May 18, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

The current politicization of the issue of undocumented workers in our country is truly unfortunate. It is a social problem that demands our attention and one that needs a solution, but not an issue that can be solved without addressing the racist and xenophobic tendencies that lay below the veneer of even just societies.

My approach will not be a religious one, although certainly Scripture gives us much to think about when it comes to treating the alien workers in our midst. The Book of Deuteronomy makes it clear to the Israelites that they should not abuse the alien workers and that they should leave a portion of the harvest for those workers, reminding them that they, themselves, in prior centuries had been aliens in the land of Egypt.

I base this defense of immigrant workers on past research and present analysis of this issue that comes from understanding the labor shortages which our Nation experiences in various sectors; for example, in agriculture, construction and the service industries. Honest workers deserve to be defended because first of all they contribute to our society and economy, and secondly, because they are human beings with dignity, rights and responsibilities.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

May 11, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into The Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This is the last in a series of articles summarizing the teaching of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, on The Joy of Love.

This installment summarizes Chapter Eight which is perhaps the most difficult chapter to understand.

First of all, its title, Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating Weakness, guides us in understanding the chapter. Our Holy Father says, “the Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence…”

One of the greatest things the Church can do, as our Holy Father said, is to give truth and hope to people. The truth is that there is no possibility for breaking the marital bond. It is inviolate and that ideal must always be upheld and never be trivialized because marriage is a sacrament and replicates the union of Christ and His Church which never can be broken.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

 

May 4, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

In this third in a series of articles, I continue my review of the Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of Love.

In two chapters, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, offers some pastoral perspectives and ideas toward the better education of children. He begins by reminding us of… “the Gospel of the family as a joy that ‘fills hearts and lives,’ because in Christ we have been ‘set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness.’”

These are words that he borrowed from himself in another Apostolic Exhortation entitled “The Joy of the Gospel.” The Holy Father sees all things through Christ, as it is Christ who is the source of our joy. It is Christ who can give joy to a family. It is the role of the parish to give pastoral care to families. In fact, the parish is a family of families who come together for the worship of the Lord. Each family, no matter what its situation, has something to offer to the Church and the parish. Our Holy Father brings out the point that many seminarians and religious come from troubled families and sometimes lack emotional stability. Yet, they still follow the path to a vocation to the priesthood or to religious life.

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

 

April 27, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This week, I will continue my analysis of the Apostolic Exhortation, “The Joy of Love.”

The Pope opens the fourth chapter with the beautiful “Ode to Love” by St. Paul in First Corinthians. This passage is almost universally chosen by brides and grooms to be one of the readings at their weddings.

It is a primer for married life, and, if taken seriously, can sustain couples in all types of difficulties. When I preside at a marriage, I usually tell the couple that they should read this passage together at least once a week. And I give them my guarantee that the difficulties of their marriage can be resolved while they experience greater joy in their love for one another when they follow that advice.

What did St. Paul say? “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (13 Cor 4:7)

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.

April 20, 2016 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

This week, I begin a series of four articles in which I hope to give you a sampling of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, entitled, “Amoris Laetitia,” “The Joy of Love.”

After each Synod, it is the custom of the Roman Pontiffs to offer their insights into the work of the Synod, which represents a collaboration of many bishops elected by Episcopal Conferences all over the world. The last two Synods have been on the issue of the family.

Our Holy Father, in offering this large document of 276 pages, gives us a passionate and heartfelt exhortation on the meaning of family life in the world today. In this series, I will paraphrase and try to give some indication of what Pope Francis has said to us, so that you will have the desire to read the document (www.vatican.va).

Read the full text of the Bishop’s column on The Tablet website.