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There’s so much darkness in the world – the darkness of sorrow, of broken hearts, of failed dreams, of illness, of loss of loved ones. The darkness is real, but so is the Light. In the midst of the worst of darkness, the light of Christ shines forth.  This is the message

Several years ago I read an article by a survivor of a World War II Nazi concentration camp. One of the things she stated has stayed with me. She said that, among other things, the concentration camp taught her that evil often looks very normal.

At the beginning of each season of Lent, I have the pleasure and the privilege of celebrating the Rite of the Elect in various places across our archdiocese. The Rite of the Elect is the prayer service where those who are preparing to be received into the Catholic Church at Easter come together and publicly express their desire to be a member of the Church. Some of these people have never been baptized.

As we continue our journey of Lent, I pray that this will be a time when we draw closer to God. The Church encourages us to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent and to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This is a minimum observance and hopefully will draw us into further observances that will assist us to live this Holy Season in a manner which will help us to love God and to love neighbor more strongly.

One! That was the theme of the annual Archdiocesan Catholic Youth Conference which was held last weekend at Orange Beach.

In some areas of our Archdiocese the joyful mayhem of the Carnival Season has begun. These festivities are found in much of southern Alabama. Even in communities where there are no carnival processions through the streets, it is still common to encounter the green, purple and gold ubiquitous this time of year.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. It is the same Holy Spirit who continues to distribute many different varieties of gifts. (1 Cor 12:4)

We are about to begin a new year. For many people a new year brings a sense of hope. There can be a feeling that this new year will be better than the last. There’s a clean slate before us. People make resolutions ranging from dieting and exercise to praying and personal change all aimed at making 2022 better than 2021.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, I recently read on social media a statement by an unbeliever who wrote: “How can Christians believe that God was a little baby who dirtied his diapers and had to be helplessly fed by one of His creatures? Their God is a weak and puny God.”

Last month I attended our annual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Each November the U.S. bishops gather in Baltimore to discuss the state of the Church in our country. Baltimore is an appropriate place to come together since it is our nation’s oldest diocese. This is the traditional place for our bishops to meet. Older Americans would remember the “Baltimore Catechism” which was widely used in the 1940s and 1950s. Its name reflects that it was written by the bishops at a Baltimore meeting.

In my last article I wrote on the Synod which Pope Francis has called for 2023 and has invited the people of each diocese to have input into its preparation. In doing so, I mentioned that one of the most significant insights in the documents of the Second Vatican Council is that each of us, because of our baptism, shares in the Christ’s three roles as priest (sanctifier), prophet (teacher), and king (servant leader).

Pope Francis has called for a synod. The word “synod” means to walk together on a road, and Popes will call synods to discuss how the Church is walking together as the Family of God. The Pope has called for a synod to be held in 2023, two years from now. Synods can address different topics. The people who are selected to attend the meeting depends on the topic. The synod may be about the Church in Europe or the Church in Africa or it may be about the youth of the Church, etc. 

There are those who accuse people of faith of being anti-scientific. Such people try to argue that people of science cannot be people of faith, as if the two are opposing forces. The opposite is true. People of faith delve into science knowing that the cosmos was created by an intelligent and rational God and, therefore, the cosmos must be capable of being known by intelligence since it must be rational. For Christians, the cosmos does not contain mysteries but only questions which have not yet been answered.

Last week I was reading from a sermon by Saint Augustine entitled “On Pastors.” It is addressed to those who serve as pastors in the Church. In the portion I was reading, Saint Augustine was criticizing pastors who promise that the followers of Christ will enjoy earthly ease.

As you may imagine, the Cathedral rectory where I live along with two other priests, Msgr. William Skoneki, the Vicar General, and Fr. Victor Ingalls, the Vocations Director is usually a quiet and sedate home. There is certainly activity during office hours and when there are meetings, but for the most part it is not a noisy place.

There are times when we have the opportunity to change someone’s life. Perhaps this is the time for some people reading this article.

As we prepare to begin a new academic year in our Catholic schools, all of us are aware that COVID-19 remains a serious health issue. I wish to thank all who serve in our Catholic schools for their outstanding efforts last year in providing both excellent education and safety for our students. I have great confidence in them again this year.

Father James E. Coyle died on August 11, 1921, in Birmingham, Alabama. It is more correct to say that he was murdered. It is perhaps even more correct to say that he was martyred.

This year, 2021, has a special significance for our Archdiocese and for three Religious Orders whose members serve here. In 1911, 110 years ago, the Vincentian Order, officially known as the Congregation for the Mission, arrived in the Archdiocese of Mobile at the invitation of Bishop Allen. In 1921, 100 years ago, the Trinitarian Fathers and Brothers, officially known as the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity, was established with the approval of Bishop Allen. In 1931, 90 years ago, the Trinitarian Sisters, officially known as the Missionary Servants of the Blessed Holy Trinity, submitted their request to the Vatican for official recognition as a Religious Order. (It would be granted in February 1932). The histories of these three Religious Orders are interwoven.

I have been asked what is my reaction to the controversy over the recent vote of the US bishops to draft a document on the Eucharist. My first reaction is that a long deep breath would be helpful.