We must remind our people that a great majority of Catholics including their own families were once themselves immigrants forced to endure the nativist bigotry of earlier generations who spoke about Catholics with the same disparaging vitriol being hurled at the new immigrants of now.
Wilton Daniel GregoryWe must refine our evangelization efforts, catechesis, and social-justice teaching to ensure that our people fully understand that religious formation and principles can never be disassociated from any aspect of our daily lives, including our political choices.
Wilton Daniel GregoryThere are many serious and knotty issues that I must face each day, but the Pope Francis reminds me by his example and his words that Christ has already redeemed creation and we are saved, even when that might not be so obvious because of the world's many problems and our own grievous sinfulness.
Wilton Daniel GregoryPope Francis has helped me to focus once again on the joy in my pastoral ministry. He has challenged me genuinely to believe that the Gospel is and should be the source of the church's joy. His own approachable, cheerful, and hopeful style in exercising the papacy reminds me that shepherds must exude joy or they will fail to lead anyone else to discover it.
Wilton Daniel GregoryMany priests say that retirement is more identified with freedom from meetings, budgets, personnel conflicts, and "dealing with the Chancery." Even as I struggled not to take that last point too personally, I was reminded that I have heard the same sentiment from many of my bishop friends as well!
Wilton Daniel GregoryI have to try to remind people on both sides of the barque of Peter that there is room for us all and that we are not the first generation of Catholics to experience serious theological and pastoral differences of opinion. In fact, from the New Testament, strong leaders within the church disagreed openly. Eventually, the truly great ones found ways to heal conflicts and keep the Lord's flock united.
Wilton Daniel Gregory