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When preaching at celebrations of the Sacrament of Confirmation, I like to borrow imagery and insights from the world of surfing. I hope that the imagery serves as a kind of parable drawing the …
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10/24/24
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Next week, I will offer my final “State of Hope” column and attempt to find words that will express my affection for the good people of this diocese and state. In this, my penultimate …
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10/17/24
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“The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10) In the Catholic worldview, there is an inseparable link between our beliefs about God and how we are to live. The quote …
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10/3/24
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It may surprise you to learn that Catholic moral teaching does not assert that civil governments must or should be democracies. Recall that over the course of history, the Catholic Faith has dwelt in …
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9/26/24
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Years ago, on the same weekend as the Right to Life Mass and March, I preached at a parish youth Mass. I wanted the young people there to reflect upon the Catholic commitment to the sanctity of human …
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9/19/24
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Beginning in late August and continuing into September, I enjoy the opportunity to visit some of our many Catholic schools here in Rhode Island. In most cases, the schools hold an opening Mass or …
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9/12/24
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Last week, Salve Regina University rented space for a high-end political fundraiser on the campus in Newport. I only learned of the decision on the night before the event while away on retreat. I …
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8/22/24
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By now, you have seen the news that the Holy Father has appointed me the next Archbishop of Boston. Of course, I am grateful to the Holy Father for his confidence in me and for entrusting this …
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8/8/24
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As I write these words, I am returning from the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. Over several days, more than 100,000 people visited the Congress with daily gatherings of 50,000. The …
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7/25/24
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American politics have become quite rancorous in recent years and the 2024 election season is shaping up to be another time of deep divisions among parties and candidates. People on all sides will …
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7/9/24
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Recently a friend asked me to identify the best thing about my first year as the Bishop of Providence. I responded by saying “the priests!” last week in describing the purpose and work of …
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6/27/24
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In contemporary culture some people misunderstand the nature of the Catholic Church, imagining it as a kind of supranational corporation in which the Holy Father issues the marching orders for …
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6/20/24
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Studies have demonstrated over and again that children have their best opportunity to thrive when they enjoy the blessing of a mother and a father. This is not to lessen the heroic contribution of …
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6/13/24
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As a child, I spent much of the summertime on or in the waters of the Great South Bay along the south shore of Long Island. I loved crabbing and clamming, swimming and sailing. Because we went as a …
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6/6/24
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Each year in June, the Church observes the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion was originally proposed by Father John Eudes in the 1600s and spread far and wide through the …
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5/30/24
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Transcendent and immanent — these are not words of everyday speech. They are theological words that express a tension found in language about God. Transcendence expresses the sense that God is …
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5/23/24
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I would like to express belated best wishes to all of the good mothers and grandmothers of our parishes and schools. I hope that Mother’s Day was a joyful celebration of gratitude to mothers …
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5/16/24
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“Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of …
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5/9/24
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On May 4, the Church marks the feast day of St. Florian, a third-century Christian martyr. Florian was a high-ranking officer in the army of the Roman Empire. One of his particular duties was to …
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5/2/24
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Child sexual abuse poisons all segments of society - families, schools, churches, community organizations, and health and welfare institutions. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 7 …
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4/25/24
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