Honoring Mother Earth

In Oregon, we can honor our Mother Earth by taking action and passing legislation that will protect our planet. The Clean Energy Jobs bill will help ensure a clean energy future for the state we love.
Hate on the rise

Many Oregonians, especially those in hip Portland, see their state as a bastion of open-mindedness. Recent trends should squelch that perception and jolt Catholics into action.
Ode to parish life

Where I wait in line for confession on Saturday afternoons and really am sorry for my sins, one of which is wishing I could hear what the person in front of me is saying in the confessional — This is a Catholic parish.
‘A crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul’

President Trump’s words are absolutely correct: “This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.” But how he applies these words are absolutely incorrect.
From the Archives

The informal dancing party given in Hibernia Hall by the Auxiliary to Ancient Order of Hibernians, last Friday, was a delightful success.
Holy Family into Egypt

The couple and their toddler sat in a booth at the McDonalds on West Burnside, not far from St. Mary Cathedral. I couldn’t stop watching them. Their few words sounded so gentle, their faces were so filled with love and caring, and yet their demeanor revealed them to be so weary.
A year for ethics

We begin a yearlong series that will explore everyday ethical situations, from watching pirated videos to imagining a love affair with someone in the office. We all face such situations. And like it or not, our choices make a difference to others and to our souls.
Elections are our responsibility

This case serves as one example of the profound effect elections and the Supreme Court can have on the way the Catholic Church is able to operate in this country.
Reflections on Pope Francis’ 2019 World Day of Peace message

As the saying goes, “Politics and religion don’t mix.” Although this cliché is espoused by many, you will not hear it from Pope Francis.
Are Catholics more like cats or dogs?

Knowing someone’s preferred pet tells a lot about the personality. I think it’s about time someone asked, “Are Catholics more like cats or dogs?”
Gene-edited babies and the runaway train of IVF

One of the great tragedies of our age has been our tone deafness to the evils of IVF.
How donating your distributions can lower your tax bill

Do you have an IRA account? Are you 70 ½ or older and withdrawing your required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your IRA account every year? If so, and you are donating money to charities and the church, you might be paying more in taxes than you need to.
A Christmas message from the heavens

Fifty years ago on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24, 1968) the crew of Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit and began circling the moon – the first time in history for humans to visit another world (see: https://bit.ly/2EkLJda).
My Christmas crush on Sister Mary Athanasia

Joel and I were surprised and embarrassed that our teacher probably overheard me singing her praises. So we did what shy nine-year-old boys would do: we ran home to hide until the problem went away.
Worn

If we confront life with pure hearts and a simple faith, it might be true. And so on those days that seem the most hopeless, there’s hope.
We help incarnate him

The church turns our funds into the loving, protective presence of Jesus Christ.
From the Archives

Because of blackout restrictions placed upon the city of Portland, His Excellency, Most Reverend Archbishop Howard, has instructed the local pastors not to commence Mass in their respective churches either on Sunday or on weekdays before 8 o’clock.
Holidays with intention

When last we met on this website, I pontificated (er, shared) about approaching the holiday season with intention, using the church’s liturgical calendar for reference. Now that Advent has begun, how’s it going? Have you found the candles for your Advent wreath yet? Are all your days merry and bright? Well, be of good cheer and be not afraid: There are still plenty of ways to make this season count.
Combat loneliness

A chain smoker in her mid-60s, our neighbor Marie is not someone you’d describe as chipper. When my family moved into our Portland home, I made her cookies. “I don’t eat sugar,” she told me, peering through her screen door and promptly snuffing out my self-satisfaction.
Gifts to community and culture

It’s only fair that leaders of our state and cities understand how broadly and deeply religious groups benefit society. Though the spiritual advantages are priceless, other contributions actually add up.
Lessons learned in mission land USA

Many years ago as a young man born and raised in Baltimore, I spent a very different week getting a taste of life in Appalachia.
With charities, watch the cash and ignore the in-kind?

The mean side of this trick is that it covers up what happens to cash donations.
Abortion funding — Cutting off the blood supply

PHILADELPHIA — Americans have long been disturbed by the fraud and waste that often surrounds the federal government’s use of their tax dollars. They now have further reason to be up in arms because of the way those tax dollars support the practice of abortion, even though such support, technically speaking, remains illegal.
Recharging spiritual batteries in a difficult time

As I do every year, I recently visited my ancestral homeland in New Mexico. I told one of my editors I needed to recharge my spiritual batteries. In these difficult times, it is easy to lose our balance and we need to regain our perspective, to assess once again what our faith is all about.
Path for reform goes through Rome

It is not often when a meeting of all U.S. Catholic bishops is described as having a "consensus of anger." But that is how one bishop described their recent fall assembly in Baltimore. Judging from comments, there was a lot to be angry about.
Use your words

Two groups ask me often what they can do to help their children grow in faith: parents of toddlers and parents of young adults.
Good and bad ideas on church reform

These are good ideas. There are also bad ideas, coming from church factions seen as being on the "right" and "left" -- though partisan loyalties have no place in the body of Christ.
From the Archives

The Sisters of Charity of the House of Providence respectfully tender their grateful acknowledgements to their many patrons and friends for the bountiful liberality which has been displayed at their late fair, held for the support of the orphan children.
Christ the King!

