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 Hard times? Remember: Jesus is the reasonDECEMBER 19, 2008 | Christmas will not be so merry this year for many people. The economic downturn is being felt both on Main Street and Wall Street. Companies keep announcing layoffs and cutbacks. Money is tight. According to one survey, people plan to buy less this year and pay for it in cash rather than use credit cards. But are material goods the reason for Christmas? Can merriment and happiness only be bought in a store? Logic on life? What a croc!DECEMBER 5, 2008 | A few weeks ago, a crocodile was killed on the campus of the University of Miami. It was a vicious killing of a beloved fixture on the campus, an endangered crocodile dubbed Donna. Police arrested a 16-year-old who admitted he butchered the crocodile just for the thrill of it. They are still looking for an adult who might have helped him do it. The killing took place Oct. 1. On Oct. 31, a Miami Herald headline blared: “Police: Croc’s killers found.” Put worries aside, pause to give thanksNOVEMBER 21, 2008 | The best advice any doctor ever gave me was simple: Listen to your body. It will tell you if you ate too much or slept too little; if you exercised too much or not enough. In the long run, doing too much of any one thing is bad for our bodies. Just as our physical bodies require balance – just the right combination of food, exercise and rest in order to function properly – so do our minds and our spirits. Balance is the key to a healthy life. That means we need to make time for ourselves and others, for work and for play. We also need to make time for the spiritual: God and prayer. Mr. President: Do something to help HaitiNOVEMBER 7, 2008 | Joining their voices to those of others, including myself, the bishops of the United States have asked President George W. Bush to grant temporary protected status to Haitians living in this country. Temporary protected status would allow Haitians here to obtain work and go about their lives without fear of being deported. It would allow them to send remittances back to their families – remittances that, according to the Interamerican Development Bank, amounted to $1.83 billion last year, or 35 percent of Haiti’s gross domestic product. Vote with a ‘properly formed conscience’OCTOBER 24, 2008 | Every election is crucial, but especially one that will determine the next president of the United States. Here in Florida, we also have important amendments to consider. That is why I think all Catholics should read what Florida’s bishops have written as a guide to voters during this election. Remember that we are not telling you for “whom” to vote, but what is important to consider before you vote. Why we urge a ‘yes’ vote on marriage amendmentOCTOBER 10, 2008 | You may have seen it already, or if not you will soon: a statement from the bishops of Florida urging Catholics – and others – throughout the state to vote “yes” on Amendment 2 to the state’s constitution. Here is the entire text of that amendment: “Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.” Time to pray for the next 50 yearsSEPTEMBER 26, 2008 | This weekend marks the beginning of a very special week in the Archdiocese of Miami. On Sunday, Sept. 28, at a vespers service at St. Mary Cathedral, we will begin a novena – nine days of prayer – leading up to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of our archdiocese. That novena will culminate Oct. 7 with an anniversary Mass at the cathedral, where I will be joined by my fellow bishops from around the state. Why we don’t take sides on candidatesSEPTEMBER 9, 2008 | A group called the Alliance Defense Fund is urging pastors across the country to join their Pulpit Freedom Initiative by preaching a sermon “that addresses the candidates for government office in light of the truth of Scripture.” The group’s goal is to challenge the Internal Revenue Service’s restriction on tax-exempt organizations “by specifically opposing candidates for office that do not align themselves and their positions with the scriptural truth.” Religion as sportAUGUST 29, 2008 | The games of the 29th Olympiad just ended, and truly we witnessed some magnificent deeds. We watched swimmers and sprinters push their bodies to the limit to attain that tiniest margin of victory. We watched gymnasts and divers fly through the air while contorting their bodies to retain perfect form. We watched marathoners endure hours of physical pain just to cross the finish line. Listening to God in RevelationAUGUST 15, 2008 | The Bible, God’s revelation to mankind, has been given to us so that we might listen to the Lord. As my old seminary professor used to tell us, listening is not the same as hearing. To hear is to perceive sounds without stopping to think about them. To listen is to pay attention, to reflect on what is being said, in order to be able to respond to the one who is talking. For half a century, since I received the Liturgy of the Hours, I have tried to listen to God in the Office of Readings. This part