My brother priests, and dear friends in Christ, I. Introduction I’m delighted to welcome all of you here to Rome and to the Pontifical North American College as we begin together this pilgrimage to the Eternal City. Our time in Rome will culminate on Friday, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, during a Mass...Read More

Introduction: The Martyrs of Tyburn Hill A few years ago, due to inclement weather that grounded many international flights, I found myself stranded in London during the week just before Christmas. Worse things than that can happen to a traveler but the unexpected pleasure of a week in London enabled me to visit places I...Read More

I. Introduction My brother bishops – let me begin this segment on domestic religious liberty by thanking all of you for your strong efforts in support of that cause. We are facing not just one, but a series, of extraordinary challenges in this area. Nothing less than our full and undivided efforts in response will...Read More

In a little less than two weeks, Catholics throughout the United States will participate in a Fortnight for Freedom. This prayerful observance provides us with an occasion to reflect on those fundamental, God-given rights we cherish so dearly as Catholic Americans. Among the most prominent of these is religious liberty, a liberty which is now...Read More

A few days ago, someone asked me, “How do you like being in the Archdiocese of Baltimore so far?” “Well,” I said, “It’s pretty good. The first weekend I went to a horse race and the second was the long Memorial Day weekend. What’s not to like?” Of course that’s not quite the whole story....Read More

Introduction It has now been just over a week since I became the Archbishop of Baltimore, and I find myself surrounded by history there. I live near the Basilica of the Assumption, the oldest cathedral in the U.S. The cornerstone was laid in 1806. The nation’s first bishop, John Carroll, is buried beneath the basilica,...Read More