On the road with Bishop Martin

This is not what I wanted!

It has been a year since I received a call from Bishop Michael Martin asking me to serve as his priest secretary, and in one sentence I can say that I am happy where I am because this is where God wants me to be.

Forcing clergy to break the seal of confession harms victims

The seal of the confessional is one of the first things Catholic children learn as they are preparing for their first confession. At first, it comes as a shock to many children, prompting questions to test the limits of total confidentiality: What if I said I killed someone? Father won’t even tell my parents?

Brian Pusateri: Tripping over the final hurdle

In your mind, try to picture a participant in a track meet running the high hurdles. He is winning as he approaches the final hurdle. Suddenly there’s a painful fall. He trips on the last hurdle and falls flat on his face just before the finish line. The pain and embarrassment of his fall are oddly familiar to how we as Christians feel when we trip and fall.

Charlie Camosy: Pope’s choice of name puts new focus on challenges posed by AI

In his homily to the College of Cardinals May 10, Pope Leo XIV said he had chosen his name partly because, just as Pope Leo XIII addressed “the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution,” today “the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”

Effie Caldarola: In a scary world, be the helper

A favorite quote of mine comes from Fred Rogers, the children’s television personality. He shared how his mom would comfort him when he was a frightened child. If news events were scary, she would say, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Scott P. Richert: The joy of symbols A glimpse beyond the veil

The Canadian novelist Robertson Davies once described children as “literal-minded toughs.”

Contrary to the common view that they have very active imaginations, children tend to take the world at face value, rarely looking beneath the surface. The recognition that one thing may be a sign of something else – much less that something material may be a sign of something spiritual – does not come easy to children.

Elizabeth Scalia: Remember the best of Pope Francis: Five unforgettable moments

Before we look ahead to the next pope, let us appreciate the five most memorable moments of the Franciscan papacy:

Francis’ apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” spoke profoundly to a relevant – truly crushing – issue of our times: Our need to focus on realities over illusions or trending notions and to proclaim Jesus Christ as the incarnate founder of all reality.

Pope Francis: A call to listen and respond in love

A reflection from Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv.

I was appointed by Pope Francis as the fifth Bishop of Charlotte in April of 2024, so it is safe to say that he holds a special place in my life and in my heart.