News - September 2021 RSS Feed

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I am going to devote both this week’s and next week’s column to presenting an overview of Domestic Violence that is based on an important statement entitled When I Call for Help. This statement was published several years ago now from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Today marks the final day of National Migration Week. The Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated this event for nearly fifty years. It provides an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking. This year National Migrant Week began on September 20. Its closing today dovetails with the Vatican’s celebration of World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR). The primary theme for WDMR for this year is “Toward an ever wider ‘WE.’ When Pope Francis announced this year’s theme, he emphasized that “this focus calls on us to ensure that ‘after all this, we will think no longer in terms of ‘them’ and ‘those,’ but only ‘us” (Fratelli tutti, no. 35). And this universal us must become a reality first of all within the Church which is called to cultivate communion in diversity.’

Eight days ago we had the twentieth anniversary of that awful day when nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the plane crash in Shanksville, PA. Last Sunday about forty parishioners attended a Prayer Service here in which we reflected on Scripture, and prayed for special groups of people during a period of intercessory prayer. It was a very moving night for me, especially since I have ministered to families who lost someone at 9/11 in three of the parishes in which I have been assigned. For them 9/11 is always a sad and painful day of remembrance.

Last Monday we celebrated Labor Day which in my childhood marked the end of the summer vacation. The day after Labor Day marked the first day of school. It was a day of new routines, getting to know the new teacher—in most cases our classroom teacher was a Sister of Mercy, and seeing friends after the summer absence. It wasn’t until many years later I learned the significance of Labor Day. Now that I have a better understanding of why we celebrate Labor Day, I look forward to the annual statement by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for the occasion. Their statement follows in the footsteps of that great champion of the working man and woman: James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore from 1877 to 1921. The statement for Labor Day 2021 was issued by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City in his capacity as the chairman of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. Archbishop Coakley makes the observation that these are both encouraging signs of economic recovery and ongoing hardships related to COVID-19.

On Sunday, August 29, 2021 Pope Francis addressed the people gathered to pray the Angelus with him. He told them that he was following the situation in Afghanistan with great concern, adding “I share in the suffering of those who mourn for the people who lost their lives in the suicide attacks last Thursday, and of those who are seeking help and protection.” The Holy Father commended the souls of the almost two hundred people who were killed in the suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport last week to the mercy of Almighty God. Pope Francis thanked everyone who was continuing to assist those in need and was praying that dialogue and solidarity may lead to the establishment of peaceful and fraternal coexistence and offer hope for the future of the country. The Holy Father reminded everyone that in historical moments like the present one we cannot remain indifferent, adding “I appeal to everyone to intensify prayer and practice fasting, prayer and penance. Now is the time to do it.”