Comments on: Happy New Year and a blessed Christmas season to all

By: Jason Vien

Jason Vien — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:40:40 +0000

Cardinal Sean,
Recently I viewed the movie Our Fathers which portrayed the unfortunate and appalling scandal that surfaced in your diocese (and others) five years ago…almost to the day. I was wondering what your impressions of the movie were and if you have insight as to how well the producers did in conveying the truth. I admit that while watching the movie i was so upset at what happened I could hardly breath! I have been contemplating the Priesthood for years now and have received very little support for my vocation largely for the reputation Catholic clergy now have. i also have felt discouraged that my message would even be listened to if I were to speak wearing a Roman collar But for the most part I want to help the Church florish again! I do love her so! But still I can’t believe that secrets like these were kept by so many and for so long I was hoping that you could direct me to reliable sources as to how to explain what happened to others. And I was also wondering if I could receive a signed picture of you for my collection of “admirable men”. Being in California you sending me one is my only possibility to include you in this.

God bless everyone

Jason Vien

1148 covington Ct
Walnut Creek Ca 94596

By: Jim O'Leary

Jim O'Leary — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:34:50 +0000

I have read your Blog from the very beginning when I found out about it from “Whispers in the Loggia,” Rocco Palmo’s Blog.

Your Blog gets better all the time. I prefer it to “The Boston Globe.” I want to thank you for it.

By: Larry Conley

Larry Conley — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 17:03:54 +0000

It was great hearing about your retired priests and all you do for them. We need to continue to support them
.
Have a great New Year!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:36:44 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
I love your blog!!!! It is amazing to be able to e-mail the Cardinal with questions about your faith.
My questions is about a comment I heard at a book club. We are reading “Mere Christianity”, and often have great conversations about our faith. The members were speaking about original sin and that there were five people born without original sin. They listed Jesus, Mary, Adam and Eve. What I had not heard before was that they said John the Baptist was conceived with original sin but born without original sin. They sited the visit from Mary after the Annunciation, when John leaped in the womb of Elizabeth with Mary’s greeting. The claim was that Jesus baptised John at that moment. Had you heard this before?
Thank you,
Kathy Craig

By: BEVERLY HALSEY

BEVERLY HALSEY — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:27:12 +0000

Happy New Year and many Blessings of the Christmas Season to you Cardinal Sean! I enjoy your blog very much. I am learning a lot about my faith and other traditions as well from your travels and stories. I am from the middle of the state of Illinois in a small community called Amboy. I started to read your blog to get information on the Bishops Conferences. I am a soon to be 54 year old woman who is admittedly in the dark about most things that go on in the world. But I am trying to learn. I will pray for your efforts with this website, please pray for my sinful soul. God Bless You, Bev Halsey

By: Bishop Adalberto Martinez

Bishop Adalberto Martinez — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:01:09 +0000

Gracias Cardenal Sean, por la cercania impresa de tu persona en el blog. Tus pensamientos de las homilais, las oraciones, los gestos cotidianos, de funciones oficiales y otras domesticas, hacen de este espacio un lugar privilegiado para acceder espontaneamente a tu despacho de atencion y a tu corazon de pastor. Las brillantes fotos dan color y calor al tiraje del Diario del Cardenal concediendo a las mismas la locuacidad de las imagenes. Atte. en el Se�or, paz y bien, Bishop Adalberto Martinez.

By: Sara

Sara — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:48:53 +0000

Oh what a wonderful surprise to see Fr. Emilio on your blog! We were in classes at the JPII Institute together. Praise the Lord for holy priests who teach us how to love. And that llama makes me want to be a Trappestine! God bless you.

By: Elizabeth Anne

Elizabeth Anne — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:21:01 +0000

Your Eminence,

I am writing to you today to thank you for your blog and to ask you to pray for an intention that is very near to my heart. My mother is planning to marry a Christian man in his church. She is Catholic and has not received a dispensation. I am afraid that she is considering leaving the Catholic Church. I do not know her fiance well and am deeply troubled that he seems to be pulling her away from Christ’s Church.

If you have the opportunity, please say a prayer for my mother and a prayer for me to know what God wants me to do in this difficult situation.

God bless you.

By: Sr C�cile

Sr C�cile — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 03:48:37 +0000

I have just clicked “photo” in the last comment by Fr. David A (thank you Fr. D.) to Cardinal Sean . I viewed all 22 best photos of the year 2006 in the Boston Globe and I choose Cardinal Sean’s photo as No. 1. You must be l0l…. over this photo. Enjoy God’s sense of humour, I did. Sr C�cile who has also emailed this photo to a friend.

