I. Introduction President Powell, Members of the Board of Trustees and of the faculty, fellow priests, family members, friends, honored guests, and most importantly, Members of the Class of 2013! What a joy it is for me to be with you today, particularly since Mary’s Mountain is my alma mater too! I truly want to...Read More

Much attention was given the Pope’s extensive and enlightening interview which appeared in America, a Catholic magazine published by the Holy Father’s religious order, the Society of Jesus. And rightly so, as it offered an intimate gaze into the soul of Pope Francis, an opportunity for us to better know the Successor of Peter and the...Read More

Seventy years ago in Terazin, a town located in the former Czechoslovakia, the Requiem Mass of 19th century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi was performed for the first of 16 times over a two-year span. Verdi composed the piece in 1874 in honor of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist whose works inspired Italian...Read More

I. Introduction – Greetings and Thanks Let me begin by thanking Cardinal Dolan for his presence among us tonight and for the inspired leadership he provides for the Church in the United States, in Rome, and far beyond. In particular, Your Eminence, I am grateful for your leadership on matters touching the preservation of religious...Read More

I. Introduction In this morning’s first reading, we read how the Apostles and the disciples were praying together. They did this because they were on a mission and by praying together they also supported one another. The mission was to preach the name of Jesus everywhere and to everyone. They wanted the whole world to...Read More

The terrorist bombing is still fresh in our minds. How we grieve for the innocent people, including young people, who died or were severely injured in that senseless and brutal attack. Just as we were grappling with that news, we learned of the tragic explosion in West Texas and began thinking of and praying for...Read More

I. Introduction What a joy it is to begin this Board meeting with all of you during these days of the Paschal Octave: the week following Easter Sunday. Indeed, the joy of Easter is so great that the Church celebrates each of these eight days as if each day were Easter Sunday. So I hasten...Read More

I. Introduction: Signs of New Life There are signs of new life all around us. Even here in downtown Baltimore, Nature is serving notice that a long and cold winter season is giving way to Spring. After bidding farewell to the beloved Benedict XVI who proclaimed the faith with such beauty and depth, the Church...Read More