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March 24, 1980: The news hit like a bomb. An archbishop had been shot dead at Mass: Oscar Romero of San Salvador in Central America. I was thunderstruck.
By 1980, this no longer happened even in Communist countries. They just imprisoned you.
I was a new pastor in a small parish, ordained 15 years, with time to read and think, especially about the direction of our Vatican II Church. Read more »
In recent years, the church leaders have wisely expressed deep concern over the growing lack of respect surrounding funerals and the proper care for the earthly remains of the faithful departed.
Our religion has always been countercultural and will remain so. At the core of Roman Catholic practices surrounding the departed is the reality that prayer for the dead is a spiritual work of mercy and burying the dead is a corporal work of mercy.
It’s good to remember that the glory of Christ’s resurrection was first revealed to those on a mission of mercy to the tomb to wash and anoint Jesus’ body in accordance with Jewish burial customs. Read more »
In his letter this week to Delaware legislators urging them to support the repeal of the state’s death penalty, Bishop Malooly wrote, “There is a growing consciousness in our modern society that there is something wrong in using the death penalty to discourage crime and violence.”
That’s close to the heart of the capital punishment issue for me: How is it that governments kill people who have murdered to demonstrate it’s wrong to commit murder? Read more »
When I was a child I overheard news reports stating a certain number of children went to bed hungry every night in America.
I was too little to understand the statistic meant something other than a craving for dessert or a cookie at bedtime. I was too young and well off to understand the difference between being ready for dinner and actual hunger from being too poor to have food on the table. Read more »
January 24 is the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, who is the patron saint of both the Diocese of Wilmington and journalists.
As a Catholic journalist in the diocese, I’m especially grateful this year for the patronage of Francis.
If a patron saint is someone who is believed to protect a particular place or person, St. Francis de Sales has had his work cut out for him in the diocese during the last few years. Read more »
A campaign to legalize assisted suicide is moving forward in New Jersey, with similar proposals to be introduced in California, Maryland and other states.
The former Hemlock Society, now under the more appealing name “Compassion & Choices,” hopes to pass such bills in a dozen states this year, although its efforts produced new laws in only three states (Oregon, Washington and Vermont) in the past 25 years.
What makes C&C so optimistic? After all, its agenda is the same as always: Protecting doctors who want to prescribe a barbiturate overdose, so their patients can kill themselves. Read more »
Faith formation, academic excellence and service to others are hallmarks of schools in the diocese
“Can you tell me why I should choose a Catholic school education for my child?”
This question comes to me in various ways – parents considering education for their first child, parents considering the financial commitment, parents considering whether high school and college acceptances are influenced, parents wondering what difference a Catholic school education makes. Read more »
If there’s anything good to say about the state of the world this month, it’s that at least we’re going to have nice weather for the apocalypse.
The poet Robert Frost once noted that “some say the world will end in fire and some say ice.” Who knew it could end during one of the balmy summer days we’ve enjoyed in the Diocese of Wilmington this year?
It’s not the heat; it’s the history of recent world conflicts and the dangers they portend. Here’s a review of this summer’s news: Read more »
It was a list delivered around the world. Pope Francis, who has a humble way of explaining Gospel truths with clarity, suggested 10 ways for “bringing greater joy to one’s life” to an Argentine weekly last month.
Faster than a video of a cat playing the harmonica, the pope’s tips were uploaded on websites, shared online and broadcast around the world. (See the list on page 5.)
Was it because Francis’ tips for increased happiness weren’t particularly religious at first glance? Read more »
The following text is excerpted from Bishop Malooly’s homily April 27 at St. Hedwig Church in Wilmington, where he celebrated a Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday commemorating the canonizations that day of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.
It’s very moving for me to see so many of Polish descent because John Paul was not only a great leader, he was almost a savior to his people. A sign of hope when there was not hope, a sign of love and he had a real sense of strength and confidence, which is not unlike you as people.
So it’s great to see so many of you here today to celebrate the canonization of both men [Popes John XXIII and John Paul II].
I like to think of this time of the year as the second season. Salvation history was a long stretch leading up to Jesus. With Jesus, we had his public ministry; we had the time after he rose, the time he spent with his disciples during the Easter season, and the third season began at Pentecost and continues today, the coming of the Spirit, the growing of the church. Read more »
