Catholic Church

By Fr. Raymond J. de Souza, EWTN News - “Who speaks for the American bishops?”… That question was put to me by a senior member of the inner circle of Pope Francis when I was in Rome in October. The plenary meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this week in Baltimore did not clarify that, and in fact, may have made the question more obscure… The U.S. bishops elected their president and vice president: Archbishops José Gomez of Los Angeles and Allen Vigneron of Detroit. But who speaks for bishops is not determined by official office.

By Kevin Wells, Catholic Exchange - Legend has it that this Martin of Tours, when he was a young Roman soldier, encountered a thinly-layered beggar on a bitterly cold morning. He drew his sword, cut his military cloak in two and gave half to the beggar. That night, as Martin dreamed, he saw Jesus dressed in the portion of the cloak in which he’d covered the beggar. “Martin, who is still but a catechumen,” Jesus said within the mist of the dream. “has covered me with his robe.”

By Robert Cardinal Sarah, Catholic Education Resource Center - As Saint Paul VI used to say, we are being invaded by the smoke of Satan.  The Church, which ought to be a place of light, has become a dwelling place of darkness.  It ought to be a secure, peaceful family home, but look: it has become a den of thieves! How can we tolerate the fact that predators have entered among us, into our ranks?  Many faithful priests behave every day as attentive shepherds, kindly fathers, and sure guides.  But some men of God have become agents of the Evil One.