“Invite Mary into your home” (Matthew 1:20) are the words spoken by an angel to Joseph when he learned that Mary was with child. Similarly Jesus spoke to John from the cross when he entrusted Mary to him as his mother. “From that hour, the disciple took her (Mary) into Read more…
While on layover at Heathrow in London on our way to Lyon to begin our pilgrimage, an opening paragraph from Pope Francis’ final encyclical seems to summarize well the benefits of a pilgrimage in our world today: The symbol of the heart has often been used to express the love Read more…
Homily for Installation of Rev. Gary Lazzeroni, Pastor of St. James Cathedral, Immaculate Conception & Christ Our Hope Parish Family The Problem of Evil In today’s first reading from the Book of Numbers we hear a story which in many ways is a paradigm for people of all time, as Read more…
Homily on Care for Creation: St. James Cathedral, September 6, 2025 Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, DD, STL God as Creator 1,700 years ago, at The First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) the council Fathers affirmed God as Creator. This doctrine is enshrined in the Nicene Creed: ‘We believe in one Read more…
53rd Memorial Service for the Victims of the Atomic BombingAugust 8, 2025, NagasakiMost Reverend Paul D. Etienne, DD, STL Dear friends, brothers and sisters, esteemed guests,We come together on sacred ground. Tomorrow marks eighty years since that dreadful moment – 11:02 am on August 9, 1945 – when a single Read more…
Today’s Gospel from Matthew (16:24-28) has a stark clarity when visiting the sight of the 26 Japanese Martyrs. (1597) Jesus instructed his disciples: Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but Read more…
I was given the last speaking spot of our symposium today. Below is the presentation I provided: August 6, 2025, Elizabeth University School of Music, Hiroshima, Japan Good afternoon, friends. As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, our world still yearns for peace. Read more…
This year’s pilgrimage to Japan to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki includes the Nuncio to Japan, Archbishop Francisco Escalante Molina, all bishops of Japan, four bishops from the US; Cardinal Cupich of Chicago, Cardinal McElroy from Washington DC, Archbishop Wester from Santa Fe Read more…
Something as catastrophic as the possibility of nuclear war is seldom thought about. And yet, the very real weapons of mass-destruction exist, as do plans for their potential use. The world population now lives under the unrealistic ‘political-think’ of deterrence. Meaning, that if anyone were actually irresponsible enough to launch Read more…
As I make my way to Hiroshima today to begin another pilgrimage of hope and peace to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, perhaps it would be helpful to give some background and reasons why nuclear weapons are such a threat to humanity. As Read more…