Archbishop Chaput

Recognizing the Creator in Creation

By Cardinal Justin Rigali As the Easter celebration coincides with the season of Spring, we are reminded to see in all Creation the work of a loving Creator and a saving Redeemer. This will be the subject of our reflection this week. The wonder of Creation In the eighth Psalm, we read these words in […]

Pope Benedict’s visit to Africa

By Cardinal Justin Rigali Shortly after the election of Pope John Paul II on October 16, 1978, I had the joy of greeting Cardinal Giovanni Battista Benelli, the Archbishop of Florence, for whom and with whom I had worked in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. Cardinal Benelli, along with the other Cardinals, was just leaving […]

Bringing Christ to the world

By Cardinal Justin Rigali We know that the Lenten season is also the great period of preparation for the reception of catechumens into the Church. This period of preparation for the reception of Baptism was restored after the Second Vatican Council and we have been celebrating its stages throughout Lent, as we lead up to […]

In the striving for a virtuous life, human weakness is not hypocrisy

By Cardinal Justin Rigali “The Random House Dictionary” defines the word hypocrisy in this manner: “A pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles that one does not really possess.” In our efforts to lead a Christian life and the self-examination that must go along with those efforts, we can be […]

The personal and social aspects of sin and forgiveness

By Cardinal Justin Rigali In a book which he wrote about his famous father, Enrico Caruso, Jr. described the atmosphere in the villa where Caruso lived and worked. The mood of the place was always determined by what the great tenor was doing. If he was sleeping, everyone was quiet. When he awoke, his enthusiasm […]

Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Redeemer

By Cardinal Justin Rigali It has been said that we live in an age of utilitarianism. We sometimes think only of our own benefit when making use of things and wind up with a very narrow and selfish view of life. This can occur in our use of the goods of the environment and, very […]

Evolution

By Cardinal Justin Rigali We know that one of the most ancient of Christian symbols is the icthus, the Greek word for fish. The Greek letters that make up the word for fish are also the first letters of the words identifying “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior.” In the early centuries of […]

Renewing our commitment to constant conversion

By Cardinal Justin Rigali In Saint Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he speaks of an “acceptable time.” After quoting from Isaiah 49:8, “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you,” Paul writes, “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” […]

The gift of human love

By Cardinal Justin Rigali During the next few days, we will be hearing a great deal about the celebration of Valentine’s Day. Indeed, it seems that no sooner had Christmas passed than the retail world was reminding us that Valentine’s Day was approaching. Let us use this as an opportunity to reflect on the gift […]

Communicating the message of Christ to the modern world

By Cardinal Justin Rigali In the city of Athens, Greece during the time of Saint Paul, there was a famous gathering place called the “Areopagus.” This had originally been a place where judgments were handed down in important legal cases by those who were entrusted with the law. As was their custom, after the Romans […]