God forever bless our priests

Dedicated to all priests...

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."

Feastday of St. Damien of Moloka'i

Mass in honor of Fr. Damien of Moloka'i
Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, Honolulu

May 10, 2011

About St. Damien of Moloka'i

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

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.

Easter Vigil at Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace

The Easter Vigil is the most significant moment in the church for me. We re-live Jesus' death, and most importantly, his resurrection that is an on-going process of salvation. They resonate joy and hope in my heart. Having been born on Easter day may have given it more significance. On that special day, I anticipate the witnessing of the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation being conferred upon our new brothers and sisters, in addition to receiving in full the promise of salvation of our Lord. What a joyous time of fulfillment! A true Easter moment.

Look for the joy in the faces of our new brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Happy Easter from Easter this Easter!

Easter Vigil 2011 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu, Hawai'i:

Holy Saturday at Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace

Bishop Larry Silva led the prayers and blessed each catechumen from several of our parishes who will be baptized and or confirmed tonight at Easter Vigil. Deacon Modesto assisted in the prayers. Fr. William Kunisch and Fr. John Berger were in attendance.

Morning prayers based on the Liturgy of the Hours was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Music was created and cantored by Calvin Liu, Cathedral's music director.