Catholics From The United States

"The Heritage Foundation — a conservative think tank operated by many of Trump's current and former political allies — is leading the initiative. President Kevin Roberts once said the project's main goals are "institutionalizing Trumpism" and getting rid of unelected bureaucrats who he believes wield too much political influence."

"My heroes were my parish priests. I watched them in awe and I wanted to be like them. I wanted to do what they do. God blessed me because I was able to become what I always dreamed and not everybody gets that chance."

"It is important that we not fall into a social activism which can become a type of neo-pelagianism. Our work is always the work of God. We maintain a balance between our work and the action of God's grace, above all, by prayer - not only liturgical prayer but also personal prayer. I do not think we can overemphasize the importance of personal prayer, especially in our world today."

"The administrator part of being a bishop doesn't frighten me or scare me. What gets to me more than anything else is the emotional separation from people you have ministered to for so long. And the memories of those who have passed on and who had a big impact on my ministry here."

"The metropolitan in the province can be a convener, so I'll bring together people for our province, which includes not only the dioceses of Minnesota, but also South Dakota and North Dakota. There are times we're looking for some joint pastoral work or outreach where it's enriched by being able to do things in common rather than individually. But it's very few responsibilities that the metropolitan archbishop has, and it's certainly not to intervene in the matters of the local Church."

"We should start with prayer. That's where everything starts. We don't start by talking about ourselves or even examining our consciences. We start by prayer, on our knees. We come to the Lord and ask him to let us see ourselves as he sees us. He's the only one who can. God knows each one of us perfectly, and if we're seeking self-knowledge, we must go to him."

"It has been a work in progress (the Lord gently leading) that I have noticed ever since I lost interest in being either a cowboy or a fireman. My image of the priesthood has grown with me and continues to grow."

"It's rewarding to have been a bishop. What is important for us all is that we be aware of the presence of God in the present, in this moment and nowhere else, and then accept whatever comes. Then you know that God is present. Live every day conscious of God's love for you and His presence to you. As far as my achievements as bishop of Tulsa, I haven't any! Anything good I've been able to do is done by God. We're merely privileged to be his instruments."

"You know, parishes that only serve themselves or any kind of ministries that are inward directed, will die on the vine. It's really when we're outward looking, when we're focused on others that we become fully alive."

"The monastery is a house of prayer, study, and hospitality, a place in which they can await the return to Christ, the Spouse, in order to participate in the Heavenly Banquet."

"A good administrator of God's temporal goods will have the docility and humility to listen to wise counsel and to follow that counsel prudently so that all things proceed as they should according to God's plan of building up the Kingdom."

"Everyone – saint or sinner – can come to God. Never reject that great gift that comes to us from the generosity of God. And remember: It's never too late to say "yes.""

"When we die, God will not ask us, "Did you understand me?" God will ask us, "Did you love me?" And if we did, the proof will be in how we loved our lives in love for one another. Or, as Jesus put it very simply, love one another as I have loved you."

"A mystery is something that can never be fully known. There's always more to know about a mystery. And the beautiful thing is, it's a mystery that can capture your whole life. This mystery has the power to not only transform us through an encounter but then actually teach us how to live a eucharistic life, which is a life of self-gift in imitation of Jesus' gift. It makes me want to be able to give myself more and more with, for and in Jesus. It's this mystery that will never be exhausted."

"Our world is becoming more and more secularized. In this context, I want our young people to know that God exists, that they are made in His image and likeness and that God has a providential plan for them. Also, a message that I want to share is that having a faith-life through the Church is a source of immense joy and peace throughout your life."

"If you can't see it, then you can't prove it, then you can't believe it. That's never been a reasonable position. But it is the position of a lot of people in our society. Secularism has dramatically affected, especially our young people, in the way that they view the Church and especially the Sacraments of the church, which require you to kind of believe in a transcendent reality."

"We feel really honoured to be gathered at a time in our world when there’s a real need for Jesus and His life. We know that Jesus in the Eucharist gave His life for the world. And we want to be set on fire to be able to bring Him to those who are most in need."

"My discernment was that I really want to do the will of God. How I was asked — I felt this was God's will. My position, not only in this, but in life, is that when God is asking me to do something, I want to look for ways to say yes."

"The gifts of faith and freedom allow me and others to learn more about this child Jesus through the study of Bible and the teaching of the Church. With the presence of God's Spirit, faith and learning lead to love and the desire to imitate the self-sacrificing love of Jesus for all humanity."

"I pray that the Feast of Christmas will bring you the gift of knowing and believing in God's love and care for you and that you share that love with your family members, friends and neighbours. Let that love also flow out and express itself in care for the earth and in the desire to keep Bermuda beautiful, a desire that can also include the will to work and even sacrifice for the common good of all who call Bermuda their home."

"People vote more now with their feet than they do with their geography. I tell the seminarians that people want intelligent priests; they want educated priests — priests who know what’s going on in politics, government and culture — so they can comment intelligently from the pulpit when interpreting the Gospel."

"We're the new mission lands. So I wanted to talk to the students at your graduation about being local missionaries, reaching out here. This is more challenging. There's more unbelief, more "nones," and more hostility to our faith. It's right here in our backyard."

"I always say that when people improvise, no matter how much goodwill they have, they're going to make many mistakes. And those mistakes will cause a lot of suffering."

