Hello and welcome!
As I mentioned last week, I was in Rome for meetings of the C9 Council of Cardinals. Before I left, I was very happy to have the opportunity to sign an agreement of cooperation between the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The university has offered to make classrooms and spaces available for us and is anxious to work with us around the whole area of safeguarding.
The rector, Father Luis Navarro, came to see me at the Domus Santa Marta, where we signed the agreement of cooperation between our two organizations.
By Sunday, I was back in Boston, where I was very happy to have Father Jim Ronan join me for a meeting and dinner at the cathedral. Father Ronan continues to be very active, celebrating Mass each week at St. John’s Prep, of which he is an alumnus, and also working with Rostro de Cristo.
He shared with us the good news that Rostro de Cristo is hoping to expand their activities to another country in Latin America. They have taken many hundreds of students and volunteers to participate in the missions, and we are very grateful for the extraordinary work that Father Ronan and Rostro de Cristo are doing. We know that there have been some challenges, particularly in Ecuador, because of the violence there, but that has not dampened their commitment or enthusiasm to continue their extraordinary work.
Since St. Valentine’s Day coincided with Ash Wednesday this year, Father Nicanor and the Hispanic community organized a Valentine’s Day dinner for the Cathedral Parish on Saturday night. It’s one of the wonderful community-building events that Father Nicanor has organized.
They anticipated the celebration so that it would not interfere with the penitential aspects of Ash Wednesday. It was a very enjoyable event, and they even had mariachi entertainment.
Wednesday was, of course, Ash Wednesday, and Father Bob Casey invited me to join him at St. Brigid’s Parish in South Boston for their Evening Mass. Father Casey often invites me to have Mass at St. Brigid’s, so I was very happy to join them.
It’s a very vibrant parish with many, many young people. I was also pleased to see Ambassador Ray Flynn and his wife, Kathy, at the Mass. They often partake in the celebrations at St. Brigid’s.
On the way to St. Brigid’s, we heard about the shooting in Kansas City. So, we prayed for the victims of that latest tragedy in our country.
Until next week,
Cardinal Seán