Herods of every age continue their assault against the sanctity of life, the conscience, and the Church By Bishop Richard F. Stika “In the days of Herod. …” — Luke 1:5 A seemingly endless battle. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade on the great solemnity of the Most Sacred …
Mystery of iniquity
We live in a time ‘marked by distress’ and a trial that does not spare the Church By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly? The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes conspire together against the Lord and his anointed: …
A plea for mercy
God has given us through St. Faustina a most powerful weapon—the Chaplet of Divine Mercy By Bishop Richard F. Stika “O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” — Psalm 136:1 Twenty-two years ago, on April 30, 2000, St. John Paul II canonized …
God’s ‘peace plan’
In a time of global crisis, our consecration to Our Lady of Fatima and St. Joseph are needed more than ever By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not …
Who am I?
The question Jesus asks all of us is the key to knowing our true identity and purpose in life By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Today, I must stay at your house.” — Luke 19:5 Welcoming Christ. It is generally considered rude to invite oneself to another’s house. But in the …
The sign of God’s favor
We adore You O Christ, and we praise You. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy…” — Luke 10:19 Taking a …
The best part of waking up
We should begin our day, as we should in all things, ‘in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Show me the sign of your favor, that my foes may see to their shame that you , O Lord, …
Two turtledoves
St. Gregory the Great: ‘The Mass will be a sacrifice for us to God, when we have made an offering of ourselves’ By Bishop Richard F. Stika This is a reprint of the October 2021 column He Dwells Among Us by Bishop Stika. Delivery issues at the U.S. Postal …
Pastoral Letter: Sin and the worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist
U.S. bishops will meet Nov. 15-18 for their annual General Assembly, and among the items to be discussed and voted on is their statement on “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” Given the “declining belief and understanding of the Eucharist among the Catholic faithful,” and …
Two turtledoves
St. Gregory the Great: ‘The Mass will be a sacrifice for us to God, when we have made an offering of ourselves’ By Bishop Richard F. Stika Bring an offering and enter His courts, worship the Lord in His temple.”— Psalm 96:8-9 What do you bring? To those who say, …
Our greatest dignity
Great is the dignity of our share in the priesthood of Christ and in its different ways of participating in it By Bishop Richard F. Stika “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own…” — 1 Peter 2:9 Great is our dignity. …
The gate of heaven
St. John Paul II: ‘Do not be afraid to give your time to Christ — it is never time lost but rather time gained’ By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the …