ABVM PARISH COMMUNITY

Included in today’s bulletin is the statement by Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles which was released last Wednesday. Speaking as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), he expresses the desire of the bishops to work with the new administration on issues of justice and peace. He signals areas of mutual agreement and of disagreement but focuses especially on the issue of abortion, since that is officially the “preeminent priority” of the U.S. bishops. Other issues of social justice are important and pressing, and the bishops of the U.S. criticized President Trump on some of them. But nothing can take precedence over the safeguarding of innocent human life, for without the right to life no other right exists. Two American cardinals objected to the statement because of its timing, while other bishops expressed strong support. My initial reaction was surprise that it would be issued on inauguration day, but a

People are feeling very tense these days. The sources of anxiety have their roots in the prevailing political, racial, and censorial (or woke) ambiance in which we are living. Added to this mix are the everyday restrictions on our liberties and comforts imposed on us in the struggle to limit the spread of Covid-19, not to mention fear of contracting the virus that some people feel. There is a lot of anger, mistrust, second-guessing and concerns about the future of our society. Where do we turn for relief from our stress?  I suggest that we turn to the Book of Psalms, the song book of both Judaism and Christianity. The Psalms were often composed in response to events in the psalmist’s personal life and in the life of Israel. Sometimes they were written to express admiration for God’s works and to praise him for his gifts. At other times they were written as laments for disasters that were seen as punishment for personal or national sins. The poets faced diverse situations and ha

People normally act according to their character. No one is surprised when a person of good character does or says a good thing, and a person of bad character does or says a bad thing. It is almost expected of him or her. Character as I am using it is the aggregate of distinctive qualities which a person exhibits in his or her language and choices. It is built up over time; a child is not born with a character, but develops it. The child’s character is shaped in large measure by his or her environment, and especially by the influence of the parents or whoever takes their place in raising them. Education, natural abilities and deficiencies, and experience make a strong impact. However, I believe that the most important element in the shaping of a person’s character is the moral choices that he or she makes. A person does not have a good or bad character because of someone else, but because of his or her moral choices. When everything is considered, we are