of the book is geared toward providing us, the people of God, with abundant spiritual nourishment served on the precious platter of the daily Liturgy of the Hours. —Retired Auxiliary Bishop Agustín Román Gestures speak without wordsAUGUST 1, 2008 | On Nov. 1, 1970, the solemnity of All Saints, after five years of intense work renovating the Liturgy of the Hours (or Divine Office), Pope Paul II promulgated the apostolic constitution “Laudis Canticum.” In it, he spoke of the importance of the Liturgy of the Hours, how it sanctifies the day, the various elements that compose it, and how it may be used at various celebrations that occur during the liturgical year. This document, which gathered the sense of the universal church during the Second Vatican Council, proved to be a great gift for the clergy and laity, who could now pray using the same instrument, each in their own language throughout the world. —Retired Auxiliary Bishop Agustín Román Five decades of singing without musicJULY 14, 2008 | According to St. Augustine, when we sing, we pray twice. I find that to be true. I have always liked music, song and poetry because they lead me to God. I enjoy greatly when someone who has this gift makes use of it and I always lament not being able to do so myself. During my seminary years, I dreamt of being able to sing and of leading the faithful in singing to our good Lord. I worked hard in music class and could read the notes as well as my classmates, but every time I sang, it was obviously off-key. I could not distinguish “do” from “re”. Sometimes, I dared to ask the Lord why he had not given me the gift others possessed. —Retired Auxiliary Bishop Agustín Román 50 years with the same companionJULY 2, 2008 | This year I will be celebrating 50 years of life with the same companion. She has been the first one to speak to me in the morning and the last one to speak to me before I fall asleep at night. Her words so overwhelm me that sometimes they become part of my dreams. Her words encourage me during the day when she whispers phrases that resemble the rays of a lamp whose oil is never exhausted, and stir me back from my many and frequent distractions. She is a companion who remains young despite the years, who rather has been rejuvenated with the passage of time. If she was beautiful when I first received her in 1958, she was more so in 1961 and even more beautiful after 1970. —Retired Auxiliary Bishop Agustín Román Be ‘green’: Stay marriedJUNE 20, 2008 | As if the ill-effects of divorce were not obvious enough, a study conducted by a group from Michigan State University recently concluded that divorce is bad for the environment. Published online in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,” the study found that divorce “has led to a surge in the number of households with fewer people so that we collectively devour more space and gobble up more energy and water.” Hard financial times also affecting archdioceseJUNE 6, 2008 | The U.S. economy is not doing well. Gas prices have reached new heights. Home prices are dropping. Food costs are rising. Every sector of our society is feeling the pinch, from the state legislature to county governments to local school boards. All have announced drastic cutbacks in their budgets. The Archdiocese of Miami is feeling the pinch as well. Even though our collection revenue has increased – the ArchBishop’s Charities and Development appeal raised nearly $10 million last year compared to $6.7 million in 1998, and the assessments we collect from parishes increased from $2 million to $5 million over the same period – our expenses have risen at a much higher rate. Six new priests begin ‘journeyMAY 16, 2008 | In today’s Gospel, Jesus says to Peter, “You follow me.” Today, here at St. Mary Cathedral, we will all witness a beautiful ceremony in which six good men from the Archdiocese of Miami will commit themselves to follow Jesus as priests of the New Covenant. How to keep your child as safe as possibleMAY 9, 2008 | Being a parent has never been easy, but I cannot help but think that the task is much harder today. For one thing, stay–at–home moms, in general, are a thing of the past. Most children today grow up in households where both parents must work to make ends meet – that is, if they are fortunate enough to have both parents, as so many households are headed by single moms who struggle mightily to put food on the table. Thank you, Pope Benedict!APRIL 25, 2008 | What a great week to be Catholic! Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Washington, D.C., and New York — and the attendant media coverage — certainly achieved its purpose: to help the multilingual, multicultural multitude of Catholics in the United States reflect and rejoice in the faith that was handed down to us by the apostles. For vocations, be like AndrewAPRIL 18, 2008 | This weekend, the jubilee days of prayer for vocations will end. The opportunity to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, ensconced in a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II, will conclude, appropriately, with a Holy Hour at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami. (Monstrance Schedule) When is baptism invalid?APRIL 11, 2008 | At the end of February, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a statement saying a baptism administered “in the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer and of the Sanctifier” is not a baptism at all. Because baptism is the first sacrament of Christian initiation, the use of an incorrect formula has tremendous repercussions on a person’s future sacramental life. “A person who has not received baptism cannot be admitted validly to the other sacraments,” states the Code of Canon Law (No. 842-1). Letter from Archbishop FavaloraAPRIL 4, 2008 | I am pleased to present the financial report of the Archdiocese of Miami for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007. This annual report reflects the financial stewardship practiced in the Archdiocese of Miami. ‘Neither fire nor smoke will separate us from the love of Christ’MARCH 28, 2008 | As reported here, the devotional chapel at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Kendall caught fire the Friday before Palm Sunday. ¶ To illustrate the hope that our Christian faith imparts to us at Easter — a celebration which continues for 50 days, until Pentecost Sunday — I would like to share with you a reflection written by St. Catherine’s pastor, Father Juan Sosa, just a couple of days after the fire. Live up to God’s giftMARCH 21, 2008 | Have you ever received a gift you truly felt you did not deserve? I hope you feel that way this Sunday. ¶ I know our catechumens will. They will be crying tears of joy after their baptism this Easter Vigil because they know and appreciate the gift they have been given. God will find you amid the silenceMARCH 14, 2008 | How about turning off the television this week? ¶ Or perhaps you could drive without using your cell phone. ¶ What if you turned off the radio during your morning and evening commute? ¶ This is the beginning of Holy Week, the culmination of the Lenten season. Are you spiritually prepared? Have you been listening to God these 40 days? Haitians need protected statusMARCH 7, 2008 | More than a week ago, I wrote a letter to President George W. Bush — and every member of Florida’s congressional delegation — urging our government to grant temporary protected status to Haitian immigrants in the United States. Virgin of Charity, pray for CubaFEBRUARY 29, 2008 | After 49 years, Fidel Castro has stepped down from his official position as “president” of Cuba. ¶ That does not mean the end of communist rule on the island. That does not mean that freedom and economic opportunity will come for the Cuban people anytime soon. ¶ The island is still a communist dictatorship tightly controlled by Castro’s hand-picked successors. Prisoners of conscience remain in Cuban jails and Cuba’s people are allowed neither freedom of expression nor the right to leave the country freely. Why we must honor fidelityFEBRUARY 22, 2008 | Every year around Valentine’s Day, we celebrate married love by honoring couples who are marking 25, 50 or more years of marriage. We did that this past weekend, Feb. 16. Lourdes: God is with usFEBRUARY 15, 2008 | Exactly 150 years ago this month, the Virgin Mary began appearing to a poor peasant girl in a small village called Lourdes in France. The Virgin identified herself as the Immaculate Conception — an article of faith that had been proclaimed by the pope only four years earlier. Time to make some Lenten resolutionsFEBRUARY 8, 2008 | Lent is a time of spiritual discipline to help us prepare for the celebration of Our Lord’s death and resurrection. But Lent is not just about meatless Fridays and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Lent also should be about learning more about our faith and doing more to live it out each day. Be as generous as GodFEBRUARY 1, 2008 | A jubilee year, in the Jewish tradition, meant that farmers did not plant any crops. The practice was meant to remind God’s people — every seven years, and every seven-times-seven years (49th to 50th) — that their lives depended on the providence of God. Voting, conscience go togetherJANUARY 25, 2008 | As you might have noticed, election season is upon us. Candidates are debating, pollsters are predicting and columnists are commenting. Everyone is focused on the so-called “horse race,” especially during a year when so many candidates are running from each party and no one seems to have an advantage. Not my baby!JANUARY 18, 2008 | They say experience is the best teacher. That was certainly the case with a young man I met many years ago. He told me he never really questioned the pro-choice position on abortion until he and his wife decided they wanted a child. You’ve got to know your faithJANUARY 11, 2008 | A recent edition of the Florida Catholic noted that more people can rattle off the McDonald’s jingle about the Big Mac than can list the Ten Commandments. |
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