A Word From Bishop Medley

Just a very few weeks ago I thought it safe to assume that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic had been turned back in the United States. Infection rates and hospitalizations had been declining for months and people were seeking vaccinations in good, if not ideal,...

By the time you receive this edition of The Western Kentucky Catholic in your home, we will have just observed the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on July 25, 2021.  Pope Francis, in his wisdom, called for the observance of this day in light of the challenging year we’ve just come through and its impact most especially on the older members of our parish communities and our families. Many became ill, others died or suffered the loss of a spouse or loved one, and many others experienced profound isolation and loneliness. Our Holy Father reminds us that God has been with us through it all, choosing as the theme for the observance, “I am with you always.”

Many times over the last 14 months I have commented that it seems like the Lent that began in 2020 is still with us – 40 days plus 400 days.

Everyone can probably answer the question as to what was the greatest sacrifice they have experienced in the past year of pandemic.

History shows that humanity is fascinated by predicting the future. Literature and fairy tales have created images such as crystal balls and reading tea leaves to portray this fascination.

Feb. 11, 2021 marks the 29th annual observance by the Catholic Church of the World Day of the Sick. This date coincides, as St. John Paul II intended it when he initiated this observance, with the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

After many grueling months of uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, December finally brought some good news to the United States: several vaccines had been approved to combat the virus. The announcement about these vaccines, however, raised some serious moral...

“Silent Night” and “Joy to the World” are likely the most popular Christmas carols ever written. (Of course, O Come All Ye Faithful is surely a contender.) Interestingly, the songs engage us in strikingly different ways. Silent Night harkens us to a quiet night in the village of Bethlehem, and often the song is sung in almost a whisper.

If we played a word association game and said November, the most likely response is Thanksgiving. In Catholic circles we might also hear the replies of All Saints Day, All Souls, and prayer for the dead. Others might say pumpkin pie, harvest. Thanksgiving Day properly...

Apart from Mary, Mother of God, perhaps no other saint venerated by the Church is as well recognized as Francis of Assisi whose feast day is celebrated on October 4.  In fact, given a tradition of blessing animals on this feast, you may find numerous Protestant churches adopting this practice as a celebration of all of God’s creation.