With an indomitable spirit and a firm grasp on what he desired to achieve, the Rt. Rev. Felix DeGrasse, O.S.B., his imprint on the early Church in Oklahoma is great. Throughout his life in Oklahoma, he was at the forefront of missionary expansion. His presence was not without controversy, however.
by Jim Beckman, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis
“Christians can wrongly think that the kingdom of heaven is fundamentally of this world, that its strength can be measured by its visible manifestations. As a result, they too often attempt to maintain worldly influence at the expense of genuine spiritual strength . . . Holiness, prayer, humility, hidden acts of charity are the spiritual means by which the Church is visibly upheld.
According to Pope Francis, “The history of evangelization began with the Lord’s own passionate desire to call and enter into friendly dialogue with everyone just as they are.” And, as Christians, we too, are called to evangelize.
According to the movie “Love Story,” “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Typical Hollywood fluff, you might say. Yet, the best answer to that asininity was given by a Hollywood all-star, the late, great Charlton Heston. Asked the secret of what would eventually become his 64-year long marriage to Lydia, Chuck Heston replied, “Learning to say five words: ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong.’”
QARAQOSH, Iraq – Amid the rubble and bombed out remains of four churches destroyed by Islamic State militants, Pope Francis paid tribute to Iraqi Christians who endured persecution and even death.
ROME – During his trip to Iraq, Pope Francis returned a historic Aramaic prayer manuscript that was restored after the Islamic State desecrated the Catholic church where it was once held.
WASHINGTON – Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been joined by the chairmen of seven USCCB committees in a statement on abortion funding in the American Rescue Plan.
WASHINGTON -- For people worldwide who suffer from hunger, war, natural disasters, racial injustice, religious persecution, and the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, gifts to The Catholic Relief Services Collection bring hope, help, and opportunity.
WASHINGTON– On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing security concerns, Pope Francis is determined to visit Iraq to pay homage to Christian and other minorities persecuted for their faith and to strengthen the commitment of the overwhelming majority of Iraqi Muslims to creating a future of peace and harmony.
