Chicago Daily Observer

On Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008, several adults interrupted the Easter Mass being celebrated in the auditorium at Holy Name Cathedral Parish. This is a profoundly disturbing action.

The celebration of the Holy Mass is, in Catholic faith, the action of Jesus Christ through His Church that changes water and wine into Christ’s real Body and Blood. No one should be allowed or encouraged to use this sacred rite to voice protests or perform guerilla actions under any circumstances. It is a sacrilege that should be condemned by all people of faith and good will. Freedom to worship God should be inviolable.

Many children and adults were traumatized by the sudden sight of what appeared to be blood and by the screaming of several protesters who dropped to the floor. Church attendees were also hit by the red-staining stage blood. Several individuals have indicated that they and their children were ... Read More...

I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the family of Representative Henry J. Hyde on his passing to eternal life today.

The death of Representative Hyde is a significant loss for our country. As a member of the House of Representatives for more than three decades, Henry Hyde contributed a great deal to the good of our nation and was a powerful champion for those who had no voice in the public square.

On Oct. 19 and 20, a conference for Catholic college faculty and administrators will be hosted at DePaul University on the topic of ministering to gay and lesbian students in Catholic colleges and universities. Called the “Out There Conference,” this program is coordinated out of Santa Clara University in California and has as its stated purpose to discuss how to be pastorally present to homosexually oriented young people.

That is a good purpose. Young people who identify themselves as gay and lesbian have particular challenges and special needs that call for a pastoral approach that can assure them they are loved by God and give them the means of grace needed to live chastely. There are sometimes psychological problems of self-rejection and social problems of how to find their way as disciples of Jesus Christ and responsible members of society. Sometimes they experience personal prejudice because of their sexual identity, ... Read More...