Thank you again for your words, and for sharing Dooher and Hennessey’s remarks as well. It blesses me so much to hear our Shepherd’s speak of their call.

In Christ,
Chris Faddis

You certainly get around…I am looking forward to your visit to my parish this Sunday.Congratulations Bishop Dooher and Bishop Hennessey!

Yesterday, I came across this lovely prayer that I’d like to share with you and all of your blog viewers:

PADRE PIO’S PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE VIRGIN

My most pure Mother, my soul so poor, all stained with wretchedness and sin cries out to your maternal heart. In your goodness deign, I beseech you, to pour out on me at least a little of the grace that flowed into you with such infinite profusion from the Heart of God….

Have pity on me! May one compassionate look of yours revive me, purify me and lift me up to God; raising me from the filth of this world that I may go to him who created me, who regenerated me in holy Baptism, giving me back my white stole of innocence that original sin had so defiled.

Dear mother, make me love him! Pour into my heart that love that burned in yours for him. Even though I be clothed in misery, I revere the mystery of your Immaculate Conception, and I ardently wish that through it you may purify my heart so that I may love your God and my God.

Cleanse my mind that it may reach up to him and contemplate him and adore him in spirit and in truth. Purify my body that I, too, may be a tabernacle for him and be less unworthy of possessing him when he deigns to come to me in Holy Communion. Amen.

Excerpted from: Meditation on the Immaculate Conception,

by Padre Pio, O.F.M. Cap.

You may not remember but we’ve met you on several occasions when we lived in Providence, Rhode. At the suggestion of Sister Mary St. John and Amata Rose, PCC at the Poor Clare Monestary on Rocky River Drive in Cleveland-Lakewood Ohio we were encouraged to make that contact shortly after your installation as Bishop of Fall River. We shared time with you at a SFO meeting at St. Mary’s church in New Bedfore, at a meeting of Catholic educators on the Cape, and at Bryant College during another educational meeting. Pat was an Catholic elementary school principal (was one of 10 awarded national “Principal of the Year” awards ) and I worked at Providence College. We pray for you and your intentions daily from down here in Sun City Center, Florida. Merry Christmas!

Ken & Pat Wolfert

I was wondering…how do you make time for personal prayer with your busy schedule? As a layperson I have a hard time, but it must be even harder as a cardinal.

Another quick question: why is a bishop annointed with oil on his head at the episcobal ordination?

Blessed Advent!

I think God kept his promise. Your ministry isn’t changing Father, it’s just going to be on a larger scale…..{{smile}}

First of all, I think it’s really awesome to see leaders of the Church using blogs and Cardinal Arinze with podcasting to reach people on a more personal level. I’ve seen my own archbishop on several occassions and shook his hand a couple of times, but never had the opportunity to ask a question (even at the archdiocese’s vocations dinner). Teens and young adults today are starving for a sense of personal connection, which I think plays itself out in the widespread promiscuity we see. Unfortunately, Catholic pastors haven’t stressed nearly enough the need for a personal encounter with Christ which leads us to all Truth, but I hope that is beginning to change.

During Mass for the Feast for the Immaculate Conception, I was somewhat in awe over Mary’s humility given her role in God’s plan for our salvation. I’ve been praying about my vocation and possibly studying for the priesthood (the Conventuals are tryin’ to rope me in… pun intended ) and sometimes I think it must be difficult for a priest (and especially a bishop or cardinal) to defend against the sin of pride when so many people look up to them for spiritual leadership. But Mary’s simple response, “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word,” makes me think it’s hard to justify any sense of pride lest I should consider myself greater than Mary.

So I was curious if there’s anything you do, like certain prayers or Eucharistic Adoration, that you find helpful?

Thanks!
Jason

Just wanted to say I always enjoy reading this cheerful blog.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Msgr. Michael Palud, the Delegate of the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mandeville in Jamaica, West-Indies. I was Bishop Boyle’s Vicar General and then Bishop Bennett’s Vicar General. We really miss him. His departure in early August for reasons of health was a real shock for our Diocese. Now we await for a new Bishop. Bishop Bennett is in L.A. at the Colombiere Retreat Centre. If ever you see him, please give him my greetings.

I thought I would drop you a note as I now you were a Bishop in our region. The Antilles is a very special place. I’ve been here since 1992…

Many blessings in your ministry ! Please remember our missionary diocese in your prayers. I know you appreciate that being a missionary Diocese is tough and being a missionary diocese without any Bishop is all the more difficult !

Pace e Bene !

Msgr. Michael Palud
Permanent Delegate of the Apostolic Administrator
Diocese of Mandeville
Catholic Pastoral Centre
P.O. Box 8, Mandeville
Manchester, JAMAICA W.I.

I am especially grateful when you speak to your vocation and what led to your current role. Hopefully, it will help those considering vocations to see this as a calling they can follow. Your joy in your vocation is evident in your writings.

Please continue to share with your electronic flock your faith and hope in Christ. It helps build our faith!

Your fellow Catholic,
David Arceneaux

“Whispers in the Loggia” makes bishops more human and appealing than do some other Catholic sources and certainly does better than the secular media. Even Rocco Palmo couldn’t salvage the Baltimore gathering though. Pretty much a disaster, wouldn’t you say?

I was so touched to read about your time in St. Croix! I am an “accidental missionary” in the West Indies myself. Our second bishop was ordained and installed about a year ago. I understand completely about the need to prepare and construct an infrastructure. Our first bishop lived in his office for a while, but we now have a seminary, a diocesan center and a pastoral center. We still have priests with two parishes, but God willing, as our seminarians graduate and are ordained priests, that will become a less common occurence.

God Bless You,
Rafael

Thank you very much for your past support of the Center. I plan to check out your blog weekly. I am an old friend of Jack Rathschmidt’s from the College of New Rochelle where he was a colleague and my “pastor”. He continues to nourish many of us through the messages and reflections he shares through email.

God Bless you and your work,
Eileen Niedzwiecki