Archbishop's Column

The miracle of Archbishop Fulton Sheen Sixteen years ago, on Sept. 16, 2010, in Peoria, Illinois, a baby boy was stillborn with no measurable heartbeat or breathing.

We celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross each year on Sept. 14. While it commemorates the recovery of the True Cross by Saint Helen in the 4th century, it is a feast that invites us to direct our eyes to the salvation won by Jesus Christ on the cross.

On a December visit to the parish of Saint James the Apostle in Santiago Atitlán last winter, Stanley Rother’s presence loomed large everywhere I ventured, including the surrounding countryside.

Each year on Aug. 10, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Saint Lawrence, one of the most beloved martyrs of the early Church.

This month, our nation celebrates 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence: a milestone anniversary for a nation forged in the fires of revolution and tested in its resolve to uphold the promise of freedom and opportunity.

Pope Francis has invited the entire Church to celebrate a Year of Jubilee. For all of 2025 we have been promised a unique outpouring of God’s goodness and grace, a wealth of blessings.

The theme of Jubilee Year 2025 – “Pilgrims of Hope” – summons each of us and the whole Church to renew our commitment to Jesus Christ and to one another. We are pilgrims together.

People choose Catholic education for many reasons. Some families choose it for excellence in academic instruction. Some choose it for the tight-knit community. Some choose it so their children will be taught according to a moral compass with an emphasis on virtue.

One of the central mysteries of our faith is the Incarnation, which the Church celebrates most solemnly at Christmas.

In a few short weeks, 2024 will come to an end. Our well-planned Christmas celebrations will bleed into our anticipation of a new year, which offers a new beginning. But, 2025 won’t be just any new year. This new year is a Jubilee year!

As Thanksgiving Day draws near, many of us may recall the story of that first Thanksgiving in America.

When I travel around the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, I have the joy of celebrating Mass with many of our young disciples. I love meeting these students, perhaps during a school visit or a Confirmation.

Every four years we are presented with the prospect of the “most important election of our lifetime.” Perhaps this admonition is accurate.

In every Catholic diocese, the cathedral stands not merely as a building of brick and mortar, but a profound symbol of faith and communion.

Even though the global COVID-19 pandemic is a few years behind us, recalling those strange and challenging times can still stir up strong emotional responses.

When the U.S. bishops initiated the Eucharistic Revival more than two years ago, we wanted to spark a new awareness and appreciation of the great gift of the Eucharist throughout our nation.

When we celebrate the Eucharist, every element is important. The Church’s liturgy is the result of centuries of development, enabling us to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth by drawing us into Jesus’ own perfect sacrifice on the cross.

The National Eucharistic Congress

The history of salvation began the moment our first parents rebelled against God’s commandment in Eden.

In Oklahoma, summertime means heat. But, for many people summertime also is when we look forward to a much-anticipated vacation.