The first week in December is designated as a collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious. Religious vocations have declined in the past few decades, and many who have taught or cared for orphans or worked in hospitals can no longer do so. The collection is also a way of giving back to those who...Read More
“What’s old is new again.” This well-known expression sums up the vast majority of the comments I’ve heard since our Church began using the new translation of the Roman Missal, the prayers we say each week at Mass, Nov. 26-27.Read More
In my four-plus years as Archbishop of Baltimore, I don’t recall ever seeing the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland as full as it was on the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 6.Read More
Several years ago, I was celebrating Christmas Eve Mass in a far-off land, one which I can’t remember. As usual, for Christmas, the chapel was full. I welcomed those in attendance for the celebration, and made a point to especially acknowledge the presence of our non-Catholic friends who were joining us, as well as our...Read More
Several times each year, patients suffering from rheumatic fever come to a Baltimore-area hospital for open heart surgery to repair their damaged hearts. They receive world-class medical care at no cost to them and they and their traveling companions are given complimentary hospitality until the patient is able to return home. St. Joseph Medical Center...Read More
Gibbons, Shehan and Keeler are names synonymous with the history of Catholicism in Baltimore. The only Cardinals to head this historic Archdiocese over its long and storied history were each recognized for his own unique gifts and service to the Church. Vastly different men separated by years and the challenges of their day, all three...Read More
In the forward to “What We Have Seen and Heard: Essays and Stories from Black Catholics in Baltimore,” Cardinal William Keeler opened with a quote from the Acts of the Apostles 4:20, which read, “Peter and John said, ‘It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.’ ”Read More
November is Black Catholic History Month within the United States. In celebration of this month, I offer this story about St. Mary’s County, a fertile ground of faith among African-American Catholics.Read More