Archbishop Chaput’s weekly column: Re-orienting our lives to the things that matter

One of the defining moments of Jesus’ public ministry takes place before his work even begins. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, God’s Spirit leads Jesus into the desert for fasting and prayer. While there, Satan attacks him with temptations to vanity, worldly power and glory.

In effect, Christ’s knowledge of who he really is and the nature of his messiahship are put to the test. Pressed by the devil to turn stones into bread, a hungry and weakened Jesus nonetheless answers: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Mt 4:4).

It’s not a ‘compromise,’ and it needs to be rescinded

Creighton Abrams, arguably America’s best general in recent history, was an uncommon man. A biographer said that “he touched those who came to know him in a way they valued and would never forget.” It’s easy to see why. He led by example. He embodied the virtues of courage, honesty, dedication to mission, personal humility and unfailing fidelity to his wife and six children over a marriage of 38 years.

Catholic Charities and the Work of the Gospel

Every year at this time we embark on a critically important campaign for our local Church: the Catholic Charities Appeal. Here’s why it’s so vital — especially now.
When we think of the Church, we usually think first of our own parish. That makes sense, because that’s where we live out most of our lives as [...]

Putting our house in order – on stewardship, accountability and the work that lies ahead

When I wrote to the people of the Archdiocese on December 8 last year, I said that we’d face a great many legal and financial issues in 2012. Last Sunday, January 29, one of those challenges made Philadelphia Inquirer headlines.

A senior member of the archdiocesan staff stole more than $900,000 of our people’s resources before being discovered and fired last summer. Our normal outside auditing firm — independent and nationally respected — had previously found no evidence of criminal activity.

The story is not new. In fact, news media first reported this story last July. But neither the Church nor the District Attorney’s office knew the scope of the loss until last fall.

We’ve been silent on this matter until now for obvious reasons: to allow law enforcement to do its work. Circumstances have now changed.

Special Action Alert: HHS ruling flawed and dangerous; Archbishop Chaput calls on Catholics to pray, act for religious liberty

February 1, 2012

Dear friends in Christ,

The United States Department of Health and Human Services announced on January 20 that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

Archbishop’s weekly column: Catholic Schools Week – How you and I can help

Monday, January 29, begins Catholic Schools Week. It’s a time to honor the unique value of Catholic education. Here in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we have a long record of dedicated service by the women and men who teach in our classrooms and run the “business” of Catholic schools. That record includes the legacy of [...]

February 2012

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012
6:30 p.m. — Mass — Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia
 
Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012
10:30 a.m. — Archdiocesan Educational Fund Meeting
12 Noon — St. Martin de Porres Foundation Meeting
 
Friday, Feb. 10, 2012
7 p.m. — Come & See Vocation Retreat — St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood
 
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012
3:30 p.m. — Homilist [...]

Message from Archbishop Chaput: Amelia Rivera, the disabled and the sanctity of life

Earlier this week local media covered the story of Amelia Rivera, a young girl with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome reportedly denied a kidney transplant by a local hospital. Amelia’s syndrome results in serious developmental delays, and according to her parents, the hospital declined a transplant due to her diminished mental ability and shortened lifespan.

Message from Archbishop Chaput: Thoughts on the Commission report, one week later

Over the past week, I’ve received hundreds of emails about the report of our Blue Ribbon Commission on Catholic Education. The report calls for the closing or merger of dozens of our archdiocesan schools. Philadelphia has a long and venerable Catholic school tradition. So it’s no surprise that, while quite a few emails have expressed [...]

Message from Archbishop Chaput: Education, the Church and the legacy of John Neumann

The Church in Philadelphia has the benefit of two excellent monthly publications in The Catholic Standard and Times and Phaith magazine. But life happens on a daily basis. A bishop needs to speak with his people much more frequently than once a month. So beginning today, I’ll be writing this weekly web column as a [...]