I. Introduction: Msgr. Rohlfs’ First Rector’s Conference Many years ago, I and another seminarian were driving from the Mount down to Washington. While we were on I-270 we began to discuss what the future would be like. We wondered what kind of parish we would be assigned to, how we would get along with our...Read More

Earlier this week, Bishop Denis Madden, whose vicariate includes Baltimore City, and Spiritan Father Evod Shao, Pastor of St. Edward’s Church in West Baltimore, led a prayer walk through the violent streets surrounding the parish. They were joined by a number of parishioners and others from the neighborhood who have recently watched the violence on...Read More

Today marks the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patroness of our beloved Basilica in Baltimore. I am continually surprised that the Basilica remains somewhat of a “hidden gem” in Maryland. After all, as the first Catholic cathedral erected in the United States, the Basilica is considered the “Mother Church” for...Read More

By any measure the Pope’s recent visit to Brazil for World Youth Day was a resounding success. The visit also offered a few surprises, something we are becoming accustomed to expecting from our new Holy Father. Now, with World Youth Day in the rearview mirror, our challenge is to not overlook all that the Pope...Read More

If last week’s World Youth Day is any indicator then the future of the Catholic Church looks bright, very bright indeed! In spite of security concerns that kept many nations from sending their typical delegations, an estimated 3 million people attended the World Youth Day Mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the beach at Copacabana...Read More

Last month I had the pleasure of visiting the Charlestown Retirement Community in Catonsville where I gave a talk on religious liberty during the Fortnight for Freedom. Charlestown is located on the site of the former St. Charles College, the first minor seminary in the United States that closed in 1977 after educating seminarians for...Read More

Many people today are concerned about how much information is being gathered about good, law-abiding citizens. Huge information-technology firms such as Google continue to collect vast amounts of data from millions of people the world over. The IRS will amass even more information about individual citizens and families once it begins to fulfill its role...Read More

Earlier this month, the whole Church marked the 100th day of the pontificate of Pope Francis. While it may be hard to believe that it has been 100 days since the dramatic election of our new Holy Father, it may be even more surprising how he’s been received. One of the reasons for this is...Read More