Legend has it that each year at this time the Grinch and the Angel meet to debate the meaning and value of Christmas. “Christmas is a serious problem,” said the Grinch, “and should be banned from the face of the earth forever.” “Christmas is an important occasion and a wonderful opportunity for the human family,” replied the Angel. “It should be celebrated by everyone with as much joy as possible!” more

“Those who have been baptized continue on the path of Christian Initiation through the Sacrament of Confirmation, by which they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon … more

Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! (I Cor 9:16) more

I was greeting people following a parish event, recently, when an elderly lady accosted me and said, rather abruptly, “You’ve got to change your ideas on immigration.” Having been caught off guard a little, I responded, simply, “That’s not going to happen, ma’am, but hope you have a good day.” more

So, the mini-crisis in the National Football League is behind us. Even the most casual of football fans followed the story with interest, even anxiety, and in fact the story had enough importance that it transcended the sports pages to become national news. more

My mom loved Christmas. Each year it quickened her step and lifted her spirits, creating a lot of activity in the little house in which we lived. For example, after my dad died, the task of … more

According to the dictionary, a triptych is “a set of three associated artistic, literary or musical works intended to be appreciated together.” And that’s my intention here — to highlight … more

It is into us that the lives of grandparents have gone. It is in us that their history becomes a future. (Charles and Ann Morse) What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I’d like to say that grandparents are God’s gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a fast rate. (Bill Cosby) more

Perhaps you know that I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Rome. The primary purpose of my journey was to visit the North American College, the American seminary, and to be the celebrant and homilist … more

This time of the year sees thousands of young people in Rhode Island participating in a very important, time-honored ritual – marching across stages and platforms, in the presence of family and friends, to pick-up diplomas and degrees, thus graduating from high school or college. more

When I was named a bishop seventeen years ago, one of my seminary classmates called to offer his congratulations and prayerful support. He added, though, “Frankly, Tom, when I heard that one of our classmates was named a bishop, yours wasn’t the first name that came to mind.” more

I was going to entitle this article “The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Priests,” but you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what’s happening to the number of priests in the Diocese of Providence. more

If you’re a sports fan above a certain age, or a sports fan at all, you’re probably familiar with the iconic question that ABC broadcaster Al Michaels asked during an epic hockey game at the Winter Olympics of 1980. It occurred when Team USA, made up entirely of young amateurs, defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union team stacked with hardened, experienced professionals. As the final seconds of the game ran out and it became clear that the Americans were about to grasp a totally improbable victory, Al Michaels captured the excitement of the moment and the pride of a nation when he asked, “Do you believe in miracles?” more

Recently I expanded my presence in social media and joined the Twitter universe. I had resisted the temptation for a long time as I considered it to be an unnecessary exercise, trivial even. And … more

Now that summer is winding down and another work year is upon us, one of the issues that we’ll be studying in the Diocese of Providence is the question of compensation for priests. Although our priests, along with the lay employees of the Diocese, have regularly received modest “cost of living” increases, it’s been a number of years since the basic compensation structure has been reviewed. Hence the current study seems to be warranted. more

It seems that there’s been a resurgence of atheism recently, across the nation, and certainly here in Rhode Island. The epicenter of this godless movement, at least for the moment, is in Cranston, Rhode Island, where a fierce battle over a public high school prayer banner has pitted believers against non-believers. more

Recently I was greeting people at the door of the church following a parish Mass when a lady approached me and said, “Bishop, would you please tell our pastor to put the daily Mass back to 9:00 o’clock instead of 8:00 o’clock where it is now? more

So, our new Governor, Lincoln Chafee, decided to break with recent history and begin his inauguration day without participating in a public prayer service. This has caused some discussion, even consternation, around the state. more

“Vatican: It’s OK to believe in aliens.” Now there’s a headline that captures attention. And it’s the Associated Press headline that appeared a few weeks ago, introducing an intriguing interview Father Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit Director of the Vatican Observatory, gave to L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper. more

A few weeks ago, during the acrimonious debate over the debt limit and deficit reduction, a number of religious leaders met with President Obama to ask him not to forget the poor as our nation struggles with its financial crisis. more