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, it’s appropriate that the church designates the last Sunday as the Solemnity of Christ the King; for it calls to mind the last day of history, when Christ the King of the universe will come in all his glory to judge the living and the dead.
Thankful for true riches

Thanksgiving is a chance to consider all the good in our lives. That begins with God’s constant love for us. God’s love is sure even when we are afflicted by loss and sorrow.
Heading into the holidays with intention

As a kid, I often wondered how long it would be until the weekend, or spring break, or when we ate dinner. My mom advised me to enjoy the present moment, because she said time would fly by at lightning speed when I was an adult.
God’s love is not political

The love we are missing does not require personal agreement; its essence lies in basic respect and empathy for the human condition.
Observing the end of ‘the war to end all war’ – the right way
For human dignity

Not long after these appallingly regular massacres, most of us forget and move on. Not so for the parents, children and friends, whose enduring and suffocating pain is a truer measure of these assaults against the dignity of life. The Second Amendment, penned in the flintlock era, can be honored while we use reason in the face of advanced gun technology.
What's lost by modern-day travel

We arrived at the ferry to Gozo with one minute to spare. After a series of mishaps, from being trapped in a parking garage to taking the wrong exit on one of Malta's many roundabouts, our hopes of making the 9 a.m. ferry were fading fast. When we pulled up to the dock, we were the last car allowed on the boat.
On not being a vegetable

Of all the dilemmas classified under end-of-life issues, the most divisive even for Catholics has been the treatment of people diagnosed as being in a “vegetative state.”
From the Archives

It would appear that the Catholic people of this area have an attitude toward these children which is less than Christian.
Heroes, leaders

The people detained are human beings fighting for their human dignity, needing our support. Those detained persons are the heroes and leaders.
All Souls Day: Come along, Jamesie

Suppertime at the Flynn home was family time. Rounding up her brood, Sarah would stand by the gate and call each by name. Reaching out her hand to her youngest, she would say, “Come along, Jamesie, it’s time to go home.”
Catholics can vote for God's creation

Many Catholics in the Portland area put their faith into action a few months ago by circulating the petition to put Measure 26-201, a social justice/climate action initiative, onto the ballot. Jesuit Father Craig Boly of St. Ignatius Parish endorsed the measure, and hundreds of Catholics signed the petition, along with thousands of other Portlanders. The measure made the ballot, and now we have the opportunity to put our faith into action again by voting for it.
A patron for our times

It was the morning of Armistice Day, 1918. Sunken-eyed American troops — wearied and disillusioned by explosions, clouds of poison gas and ruthless bayonet attacks — had a glimmer of hope. Optimism was hard to come by while encased in muddy trenches in a denuded French field. The shooting was due to stop at 11 a.m.
Remember the dead

As the colors of the trees outside begin to disappear and the air turns crisp, we have this season to contemplate death. Let’s take some time to honor and pay tribute to those who’ve gone before us, knowing the glory of God’s victory over death.
Sexual orientation: Hope for restoration and healing with SOCE

PHILADELPHIA — Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) rely on professional therapy and counseling, often in a religious context, to assist those struggling with unwanted homosexual inclinations who would like to diminish their same-sex attractions and grow in their ability to abstain from same-sex behaviors.
From the Archives

We have ever rightly considered the closing of the churches as unjustifiable, unholy, and unchristian in character.
Voting for compassionate candidates is a moral imperative in a hurting world

The United States and the world are in trouble! We need to take it seriously. And we need to elect candidates who will take it seriously.
Family and parish community support my priestly vocation

ST. BENEDICT — The tradition in the Archdiocese of Seattle is for seminarians to be ordained to the diaconate at their home parish. Celebrating my diaconal ordination with my family and parish community last June was an incredible gift. I have attended St. Anthony in Renton, Washington, since I was 8 years old. It was here where I altar served and received my confirmation, and where I have been blessed with many memories of church and family.
Let’s do better

The Catholic Church, for all her beautiful witness to life, must do a better job ministering to families who’ve lost a child through miscarriage or stillbirth.
St. Oscar Romero: An example for bishops

At a time when the bishops of the United States are faced with a crisis of credibility, it seems fitting that Pope Francis canonized a model bishop during the Vatican's Synod on Youth in Rome.
Keep your eye on the ball

While we’ve tied ourselves into knots over the Supreme Court and become glued to intra-Vatican spats, the earth steadily has gotten sicker. We’ve taken our eye off the big blue ball. That’s a mistake, because if we get care for creation wrong, nothing else will matter.
The holiness of the church is a gift given by Christ

This year, along with many of the faithful in this country, we can’t help but feel as though we are under a cloud.
How did I write a book?

