The Diocese of Syracuse has always been blessed by the presence of dedicated religious, laity and priests who contribute to bringing to life the healing presence of Jesus and who reflect God’s great love for us. Recognizing with gratitude their unique gifts and...
“A good teacher is like a candle, consuming itself so as to light the way for others.” Author unknown As I reflect on the gift of Catholic education during this celebration of Catholic Schools Week (Jan. 30-Feb. 5th), I am immediately brought back to my own memories...
January is a busy month in the Respect Life Office! The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops designates Jan. 22 each year as a day of penance and prayer. The bishops state, “In all dioceses of the United States of America, Jan. 22 (or Jan. 23 when Jan. 22 falls on a...
Message from the Director of Seminarian Formationby Father Thomas Servatius Sometimes I get a funny look when I tell people that I work in the Vocation Office in the Diocese. With the funny look comes the response, “But I thought Father Joe O’Connor did that.” And it...
Pope John Paul II tells us: “The prayer of families is their joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments, birth and birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries of the parents, departures, separations and homecomings, important and far-reaching decisions, the death of...
On Feb. 23, 1941 Our Lady of Good Counsel Church (OLGC) was dedicated by Bishop Walter A. Foery. Originally a mission of St Ambrose, the church’s first census indicates that 243 families (about 925 members) lived in the parish’s geographic area. From the beginning,...
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] “Why are you standing looking up at the sky?” [Acts 1:11] The Church, the people of God,...
Would it surprise you to see over 500,000 youth excited to hike several miles to sleep outside, in the middle of winter, just to attend Mass on Sunday? That is exactly what happened at the last World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney, Australia with teens from our diocese in...
Matthew 25:31- 46 clearly expresses what is asked of a follower of Christ. In my Catholic formation the Ten Commandments were the most common guidelines for confession and the basics for a good life. However, Christ did not preach the 10 Commandments; he preached love...
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus very powerfully conveys his vision for life in what has come to be known as the Beatitudes in a very powerful and inspiring way. When reflecting on the Beatitudes, one also may notice that the use of language that Jesus has chosen to...
This year’s theme for the annual Respect Life Program from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is “the measure of love is to love without measure.” This theme embodies Respect Life Ministry and comes directly from the best of all examples of love — Jesus...
The Vocations Office in the Diocese of Syracuse is staffed by two priests who work together with the Seminarian Review Board to assist Bishop Robert Cunningham in cultivating religious vocations in the diocese. Father Tom Servatius, who is also the pastor of St....
Visit your ‘mother’by Edward J Long On Nov. 9 the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the dedication of the Cathedral of Rome, not St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City but the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, Italy, a short distance from the Coliseum....
For my house shall be a house of prayer for all people. Isaiah 56:6This We Believe! If there are barriers to attitude, communication or architecture for anyone, the foundation of the House of God is weakened for all. Every person is created by God, each is loved by...
As we embark on a new academic year here in the 24 schools of the Diocese of Syracuse I am proud to share with our readers that Catholic education, while filled with great challenges, remains for our Church the single most effective tool for passing on the important...
by Father John Manno Recently, I was visiting a parish in our diocese and I noticed that many people were cleaning the church and the sanctuary. I approached one of the people and asked if it was time for spring cleaning. The response I received was, “No, we do this...
By Sister Katie Eiffe, CSJ As Jesus spoke to his disciples at the Last Supper, he promised to send the Paraclete — the Holy Spirit — to them. Even as they dreaded the reality of his leaving them, he reassured them with the promise of the Spirit. “Because I have had...
When you were growing up, who were your heroes? Growing up in the sixties and seventies, we seemed to have many. As young men we wanted to be like John Glenn and JFK. Like them, we wanted to make our mark on the world. The airwaves were filled with stories of...
