The kingdom of Caesar and Peter the rock
As some of you perhaps know, I was in Rome earlier this month, providing commentary for various news networks who were covering the papal conclave. It was a fascinating, exhausting, and exhilarating seven ...
The eloquent ambiguity of 'I believe'
There is an eloquent ambiguity in the way in which the opening word of the Nicene Creed has come down to us. Our best evidence suggests that in the formula that goes back to the Nicene Fathers themselves, ...
The witness of a consecrated life
Recently, the diary of a young North Korean soldier killed in Ukraine came to light. What attracted most commentary was the revelation that he and his unfortunate colleagues were being used, essentially, ...
Some thoughts upon returning from the second session of the synod
I returned just a few days ago from the second session of the Synod on Synodality in Rome, and I will confess to feeling a tad exhausted. As I've mentioned before, the synod is a full four weeks long, ...
The higher you go liturgically, the lower you should go in service of the poor
This past week was one of the most liturgically rich of my priesthood. As part of the National Eucharistic Revival, the Marian pilgrimage was making its way through my diocese en route ultimately to Indianapolis. ...
The three countercultural promises of a priest
In just a few weeks, I will ordain three men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Ordaining priests is the greatest privilege that I have as a bishop. Period. When, at the high point ...
He saw the cloths and believed
The Gospel for Easter Sunday is from St. John's account of Easter morning (John 20:1-9). We are told that Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb very early in the morning while it is still dark. She has ...
Pro-life Christians: Now is the time to shout from the rooftops
Tom Holland's magnificent book "Dominion" develops in detail what amounts to a very simple proposition -- namely, that Christianity is responsible for many of the central values that we take for granted ...
