News - January 2021 RSS Feed

MOBILE — Anthony Tobin and Lauren Alley have heard God’s call to minister to inner city and unchurched teenagers.

Though the decision was made months ago, it finally hit me just a few days ago: we would not be taking a March for Life pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. this year. From an abstract place, I knew in the back of my mind that this was going to be the reality. Yet, from a practical place of actually looking at my calendar, it’s actually starting to take root. 

Alo largo del año pasado, un año marcado por la pandemia del COVID-19, la comunidad hispana de la Arquidiócesis de Mobile ha sido tocada profundamente. Las necesidades y los retos en nuestras comunidades han sido grandes; padres han perdido sus empleos y la manera de sustentar a sus familias, muchos hemos perdido seres queridos, tanto en Estados Unidos como en nuestros países de origen.

In 1997 Pope St. John Paul II established World Day for Consecrated Life to be celebrated in conjunction with the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Feb. 2.  This feast is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world.  So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples through the unique witness of their lives of service and of contemplative prayer.

Last time I talked about my desire to be holy and laid out some ideas for how to work toward that.  I focused on the human dimension of trying to grow.  This time I want to supplement what I did last time by talking about prayer and how essential prayer is to us growing in holiness, because without prayer we are just engaging in self-help techniques.

50 Years Ago

Volunteers of Stella Maris-Mobile, the Catholic Maritime Ministry, distributed 430 gift bags to seafarers on 19 vessels. 

The Catholic Charities Appeal is blessed with many great volunteers throughout the Archdiocese of Mobile.

It is a new year.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I hope it lasted for more than a day!  

How are your New Year’s resolutions working out? Are those resolutions addressing true needs in our life? 

Something struck me about New Year’s Eve 2020. Maybe it was just me, and this observation is not based upon any scientific survey, but it seemed I heard a lot fewer people saying “Happy New Year” this year.

SPANISH FORT — Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Parish in Spanish Fort will soon have its own home.

It is my privilege to serve as the 2021 Catholic Charities Appeal archdiocesan chair. Being the chair has made me a little nostalgic. It’s been almost 30 years since I became the Catholic Charities Appeal director.

Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi and the Executive Director of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile, Mrs. Shannon D. Roh, have announced that the 2021 Catholic Charities Appeal goal is $4.5 million.

At this special time of year, when we celebrate the Word made flesh, there are certain “smells and bells” that help us celebrate Christmas. Beyond the nativity sets, we can look into our own homes and families for signs that Christ is born. 

Los Beatles, una banda británica muy famosa, compuso hace muchos años una canción con un título similar al de este artículo, una canción llena de contradicciones, de síes y nos, de altibajos, de despedidas y bienvenidas.

Happy New Year! I know a lot of people are really glad to see 2020 exit. But you know, Jan. 1, 2021, is just one day after Dec. 31, 2020. 

Deacon Terry Anderson, a native of Mobile and a longtime resident of Brewton, died Dec. 23, 2020, after a brief illness. He was 61.