America will never be the same
by Bishop William Gomes
It is September 11, 2001, as I write these lines. That day will be forever etched in our memory as a day of darkness brought about shark hatred, which caused the total destruction of mighty buildings and the loss of countless lives in New York and the Pentagon. Obviously, this was the work of the forces of evil.
We read in the 12th Chapter of the Book of Revelation: "Then war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.'
The dragon and its angels represent the forces of Evil while Michael and his angels stand the forces of Good. This has been the constant struggle from the moment of human history. Ultimately it depends on the choices we make. But we all need the grace of the Almighty in this regard. It is a test of Faith. Humbly recognizing our own limitations, we call uypon the help of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God who looks upon all of us, at this tragic hour, with pity and compassion. But we also need St. Michael the Archangel.
I remember in the days when Pope Leo XII recommended the St. Michael prayer be prayed. The celebrant would kneel after Mass, recite three Hail Marys, and the prayer to St. Michael, that he may defend us the day of battle and be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. It would be wonderful at this tragic time that all recite the powerful prayer.
It is a t time of Faith, but it is also a time for Healing, for the wounds of pain and sorrow inflicted upon us. that this may bring about a spiritual renewal, cherishing the values that has made America a great nation.
In this connection I see the Rosary Sunday celebration as a great opportunity for all of us, the faithful assembled from so many parishes of the diocese, to offer prayers and supplications to the Almighty. It is for us a clarion call of faith and sacrifice with a sense of unity for the nation.
Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted
Diocese of Phoenix
“All we need to do is to open the door of our heart to Christ. He does the
rest. He comes with his mercy. He reconciles us with the Father and with
one another. He restores our dignity and gives us fresh hope.”
Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix, whose patroness is Our Lady of Guadalupe, is responsible for a flock of more than 500,000 Catholics. A member of the Knights of Columbus since 1990, he currently belongs to Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral Council 12708 in Phoenix.
Bishop Olmsted is champion for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. He has served on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees for Consecrated Life and Priestly Formation. He is also a member of the USCCB National Advisory Council.
Bishop Olmsted was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., on July 2, 1973. He was installed as the bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix on Dec. 20, 2003. Prior to arriving in Phoenix, he served as bishop of Wichita, Kan., after being ordained coadjutor bishop on April 20, 1999. Before serving in Wichita, he served as rector/president of the Pontifical College Josephinum, a Catholic seminary in Columbus, Ohio.
Since 1974, he has been a member of the Jesus Caritas fraternity of priests, and thus has been deeply influenced by the witness and wisdom of Charles de Foucauld and by the prayers and encouragement of many brother priests.
For 16 years, Bishop Olmsted lived in Rome, where he obtained a master of arts degree in theology, a doctorate in Canon Law and worked more than nine years in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. While serving the Holy See, he resided at the Pontifical North American College and assisted seminarians with spiritual direction. He speaks and writes Italian and Spanish.
Rasied on a family farm in Beattie, Kan., he attended a single-room grade school and a small rural high school in Summerfield, Kan. His first contact with Catholic schools came when he entered St. Thomas Seminary College in Denver, from which he graduated in 1969, with a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy.
His interest in nature and rural life continues, while his many years in Rome has fostered a devoted loyalty to the universal Church. His parents are Pat and Helen Olmsted, who live in Beattie. He has two brothers, three sisters, and 21 nieces and nephews.
Reverend James Parker
Keynote Speaker
As we celebrate the Year of the Priest, Rosary Sunday is pleased to welcome a parish priest as our keynote speaker. Fr James Parker is a priest of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, and current pastor of two parishes with grade schools, They are St. Mary and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary both located in the Northwest corner of Illinois.
Father Parker was ordained a priest by Bishop Thomas G. Doran on May 17, 2003. Upon ordination he was assigned to Holy Cross Church in Batavia as parochial vicar, taught at Aurora Central Catholic High School, and served as chaplain for the diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Society for two years. He is also on the Rockford Diocesan Healing & Deliverance Team.
Fr. Parker was reared in a family which daily prayed the Rosary. Before answering the call to enter the seminary, he worked in his father’s printing business and at Fr. Kenneth Baker’s (editor of Homiletic and Pastoral Review) television station Catholic Views Channel 54.
He received a degree in Business Management from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, and a Master of Divinity degree from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Father Parker is known for his great love for Jesus, Mary and the Pope. His motto, “Roman Catholics love Jesus in the Eucharist, pray the Rosary of Mary and are obedient to Christ’s Vicar on earth, the Pope” is often heard in his sermons. He is a strong pro-life leader, and is often found in front of Planned Parenthood offices praying for the end of abortion.