By: Bob Doucette

Bob Doucette — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 02:56:54 +0000

Cardinal Sean

Thank you for your post on the Archdiocese web site on January 7, 2007 – Rebuilding faith. Having lived through Clergy sexual abuse and years of having to prove it to the church I know the pain and suffering well. Years of personal work on the trauma has brought with it great wisdom and understanding. On behalf of the church please accept my forgiveness. It is in forgiving that we are truly set free from the chains of abuse and how healing comes bring us back into the full light of Jesus.

If I can be of assistance in contuning understanding in our faith community don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

By: Fr. David A

Fr. David A — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:29:16 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean-- I enjoyed seeing your photo at Logan Airport in last Sunday's Globe Magazine! How did you manage to get such a Halo? Blessings

By: Rosalie Corbo

Rosalie Corbo — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 05:09:27 +0000

Greetings and Happy New Year Cardinal Sean. I was surprised and delighted to see the pictures of your visit to Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey, I have been going to retreat there since 1998, keeping the Liturgy of the Hours with the Sisters, some of the Sister’s pictured are known to me. It is the most peaceful experience to spend 3-4 days there or even 1 day. It really slows me down from the everyday hectic world – time for another visit and more candy. lol

By: John T. Koszalka

John T. Koszalka — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:09:07 +0000

Thank you for sharing. I find it very refreshing, considering
the attitude of some Bishops. I would like to refer you to
a letter entitled, “I HAD A DREAM”, by Michael Brown dated
11/13/06 on spiritdaily.com. In this letter you will get the true
pulse of what people feal the Bishops are doing, and not
doing. You are truly showing us the way to OUR LORD.
God Bless You
John T. Koszalka

By: DWLambert

DWLambert — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:03:16 +0000

Cardinal Sean,

A very interesting piece on the church in China. I have been to the Catholic Church in Guanzhou, and it is very beautiful, but a little worse for wear. I visitied last in 2003; however, the first time I visited was in 1988. If I am not getting mixed up, I recall that the church was being used as a garage at that time. So, progress. There is also a beautiful old Anglican church on the island, which is my tradition.

Also, are you aware that there is a very nice zinfandel called ” Cardinal Zin”?

DWL

By: Don Kenner

Don Kenner — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:23:25 +0000

A wonderful post.

Interesting that the Haitians, unlike so many Anglo-American parishes, do not have an allergy to the use of Latin. Their desire to hear the Te Deum in Latin speaks well of their commitment to our Lord’s Church.

By: Myriam Dox-Frias

Myriam Dox-Frias — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:21:51 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
May God’s choicest blessings be upon you and your Community. Thank you for sharing all your activities and the wonderful photos, everything is a source of great inspiration.
Gracias,
Myriam Frias-Dox

By: Lorenzo

Lorenzo — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 04:53:14 +0000

Happy Epiphany Cardinal!
In the next days together with my friends I will be attending the spiritual exercise.
We will keep you in our prayers.
Lorenzo

By: Janet

Janet — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 01:44:15 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,

Thank you for your awesome blog, it’s wonderful to see your sharing of the faith and reaching out to others through this blog, thanks for sharing the beautiful photos of some of your religious orders, it’s wonderful to see so many continuing to answer our lords call and to embrace him fully in religious life, and please keep me in your prayers for my vocation and upcoming entrance into the Holy Spirit Adoartion Sisters! Thank you again for your beautiful example and service to Holy Mother Church, May God Bless you immensely, Please be assurred of my prayers for you, your religious orders and your diocese!

God Bless You,
Janet
St. Louis Missouri

By: Shirley St.John

Shirley St.John — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 17:24:11 +0000

Dear Cadinal Sean, Just a short note to wish you a Happy & Fruitful New Year. As usual, I always make sure I read your blog every Friday. You are indeed a bright light in a sometimes very dark world today. Thank you, Shirley St.John

By: Fr. Roberto Mena, S.T.

Fr. Roberto Mena, S.T. — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 15:31:43 +0000

You always have a wonderful presence in the activities you do.
“His star still shines brightly in the hearts of those who believe.”
I also have a blog in http://www.parishworld.net
With my prayers: Fr. Roberto Mena, S.T.

By: Aidan

Aidan — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 14:44:01 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
it is with great delight that i heard about the St Andrew’s Dinner again. I am from Singapore, a country quite far off from Boston; but i do recall quite vividly the St Andrew’s Dinner i had with Cardinal Mahony a few years ago when i was discerning my vocation. it definitely helped in pointing me in the right direction. it is a pity that we don’t have such an event in our very small archdiocese over here, but i do think its a splendid way of reaching out to young people!

By: Vito Nicastro

Vito Nicastro — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 14:29:21 +0000

Hi Cardinal Sean,
Your blog makes it possible for Catholics like me to connect to the exciting and abundant variety of expressions of our Church. The people, places, history, current events, and ideas are all like petals of some multicolored rose with the faith like the stem holding it all together. Thank you for blogging!
Vito Nicastro

By: Marci

Marci — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 02:12:07 +0000

Greetings Cardinal Sean! Can you please tell us the prayer that you gave at the service for the inauguration of Gov. Patrick? I read in the newspaper that it was a prayer first given by Abraham Lincoln. I would like to know the name of it or some reference by which I might look it up. Thank you.

