Weekly Meditation


Please join us and the spiritual community throughout the world as we ponder the same words and share in the same prayers each week.

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September 2008

  • Weekly Meditation
    Posted: 9/29/2008
    We Americans share concern for the welfare of our country these days of serious challenge. Our faith teaches us that we have a responsible call to faithful citizenship. We have various duties as citizens. As Catholics and with all other religious people we believe in God's care for us and our privilege of prayer for God's blessings.
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  • Weekly Meditation
    Posted: 9/22/2008
    As we move through these next six weeks preparing for the presidential election we do well to reflect on our responsibilities as citizens of our country. Use these quotes from "FORMING CONSCIENCES for FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States" to help guide us in forming a correct conscience.

    "In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, ?It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person...As far as possible citizens should take an active part in public life.' " (no. 13)
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  • Weekly Meditation
    Posted: 9/15/2008
    Yesterday we Catholics around the world celebrated the Feast of the Exultation (Triumph) of the Holy Cross. The cross is a central and essential reality of our faith and a prominent symbol of what it means to follow Christ. In faith and love we embrace the cross. We proudly display it on our Catholic church buildings and reverence the crucifix in private devotion and when, as a worshipping community, we celebrate Mass.
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  • Weekly Meditation
    Posted: 9/8/2008
    Earlier in the summer (July 15-20) Pope Benedict XVI met with over 350,000 people from 170 countries for the World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia. It was another successful and grace-filled encounter for all of them -- pope and young people. The World Youth Day celebrations were initiated by Pope John Paul in 1986. The only one held in North America was in Denver in 1993. I was privileged to participate accompanying youth from the Diocese of Jackson. Some of the words in his homily still challenge all of us today.
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  • Weekly Meditation
    Posted: 9/1/2008
    Happy Labor Day and blessings on the work of all our people in this greatly blessed country -- the United States of America. The Catholic Bishops' Conference each year issues a Labor Day Statement. This year it is from Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Center, Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. I share a few excerpts with the hope that many will see the entire statement at www.usccb.org.
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