Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Pope Benedict XVI Urges Us to Pray


Pope Benedict XVI urges us to continue the catechesis of prayer where man is in communion with God. He includes places and special intentions where prayer will serve to be of a greater need.



May 18, 2011. (Romereports.com) (-ONLY VIDEO-) During the general audience, the pope explained how the faithful prayed in the Old Testament. To highlight this point, the pope made reference to Abraham by stating the following "his intercession is based on the certainty that the Lord listens with patience to our prayers."


Friday, May 6, 2011

Who Can Preach in Church?


Can. 764 Without prejudice to the prescript of can. 765, presbyters (priests) and deacons possess the faculty of preaching everywhere; this faculty is to be exercised with at least the presumed consent of the rector of the church, unless the competent ordinary (bishop of the local diocese) has restricted or taken away the faculty or particular law requires express permission.


Code of Canon Law of the Latin Church (proper term for Roman Catholic Church)


Are the lay allowed to preach in the Latin Church?



If necessity requires it in certain circumstances or it seems useful in particular cases, the diocesan bishop can admit lay faithful to preach, to offer spiritual conferences or give instructions in churches, oratories or other sacred places within his diocese, when he judges it to be to the spiritual advantage of the faithful.

In order to assist the diocesan bishop in making an appropriate pastoral decision (Interdicasterial Instruction, Ecclesiae de Mysterio, Article 2 §3), the following circumstances and cases are illustrative: the absence or shortage of clergy, particular language requirements, or the demonstrated expertise or experience of the lay faithful concerned.

The lay faithful who are to be admitted to preach in a church or oratory must be orthodox in faith, and well-qualified, both by the witness of their lives as Christians and by a preparation for preaching appropriate to the circumstances.

The diocesan bishop will determine the appropriate situations in accord with canon 772§1. In providing for preaching by the lay faithful the diocesan bishop may never dispense from the norm which reserves the homily to the sacred ministers (c. 767§1; cfr. Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law, 26 May 1987, in AAS 79 [1987], 1249). Preaching by the lay faithful may not take place within the Celebration of the Eucharist at the moment reserved for the homily.

As President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I hereby decree that the effective date of this decree for all the dioceses of the Latin Church in the United States will be January 15, 2002.

Given at the offices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC, on December 13, 2001.


Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory
Bishop of Belleville
President, USCCB
Reverend Monsignor William P. Fay

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Movie: Of Gods and Men


Good movies come by rarely these days, but when they are in the theaters we shouldn’t think twice about going. If we spend money on coffee or clothes, we sure can spend what we earn into something that goes beyond personal satisfaction: We invest our resources into creative works meant to stir hearts that seek God for the grace he freely gives -- to be active, to be a part of, and to be passionately involved in his dynamic plan that points to common good.

What a powerful movie Of Gods and Men is! Shared by a good priest and friend of mine, I didn’t hesitate to hold my daughter’s hand so we could run to the theater to catch the first evening show. Thank you, Fr. Paul.

Enjoy the trailer.



Under threat by fundamentalist terrorists, a group of Trappist monks stationed with an impoverished Algerian community must decide whether to leave or stay.