BALTIMORE — Pope Francis’ Sept. 1 announcement that priests worldwide will be able to absolve women for the sin of abortion will have little effect on pastoral practices in the United States and Canada, where most priests already have such authority in the sacrament of reconciliation. “It is my understanding that the faculty for the […]
Archives for September 2015
The Francis challenge: The Holy Father will call on the U.S. Congress, U.N. General Assembly to live up to their ideals
Pope Francis waves as he arrives to attend an audience with some 9,000 altar servers in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Aug. 4. (CNS photo/Giampiero Sposito, Reuters) VATICAN CITY — Along with having a winning smile and a warm embrace, Pope Francis is known for challenging people. He does it regularly at morning […]
Bishop Silva, nine others from Hawaii to make trip
Bishop Larry Silva will travel with nine other Island pilgrims to Philadelphia Sept. 21-28 for the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis’ public Mass. The small pilgrimage group from Hawaii includes two priests from Oahu, three diocesan staffers, and parishioners from Maui, the Big Island and Honolulu. Faith Journeys, an Arizona-based company, coordinated this […]
Homily | Funeral for Sister Teresita Tam: Seeing with the eyes of God
Here are excerpts from the text of Father Michael Owens’ homily for the funeral of Carmelite Sister Teresita Tam, Aug. 28, at Carmel of the Holy Trinity Monastery at St. Stephen Diocesan Center. Sister Teresita died Aug. 19. Look into the eyes of a contemplative nun or monk and you see a special glimmer or […]
Two newly professed Sacred Hearts brothers joining others in seminary community in Fiji
Seven seminarians and two priests are commissioned Aug. 1 in St. Patrick Church in Kaimuki for a new mission in Fiji. (Photos courtesy of Steve Tagupa) The United States Province of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts on Aug. 1 witnessed the first vows of its two newest members, one who is from the […]
Funeral: Celebrating the life and death of Deacon Julio Akaptio
The Aug. 29 funeral Mass for Deacon Julio Akapito, on a bright and sunny Saturday in St. Joseph Church in Hilo, was an enormous outpouring of prayer and celebration from the Big Island’s Chuukese Catholic community and other Pacific islanders. Nine days of prayer at the Akapito family home in Pahoa preceded the funeral. Hard […]
Sister Christine Marie Plateros, Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary: The fullness of life and adoration
VIRIDITAS: SOUL GREENING One day, I bumped into Maryknoll Sister Anastasia Marie when I was out working in a village. She asked me what I was doing. Later, she said, “When do you play?” She continued, “If you want to be your best and to give the best of yourself to your students in religious […]
Jorge Mario Bergoglio: Priorities, preaching, personal touch reflect pope’s background
VATICAN CITY — A self-described “homebody,” Pope Francis will make the 10th foreign trip of his pontificate in September, visiting Cuba and then, for the first time in his life, the United States. The visit of the 78-year-old Argentine pope comes in a year packed with important events for him: the publication in June of […]
Father John Catoir: Managing conflict with patience
Families are made up of fighters, compromisers, sore losers and problem solvers. Are you a fighter for your rights or a compromiser? A sore loser or a problem solver? A fighter refuses to lose. A compromiser gives in but ultimately may forfeit too much for the sake of peace. A sore loser walks away sulking, […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion | 24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: The suffering servant
Isaiah 50:5-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35 The last and third section of the Book of Isaiah provides the first reading for this weekend in Ordinary Time. This passage is one of several similar sections in Trito-Isaiah. Together they are called the Songs of the Suffering Servant. Poetic and expressive, they figure in the liturgies of […]