News - August 2021 RSS Feed

Haiti is struggling to recover from the earthquake followed by Tropical Storm Grace. This has aggravated the devastation and long-standing civil unrest in the country. The people of Haiti will no doubt see ongoing hardship in the weeks ahead as they begin recovery and rebuilding efforts. On August 20, 2022, Archbishop José H. Gomez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has sent a letter to all bishops in the United States to ask them to consider taking up a voluntary special collection in their dioceses for the Bishops Emergency Fund.

On Saturday, August 14, 2021, Haiti suffered a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. As of late Sunday, August 15, 2021, nearly 1,300 people have been killed, more than 5,700 people are injured, and more than 30,250 needed shelter as a result of the earthquake, which affected the southwestern part of the country, particularly the Dioceses of Jérémie, Les Cayes, and Anse-à-Veau Mirogoane.

Every now and then a solemnity like that of the Assumption falls on a Sunday. When this happens in Ordinary Time, the solemnity takes precedence. At the end of her earthly life, God assumed Mary into heaven where she reigns as queen until the end of time. From the beginning of her life on earth, when she was immaculately conceived, until the end the Blessed Virgin Mary conformed her life to God’s will. We can look upon her as we endeavor to discern God’s will in our own lives.

Christians are called to be saints. Saints are persons in heaven (whether they are officially canonized or not) who lived heroically virtuous lives, offered their lives for others, or were martyred for the faith. Their lives are worthy to be imitated.