Joseph Ratzinger: Great Teacher, Good Steward

From Dan Conway's The Good Steward, May 2012 Last month, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated two important anniversaries—his 85th birthday (April 16) and the 7th anniversary of his election to the See of St. Peter (April 19). As always, the Holy Father observed these great occasions with quiet dignity and genuine human warmth. Throughout his many years of pastoral service, Joseph Ratzinger has shown himself to be a great teacher and a good steward of the many gifts and responsibilities entrusted to his care. Joseph Ratzinger was born on Holy Saturday and baptized the same day. As the pope recalled in his birthday ...

Revitalizing Catholic Schools

Revitalizing Catholic Schools - an O'Meara Ferguson Whitepaper – January 4, 2012 There are many reasons given for the increasing financial challenges facing our Catholic Schools, but few, if any, solutions are provided to give hope. Often, the idea of a healthy, vibrant Catholic school system is considered something of the past. Likewise, most plans for the future of Catholic education are presented in the context of a secularized remake along parameters that risk its very identity—its essential Catholic character. O’Meara Ferguson, Whelan and Conway is committed to assisting the Catholic Church in identifying actionable solutions that will offer lasting, systematic temporal ...

Ad Limina Apostolorum: Bishops of Antilles

Pope John Paul II - May 15 2002 Remember you are first and foremost priests: not corporate executives On Tuesday, 7 May, the Holy Father received the Bishops of the Antilles, for their visit ad limina Apostolorum. The Pope first of all urged the bishops to remember that they are first and foremost priests, not corporate executives. He then spoke of the mission of the laity. "The primary place for the exercise of the lay vocation is the economic, social, political and cultural world. It is in this world that lay people are invited to live their baptismal vocation not as passive ...

Faith, Reason and the University Memories and Reflections

Pope Benedict XVI - September 12, 2006 A print version (PDF) is available here APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO MÜNCHEN, ALTÖTTING AND REGENSBURG (SEPTEMBER 9-14, 2006) MEETING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF SCIENCE LECTURE OF THE HOLY FATHER Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Your Eminences, Your Magnificences, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a moving experience for me to be back again in the university and to be able once again to give a lecture at this podium. I think back to those years when, after a pleasant period at the Freisinger Hochschule, I began teaching at the ...

Giving – The Incarnation of One’s Self Donation to Christ: the Authentic Disposition of the Giver

Tertium Quid - Vol. 2, Issue 2 - By Patrick O'Meara - March 1, 2011 (printable version) Fundraising is one of the real challenges faced by pastors and parishioners alike especially during times of economic turmoil. There is always a reluctance to speak about (and equally on the part of parishioners to hear about) fundraising. And yet, on one level we all know that parishes do not run themselves and it takes financial resources to carry out the various ministries and projects of the parish and of course pay the light bill. At a deeper level, the attitude of giving ...

(podcast) The Role of the Laity in Ecclesial Forgiveness

The podcast below was originally presented by Cardinal Stafford on October 21, 2010 during the O'Meara Ferguson annual conference in Chicago. [display_podcast] This article is featured in our newsletter, Tertium Quid - Vol. 1, Issue 7 In this theologically rich and thought provoking reflection on forgiveness, Cardinal Stafford explores the modern emphasis on reconciliation, the truly Christian nature of forgiveness revealed by the Father in Christ and the laity’s role in the ecclesial participation in this forgiveness as an authentic means of Church renewal. There is an intense and broad discussion in the world today about reconciliation. Since the 1960s, truth and ...

O'Meara Ferguson News

Catholic Unity and New Evangelization

L’Osservatore Romano – May 18, 2012 Benedict XVI to U.S. Bishops at the close of their visit “ad limina” - Gratitude for the commitment in favour of immigrants and the fidelity of women consecrated The “Catholic unity” as “an essential condition for the fulfilmentof the Church’s mission” was reiterated by the Pope on Friday morning, 18 May, in his... » Full post

We Are Family: Pope to Give Catholic Families Hope in Troubled Times

Catholic News Service – By Carol Glatz – May 16, 2012 VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI will meet with the world’s families at a time when the institution of the family is under threat and many are still struggling with a worldwide economic crisis and a lack of cultural and societal support. As a sign of his deep concern for bolstering the family... » Full post

Pope: No Human Cry That God Does Not Hear

Vatican Radio – May 16, 2012 Continuing his catechesis on Christian prayer, this Wednesday Pope Benedict turned to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, whose letters show us that “in reality there is no human cry that is not heard by God” and that “prayer does not exempt us from trial and suffering”, “but allows us to live and cope with a new force, with the same... » Full post

Cardinal Dolan Charges Graduates to Live Out Sacrificial Love

Catholic News Agency – By Michelle Bauman – May 15, 2012 Washington D.C., May 15, 2012 / (CNA) – Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, encouraged new college graduates to follow in Jesus’ footsteps by living out “the Law of the Gift.” Carried out through “selfless, sacrificial love and service”... » Full post

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News of the Church

Actor admires Mexican martyr’s strong defense of the faith

Los Angeles, Calif., May 18, 2012 / 03:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Mauricio Kuri has come to believe that, like the teenage Mexican martyr he plays in the upcoming film “For Greater Glory,” people mus. […] » Full Post

Source: CNA Daily News - US |

Sebelius petition with 35,000 signatures reaches Georgetown president

Washington D.C., May 18, 2012 / 11:50 am (CNA).- A petition with tens of thousands of signatures was recently delivered to the president of Georgetown University in protest of a decision to honor U.S.. […] » Full Post

Source: CNA Daily News - US |

Law professor says flawed view of sex threatens religious freedom

Washington D.C., May 18, 2012 / 04:09 am (CNA).- A law professor at George Mason University believes that current threats to religious freedom are intrinsically connected to the modern understanding t. […] » Full Post

Source: CNA Daily News - US |

Parish threatened, harassed over sign opposing 'gay marriage'

Acushnet, Mass., May 18, 2012 / 02:29 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A Massachusetts Catholic parish has received threats of arson and other harassing messages after posting a sign with the Church's position on. […] » Full Post

Source: CNA Daily News - US |

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Business News

Dow Swoons for Sixth Day

A day billed as Facebook's coming-out party ended up marking a much gloomier event: the stock market's worst week in six months. » Full Post

Source: WSJ.com: What's News US |

In Gupta Trial, Tension and Tips

Lawyers for former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta say he was estranged from convicted hedge-fund mogul Raj Rajaratnam at the time of some alleged tips. Prosecutors say the friendship finally broke. […] » Full Post

Source: WSJ.com: What's News US |

Winnebago Gets Takeover Offer

Winnebago Industries received a $322 million takeover offer from private-equity firm North Street Capital but said it didn't have sufficient information to deem the bid credible. » Full Post

Source: WSJ.com: What's News US |