"I may make a pious affirmation, or tell people where I am in the diocese and what I'm doing. Its use requires prudence, but when I'm on Twitter I'm teaching. It's a valuable tool, one that I use to call people to a Catholic unity"

"How difficult it is for us to say, along with the Prodigal Son, "I have sinned." But there can be no healing before we acknowledge responsibility. The biggest stumbling block I can see is the denial of guilt where guilt is due. Second, we need to believe that mercy and healing are possible. "Can God forgive what I did?" I heard that in jail, too. Nobody is so vicious (or damaged) that the virtues can't take root in his soul, after repentance and a humble openness to Christ."

"If I'm prepared for this new assignment as bishop... it's in large measure, not only to God's grace, but to the people who have inhabited my life, as a Catholic priest and as a person from Northeast Ohio."

"We pray that dads who know how to give help will have the courage to ask help from a loving Father who sent his Son to show us His great love, and to help fathers on earth to lead their children to heaven. We remember in our prayer those dads who have completed their work on earth. May they rest now in peace with the Father of us all, our loving God, who, in the love of husband and wife, gives us life and teaches us love."

"Parents tell me about their children and say, "Basketball is his life," or "Skiing is her life" but at a deeper level as Catholics we say, "Christ is my life," and so the athletes and every Catholic need to be integrating that relationship into their activities — sports or otherwise."

"In response to Our Lady's call, let us be ready to show care and attention for other's well-being, just as we have received from our Mother, Mary. Let us be ready to bring others to the spiritual nourishment offered in the Teachings and Sacraments of the Church, and let us be ready to serve one another in love, expressing in our lives the same charity we have received from Our Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe!"

"The unity between body and spirit, between the intellect and the whole person, seems to be missing. If you do not see these as integrated -- which we, as Catholics, do -- you are probably going to create something that is in error."

"Our bodies and minds don't naturally tend to provide health care. We have to make concrete choices, and make them together as a political society, in order to succeed in providing health care."

"You have to trust me by getting to know how I live, what priorities I place in my life. My life kind of has to be an open book. That is to say, there can't be any secret part to it."

"As an institution the Church cannot subject its authority to a certain social relation with society."

"For me, when you're exercising your most important right as an American citizen, I think it's the most simplest, most basic form of election security possible that you produce an I.D., and you prove that you are who you say you are."

"The pope knows the people he is trying to reach. Over the years, though, my experience with a few members of these splinter groups has convinced me that the Latin Mass is at most a rallying point, a handy focus. The real issues go much deeper, into faith, the meaning of church and Gods salvific will."

"As you step away from the strong articulation of the teachings, you get into the pastoral practice of what do you do in some of these very difficult and challenging situations. Sometimes we don't come to the same conclusion about how to handle it."

"We have to recognize the personal dimension of our relationship with God. But that relationship is stunted if it does not go hand in hand with a deep sense of being part of a larger community called to join in worship and to witness to God's kingdom of peace and justice in our world."

"The people of District 1 want someone from Day 1 who will advocate for them and serve them. I didn't come here to just sit back and watch."

"If we as a government cannot protect the most innocent among us, then what is the point of government in the first place?"

"The love of Jesus Christ is the most powerful weapon against hatred. Only the light of Christ can quench the torches of hatred and violence. Let us pray for peace."

"All religion and all politics is local. And if that motto is true, then the church has been and always will be most alive at the parish and school level. The diocese is at its best when it’s at service to the parishes and schools and is almost invisible in the life of the church. The more locally we engage discussion, the more creative it is, the more receptive it is, and the more reactive it can be to the real problems."

"The perennial challenge in any discussion concerning law comes down to how it is understood and embraced – is it a matter of the literal application of the law or rather the spirit that stands behind it and gives it purpose and life. There is an art in maintaining a healthy balance, keeping the two in dialogue and not creating dividing lines. As in many things, it plays out sometimes better in theory than in actual practice."

"In my life, many things have happened and I never would have chosen them, but they were put in my path and God brought me exactly to where I needed to be."

"I became a beekeeper and loved it. I did that most of high school until I went to college, and then I had to give it up, but I miss it! I don't miss getting stung, but it wasn't that often. Bees are like people — they're temperamental; if the weather's nice, they're happy, if it's not nice, they're kind of grumpy."

"It's a simplification to say that the American Church wanted to be free from the Church of Rome. That's not the case. While Carroll was sincerely loyal to the pope, he saw it as very useful for Rome to understand the advantages of making the most of the qualities of the American people and that it would encourage the flowering of the American Church. Today we have almost 200 dioceses."

"The place of theologians in the church is very important. In the church, we should be about the business of relationships, building up unity. The bishop is a sign of unity. He should be a good witness to the spirituality and theology we profess. That doesn't mean we're going to agree on everything. Theologians are on the cutting edge of development. They're always probing, and so there will always be some tension. Ultimately, the magisterium of the church keeps us centered."

"To forgive doesn't mean you don't suffer consequences. There has to be punishment."

"The people of the Virgin Islands are very faithful and many have received a good Catholic education just like the people in Philadelphia received."

"My great hope and desire is that I can continue to serve as a diocesan priest, because a diocesan priest is in the community and with the people. The Diocese of Greensburg is a hidden gem — I always believed that, and I want to give back to the region."

"You learn from your mentors the simple things: Take an interest in people, be their advocate, defend their causes. Then, they give you a confidence to move into new situations."