The Second Year
We have now completed the Second Year of the diocesan Uniting in Heart Plan. What has your experience been? Let us know your answers to these questions:
Greetings
Back from a little hiatus and hope readers have been well. First: We have so much to be thankful for in the overturning of Roe v. Wade decision on June 17. God has opened a door, both for greater legal protections of for the sanctity of life, and for governance at lower levels than the …
On Not Playing the Game.
Rumors that the Supreme Court may well strike down the Roe v. Wade ruling broke late yesterday, an event that would return to the States the decision of whether or to what extent to protect abortion under the law. Immediate protests and meltdown videos ensued. Rage erupted over social media, calls for taking to the …
Habitats of Faith
“One of the great and essential tasks of our evangelization is, as far as we can, to establish habitats of Faith and, above all, to find and recognize them.” “[It] is rather obvious that we do not need another Church of our own design. Rather, what is required first and foremost is the renewal of …
Prayers for Clergy, Prayers for Ukraine
We begin Lent with a particularly somber spirit this year, hearing troubling reports of violence and war. Dark times and moments of crisis can be the making of great leaders, great saints. One example of remarkable love & courage is Bishop Yaroslav Pririz of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. It’s being widely reported that Bishop Pririz …
A Many-Splendored Thing
Diocesan clergy met this week in conference with Bishop Doherty. Some frank & intense discussion on the subject of the liturgy ensued. Reportedly, some of the clergy expressed a wish or calling to minister better to the numerous young people, including college students and young couples with children, who are traditional in their spirituality & …
Echoes, Etc.
A December 30, 2021 memo from the bishop offers “A Year’s End Peek into 2022.” If you’re curious what the Listening Church(TM) will be up to, here you go: Pastoral Vision Plans (PVP): As I continue to review these drafts I am encouraged by your diligent efforts. I can hear echoes within the Uniting in …
Thank You to Our Readers
As the year ends, we wanted to take a moment to thank those who have taken the time to read, discuss, and share their experiences in our diocese. Many of these conversations are difficult to have. Your response has solidified our belief that we need to continue having them. We’ve learned there are many more …
What Makes Mission?
Readers may appreciate this recent post by Fr. Dwight Longenecker, in which he offers an even-handed assessment of the trend of restructuring dioceses: how we got here, and what problems the restructuring strategies are meant to solve. Fr. Longenecker takes the frequently-used “maintenance vs. mission” language so often employed, extracting the aspects about which most …
Seeing
Your priest can tell you of an October 1 missive from the chancery in which our bishop shared his unhappiness that even more people than before the pandemic appear to be receiving communion on the tongue, and how they ought to be pressured to stop. This is not just because of COVID any more, but …
The Companion of Fools
A reader sent us a Facebook post today from the page of the well known Dr. Janet E. Smith: Well. This is wretched, but predictable. Looks like we have to drag out our friends The Simpsons once again: You can, if you wish, dig through the back issues of The Catholic Moment to see how …
Biden Administration Attempts Sweeping Vaccine Mandates
Readers may recall last week, when President Biden, outraged that the state of Texas had limited abortion access, decried the law as depriving people of their constitutional rights and preventing them from making their own medical choices. That principle did not carry over into his address this evening, as his administration now seeks to institute …
“Deeply Catholic” President Vows “Whole-of-Government” Response to Texas Abortion Restrictions
This week, Texas became the first state to enact a law–thus far unchallenged by the Supreme Court–whereby abortions are not permitted after detectable cardiac activity in the unborn child. The law further permits civil suits against entities continuing the practice in spite of the ban. President Biden, who has been running the country largely by …
The First Year
We have now completed first year of diocesan reorganization under the Uniting in Heart Pastoral Plan. We would like to get your thoughts on this first year, since surveys are apparently all the rage. First, take our poll: If you want to elaborate on your answer, drop us a comment that addresses one or more …
Another Capital Campaign?
Arrangements are underway for the diocese to identify new and larger sources of funding than the Catholic Ministries Appeal can provide. According to Bishop Doherty, this will enable the Church to take care of the needs of the next generation and to promote the priorities “that will enable us to continue living out our faith …
Keeping the Faith
Catholics have had a great deal to process the past few weeks. Some of it was best processed in quiet, in prayer, and in the counsel of wiser souls. What can we observe of recent weeks? As the Pope’s moto proprio severely restricting the Mass in its extraordinary form appeared on the scene, we heard …
Pastorate Survey: A Closer Look
Readers may recall being asked to complete surveys as a part of UiH. Over time, we received some feedback from our readers with respect to these, and as the information gathered from these surveys is compiled, developed into action plans and implemented by the leadership teams of the pastorates, it may be helpful to take …
Becoming Coherent
Readers following the USCCB saga will no doubt have learned that yesterday the bishops overwhelmingly voted to move ahead with their plans to begin a Eucharistic teaching document, approving the plan 168-55 (with six abstaining from the vote.) Debate over this at USCCB gives one a glimpse at what is at play, with an attempt, …
Vatican Declines Mass With Biden
Catholic News Agency reported yesterday that the Biden entourage’s request to attend Mass with the Pope today has been nixed by the Vatican. A meeting with Pope was planned during Biden’s trip to Europe for the G7 Summit and will still take place. According to CNA: “President Biden, who is in Europe for several high level …
This is Ambrose.
Readers have noted that numerous bishops urged the USCCB to suspend its conversation on “Eucharistic Coherence.” One outcome of this conversation might have been the decision to direct bishops to look at their own flocks and possibly to withhold the Eucharist from high-placed Catholics who persistently, publicly, and proudly support the grave crime of abortion. …
Stones.
Missionary pastors are setting to work on a series of planning forms and worksheets with over 46 assessment / action points pertaining to the implementation of UIH. A recent communique to clergy from the diocese’s Office of Evangelization contained the following remarks & suggestions: I recognize some of the baggage associated with UiH among the …
The End of the Dispensation
Today, Bishop Doherty posted the following statement on the diocese’s website: What are your thoughts, readers? Have you returned to Mass? What will it take to transition people back into regular participation in Mass?
Hinder Them Not
As most of you are probably aware, this week the CDC & FDA issued a joint statement regarding a small number of cases in which recipients of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID vaccine experienced symptoms of serious blood clotting/thrombosis. The U.S., Australia and others have called for a pause in its usage. Clotting or side …
Down in Adoration Falling
Dear readers, A blessed Eastertide to you all. Returning from our scheduled break, we hope that you have been given the grace to be with the Lord through the mysteries of His passion, death & resurrection. By way of sharing an Easter treat, we urge you to take a look at the remarkable Apostolic Exhortation …
Holy Week
Diocesan guidelines for the Holy Week liturgies have been released. The blue-gloved hand of COVID-mindedness has rifled through them and extracted numerous things considered not amenable to disease prevention. Some of these may make sense, others less so. Among the changes: there will be no procession of palms on Palm Sunday, nor will the people …
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