A bishop speaks to the heart of men

True death with dignity

Christmas generosity and fruitfulness

The dignity of a haircut

The New York Times just featured the story of hairstylist Mark Bustos.  His weekdays are filled by giving $150 haircuts, often to celebrities.  But his Sundays?  His Sundays are dedicated to giving free haircuts to the homeless of New York City.  

The story of Mark Bustos' unique way of affirming the dignity of the person is here.  

Good story of the day

Happy first feast day of *Saint* John Paul II!

"Well done, good and faithful servant!"

36 years ago today!

I can never get enough of this video!  It was 36 years ago that we received our first non-Italian pope in 455 years.

Come hear Archbishop Kurtz, president of the USCCB, at Ruah Woods' banquet!

Are you coming to hear Archbishop Kurtz at Ruah Woods' fifth annual banquet?  It promises to be a wonderful evening. 

Are you coming to Camp Echo?

Congratulations to Cincinnati's two newest priests!

Karol Wojtyla visited Cincinnati?

I don't remember ever hearing about such a visit, but the Catholic Telegraph provides a few details in an article here.  When I was confirmed on Divine Mercy Sunday at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral many years ago, I had no idea that St. John Paul II had been there!

The Year of Five Popes

Divine Mercy Sunday this year has been called the "Day of Four Popes" since Pope Francis, with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI present, canonized Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. But now, we can begin calling it the "Year of Five Popes."  Pope Paul VI will be beatified this year, likely in October.  

Pope Paul VI and the future Pope John Paul II (source)

That's going to be a beautiful moment!  Here was a man whose last encyclical was written 10 years before his death.  It was "Humanae Vitae."  The persecution and defiance and anger directed toward him after it was written must have been deflating.  The theologians he trusted to examine the issue of whether or not the birth control Pill is contraceptive turned their backs on him, leaked their opinion to the press, and wrote their own version of papal teaching without the pope.  

Everything Pope Paul  VI predicted would occur with widespread contraceptive use has happened, in ways and scope greater than was probably imagined.

But his beatification is not meant to be a "he told us so" kind of a moment.  Rather, it will be a celebration of a man who gave his life to defending the Church.  He was a "white martyr," a man who loved greatly and who put the Church, his spouse, before himself.  There is certainly much we can learn from him today.

The Third Way

What seems to be the most contentious teaching of the Catholic Church today?  I would argue it's about same-sex attraction and whether or not two people of the same-sex can marry.  So, it's a great gift -- much-needed gift -- that we have been given in "The Third Way," a documentary that seeks to share what the Church teaches and why (love!).  

The film has a mixture of testimonies from Catholics who have same-sex attraction, as well as clips from well-known Catholic speakers.  

It's definitely worth the 38 minutes.  Watch and share.


The Third Way from Blackstone Films on Vimeo.

THE canonization

In just 13 hours, the canonization Mass for John Paul II and John XXIII will begin in Rome.  What an exciting moment!  Bl. John Paul II died on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday (liturgically it was already Divine Mercy Sunday because Evening Prayer had been said) nine years ago.  St. Peter's Square filled with pilgrims who held tearful vigil, waiting for the great doors of the papal apartment to be shut and the lights to be extinguished as a sign that their beloved papa had gone to his eternal home.  And when he did, the chanting began: Santo Subito!  Sainthood now!

Nine years is a relatively short time to pass between one's death and his canonization.  St. Peter's Square is filling once again (just take a look at #2popesaints on Twitter for some updates) with pilgrims who are holding joyful vigil waiting for the banner of John Paul II's face to be unfurled from the balcony of the great basilica as a sign that the Church has great confidence that their beloved papa is in his eternal home.

I was at John Paul II's beatification and can only imagine the excitement of standing in the Square for his canonization.  There is something so beautiful about the public recognition of someone's courageous holiness.  It's a special thanksgiving to God for the life of a man who transformed the world in ways we may not fully realize.  

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Not your average middle school football team ...

Is generosity worth it?

Happy feast day of Bl. John Paul II!

It's his last feast day as a "blessed."  In six months and a couple of days, Bl. John Paul II will officially be a saint!

  v

35 years ago today ...

Grateful to be a priest ...