From the Archbishop

“Summertime and the livin' is easy Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high …”

Thursday, May 8, was a wonderfully exciting day to be a Catholic and an American. News of the white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel spread quickly. In our archdiocese, the bells of parish churches were ringing and the traditional gold and white bunting celebrating the announcement of the new pope appeared on many of our local churches. All of this was happening before any of us knew who had been elected as the new pope.

The term “Catholic imagination” refers to the fact that we Catholics often have a unique way of looking at things and understanding things. As an example, I recall once being in a conversation with some non-Catholics discussing what our churches taught in matters of faith. It struck me that when the non-Catholics spoke of their “church” they meant the congregation to which they belonged. They spoke about what their pastor preached and what he explained to them. However, as a Catholic, when I spoke about my “church” I meant the Church throughout the world in union with the Pope. It struck me that the Catholic imagination is different. When we speak about the “Church” we tend to mean the Universal Church in union with the successor of Peter.

The term “Catholic imagination” refers to the fact that we Catholics often have a unique way of looking at things and understanding things. As an example, I recall once being in a conversation with some non-Catholics discussing what our churches taught in matters of faith. It struck me that when the non-Catholics spoke of their “church” they meant the congregation to which they belonged.

The Holy Spirit greatly blesses the Archdiocese of Mobile. Allow me to give two examples of God working powerfully in our midst.