Late last month, on the eve of the Feast of the Archangels, a childhood dream became reality: in the suffocating humidity of a convention center in San Angelo, Texas, I held my book in my hands for the first time. Tears of joy and relief fell as I considered what a long, strange trip this process has been.
Circle of faith

We were like Moses confronting Pharaoh and saying, “Let My People Go!” We would be strong, courageous and not be moved. We sang “No Nos Moveran,” “We shall not be moved.”
From the Archives

He was an exemplary Catholic young man, the worth of whose character is given testimony to by a wide circle of friends.
The courageous witness of Saints Oscar Romero and Paul VI

Two very different men, facing different sets of dire challenges with prophetic courage, faithfully journeyed along two different paths to the same destination: sainthood!
Modest suggestions

Stepping back from the partisan fray, the troubled confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh has exposed truths about our culture — or rather about humanity — on which most people of good will can agree, at least when politics aren’t involved.
Yes on 106

Oregon voters in November have a chance to stand up for individual conscience and fight for the little guy — the littlest. These are Oregon values — and Catholic principles.
Active Nonviolence: rediscovering a central teaching of Jesus

Christian literature from the first three centuries affirms that the earliest followers of Jesus Christ completely rejected all forms of violence and bloodshed – no abortion, no euthanasia, no capital punishment, no war.
Church needs management reform

The universal church and the U.S. church is lacking standardized management structures as well as clergy leadership development to prevent numerous and recurring scandals, exercise accountability and achieve the church’s mission.
Opioids, pain management, and addiction: Balancing ethical duties

Almost two million Americans are now addicted to opioids. At a minimum, a three-pronged approach is required.
A both-and people

No one can pigeonhole the Catholic Church. That’s a sign that divine genius is at work. We Catholics stand firm for principles taught by the Lord, but in practice that often means we are a both-and people.
The Holy Hour and the New Testament

“By one offering He had perfected forever them that are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies this to us. For after that He said: this is the testament which I will make to them after those days… I will give My laws in their hearts and on their minds will I will write them. Heb 10:15-16. This quote is from Jeremiah 31:33.
Hear our cries

Every strongly worded homily and letter from church leadership on the evils of the crisis is encouraging. Every transparent step is appreciated. But healing a wound so deep does not come from simply being preached at — it comes from being heard.
With Mary’s intercession, we can persevere

After all the wretched, evil things that happened under the banner of “church” — unspeakable abuses and shameful cover-ups and various other allegations — wouldn’t it be reasonable to just cut and run?
What kind of justice will he be? The answer is clear

Federal appellate judge and lifelong Catholic Brett Kavanaugh is expected to be confirmed to a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Based on a speech he gave last year and his 12-year record as a judge, we know what type of justice he will be.
The Most Holy Hour – The Mass

“On this day, beloved sons, I am asking you to renew your pledge of love for Jesus present in the Eucharist. Make Holy Mass the center of all your piety, the summit of your priestly day, the heart of your apostolic action. Celebrate it with love, with the scrupulous observe to the liturgical laws; live it, participating personally in the Sacrifice which Jesus renews by means of you.” MMP #421.
Remembering Sean Dooney and his impact on CYO/Camp Howard

Over the past 10 years, I came to know Sean Dooney and his wife, Sheri, and their seven kids. In no time at all, I loved every one of them. Sean and Sheri made an extraordinary impact on CYO and Camp Howard through their own contributions and by enrolling their children in the various sports programs and Camp Howard over the years. Sean coached the teams while Sheri shuttled them around to practices and games.
The Holy Hour & Our Blessed Mother

The desire of Our Blessed Mother, The Mother of the Church could not be more explicit. Now Our Blessed Mother gives us Her precise role to make us very pleasing to God.
Good and bad ideas on church reform

The ongoing discussion of clergy sex abuse has moved to proposals for church reform.
The urgent need for a moral values-centered education

It’s that time of year again, when many children, teens and adults fortunate enough to have access to formal education head back to school to learn about such things as math, science, history and the arts.
From the Archives

From 1983: Father Thomas Laughlin Tuesday will begin serving a one-year sentence in a Multnomah County jail after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges of sexual abuse of boys under the age of 18.
Parish taking in homeless and refugee women

Imagine living here in Oregon, and leaving to find a better life in another country only to be denied. Imagine having to then live for several years in a tent on an island (which is a detention center for immigrants) 30 miles from the equator. And imagine finally making it to a country that is half way around the world where strangers welcome you and provide for your needs. One more thing: Imagine having to leave your children behind in your homeland during all this.
Learning from the unchurched

These pages often acknowledge that western Oregon, Portland in particular, is unchurched. God, however, is alive and well.
Parents know child safety

On clergy sex abuse, here are three thoughts from a Catholic dad. First, include parents on review boards.
New church on the border symbolizes God’s presence among migrants

Everyone knows families that have been torn apart by violence and injustice. For them, the prayer is a common mission statement: a pledge to one another that this church, this new temple, will be a place where people will rejoice when people say “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”