By: Jeff Fernandez

Jeff Fernandez — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 00:54:14 +0000

Dear Cardinal Sean,
I’ve been wanting to write or to post a comment on your blog ever since I learned of this blog from the internet (surfing) late October. Ever since then I never missed reading your Friday post. Your pictures are great, and your writings are so simple, easy to understand but yet thier is always a wisdom behind your message. Your blog, your story, your pictures, the comments of ordinary people and your response to them through this medium actually inspired me to see myself and think of the blessings that God has given me, and me wanting to share this gifts to others. From this I went to discern my vocation with your brother friars of the Western Province, last December. i was a wonderful opportunity to be with few Franciscan Capuchin Brothers on this retreat. I told them that it was your blog that pointed me to the Capuchin Fransiscans.
Unfortunately, we dont have Capuchins in our Diocese, only the Friars Minor. I do not know if it is providential that your posting yesterday and your plan of talking about vocation next week made me to wrtie to you. By the way, your Eminence, its nice to see the religoius sisters from the Philippines. This is how Filipino (Philippono) spelled, I hope is alrigth with you. Well, your Eminence, I thank you for this opportunity and for the blessings you share to us through this blog. Please include me in your prayers and rest assured of my fervent prayers for you and your ministry. May God who is with us bless and keep you now and for ever.

By: Maureen

Maureen — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 23:35:05 +0000

Hello and a Peaceful New Year to you Cardenal Sean!
I’ ve been wanting to open this site for some time… and tonight I have! Its great…
You should receive a ‘snail mail’ note from us about how delicious the Christmas gifts were, but just staple this one on to page 2! Your friendship and the memory of many great years at the Kenesaw and “etc” are always a part of our year-end assembly. You are a loyal friend. Pilar is in El Paso with Peter Hine, OCD and Betty Campbell RSM (They had Tabor House in D.C. for many years…)Oilar is finally taking a much deserved semi-sabbatical until spring.
We will continue to pray with you as our ‘collective’ community continues to transition into the final years of their journey. May we all be persons of HOPE and – above all- living signs of love. the very best to you.
Maureen Foltz and the US Carmelites of Charity, Vedruna

By: Fred Shaw

Fred Shaw — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 23:12:08 +0000

Cardinal Se�n: A very Happy New Year to you. Thank you so much for your weekly blog.

I am a Palm Beach County, Florida resident in your old diocese, and I look forward to your words every week. However, I want to call your attention to the very loyal community you have on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, where Father Nagle is doing such a superb job. I visit the Island as often as I can, and have enjoyed the services of both Father Nagle and Father Ozug, who has transferred to an off-Island parish.

Keep up the good work.

Regards,

Fred Shaw
Boca Raton, FL

By: Fr John Girdauskas

Fr John Girdauskas — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:47:40 +0000

Cardinal Sean
thanks for interesting reading. I live and work as a priest in a very isolated area of the Archdiocese of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Sometimes when things are quiet and I am surfing the net, I find reading your info, even though it is thousands of kilometres away, quite interesting. It helps pass some of the time awat. (My closest priest in a north westerly direction is 170km and in a southerly direction over 200km with our Archbishop residing in the capital city of Hobart. This parish is scattered in very mountaineous country, winding roads and crazy weather all year round. Anyhow, enough of my ramblings – thanks again and Happy New Year – (Fr) John Girdauskas

By: Eve

Eve — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 17:25:54 +0000

Wishing you a peaceful new year ! I enjoy reading your blog. I hope one day I will get to taste the chocolates made by the Trappistine community. Regarding the war in Iraq, now that Saddam has left this world, it is only right for President Bush to step down. I hope that God will speak to him personally about that.

By: Joyce McGuirk

Joyce McGuirk — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:44:25 +0000

Hi Cardinal Sean, I am John McCullochs daughter. I am so pleased I get to read your personal exploits! My son Daniel will be attending highschool this upcoming school year at Cardinal Newman in West Palm, he has displayed an interest in God, Jesus and the Catholic way of worship, and I believe that your site will connect him with. I will tell Aunt Pat about this blog – I know she will be psyched to know about it. T T F N!

By: Br. Charles

Br. Charles — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 13:46:38 +0000

It’s nice to know that Cardinals of the Church get some time for family and friends this time of year! Thanks too for letting us know about all the sisters–to see traditional religious life flourishing is so encouraging. Happy Epiphany!

By: Sandro Feola

Sandro Feola — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 11:09:37 +0000

Happy new year to you, Father! From Italy, Sandro.