrament of Confirmation, by which they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon … more