In these days, our first readings are taken from the Book of Macabees. They have been telling us of the encounter of the Jewish people of that age with a type of globalization – that of the Greeks who forcibly …
St. Philip Phan Van Minh – November 2007
In today’s gospel, Jesus tells Zacchaeus: “Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Today, we dedicate this church building in memory of St. Phillip and the other martyrs of Vietnam. God will live with his people …
Sisters’ Jubilee Mass – November 2007
“The one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Today we honor the jubilarians among the religious sisters who worked here in the Diocese of Orlando. In doing so, we recognize their humble service and join them in thanking God for …
Charismatic Conference – October 28, 2007
Halloween is near. And perhaps it is a commentary on the nature of our culture that Halloween is celebrated by adults now as much as, if not more so, than by children.
In fact, I saw on TV news the …
Catholic Schools – October 2007
I am very happy to be here again with you. This got on my calendar a bit later – and so because I had already committed to celebrating Mass later today with our priests who are on retreat at San …
Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees – September 2007
Today, I fear, many immigrants in our nation feel some of the same alienation described by Ezra in today’s first reading. Here is a man who feels the pain of exile who ashamed and confounded raises his face to God. …
Blue Mass – September 2007
Today we welcome all of you once again to this annual observance of our Diocesan “Blue Mass”. Celebrated in many dioceses across the country since the 1930’s, this Mass honors the “men and women in blue”; but we honor not …
10th Anniversary of Bishop Wenski’s Ordination to the Episcopate – September 2007
September 3rd marked the 10th anniversary of my ordination to the episcopate. Ten years ago last Monday Archbishop Favalora – and his co-consecrators, Archbishop McCarthy and Bishop Roman – ordained me and Bishop Gilberto Fernandez in the Miami Arena in …
Priest Convocation – September 2007
There’s the story about a bishop – let’s say his name is John – who one day called in one of his priests for correction because of a bit of liturgical innovation.
It seems that the good priest instead of …
St. Maximilian Kolbe – August 2007
On July 30, 1941, in the yard of the Auschwitz death camp near Krakow, hundreds of prisoners have been standing at attention for hours. The night before a prisoner made his escape. In retaliation, Commandant Fritz had to designate ten …