Put Out Into the Deep

This is the sixth and final installment of a series on the Precepts of the Church.

The Precepts of the Church, which I have been reflecting on in this series of articles, are laws established by the pastoral authorities of the Church.

Continuing this series on the Precepts of the Church that I began several weeks ago, I would like to consider now to the third precept: “You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season” (CCC 2042).

As we come out of the COVID desert and return to more normal routines, I thought it might be timely to offer reflections on the Precepts of the Church.

As a teen growing up in a Catholic home there was never any doubt about where I belonged on Sunday morning.

How are we to live? This is the question that the Church seeks to answer through its moral teaching. The Christian moral life often is misunderstood and frequently presented in a distorted manner.

Young people are valued members of the Body of Christ. They have much to offer the Church and the Church has much to offer them.

WASHINGTON – Seven U.S. bishop chairmen of committees within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have issued a statement in the wake of the death of Mr. George Floyd and the protests which have broken out in Minneapolis and in other cities in the United States.

The drama and the tension that we have been living with since COVID-19 began to disrupt life as we know it in the United States (and beyond) means that for some of us this day is long overdue while for others it still seems premature.

Dear Catholic Faithful of Oklahoma,

For more than six weeks we have been adjusting to a rapidly shifting landscape brought about by the spread of COVID-19.

“Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.”

“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle!” These words could have been written specifically with us in mind.

A little more than two months ago not many of us had heard of the coronavirus or COVID19. Today, everyone is on alert.

The season of our Lenten renewal is upon us. On Ash Wednesday, we were marked with ashes and exhorted to repent and believe the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Each year, the Church offers us the season of Lent as an invitation to set out on a journey of repentance and renewal. We begin our journey on Ash Wednesday.

One of the special blessings and responsibilities of being a diocesan bishop is making the pilgrimage – ad limina apostolorum.

Among the highlights of my annual calendar are the opportunities for me to visit each of our Catholic schools. I am about halfway through my pastoral visits to our 18 elementary schools, three high schools and one special needs school.