Bishop Serratelli was the principal celebrant of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper the evening of Holy Thursday, April 2 in Holy Spirit Church here. The Mass commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood. Also at the Mass, the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens and the Holy Chrism were presented to the congregation, which were blessed and consecrated by the bishop at the annual diocesan Chrism Mass, March 30, in St. Philip the Apostle, Clifton.

From the moment Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica two years ago, he has won the hearts of the people. His request asking that people to pray for him as he began his pontificate as leader of the Catholic Church and the choosing his name, Francis after the beloved saint, reflected his humility, simplicity and closeness to his people. At St. Simon Parish here, a group of parishioners has been taking an in-depth look at the leadership and vision of Pope Francis through a series of DVD’s titled, “The Francis Effect,” produced by Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation.

The Christian understanding of forgiveness does not resemble most people’s understanding of it — “moving on” after somebody has hurt you, telling that person, “It’s OK; let’s forget about it” or “getting over” the effects of the offense. “None of these is what forgiveness is. These are superficial. For­giveness goes much deeper,” said Robert Enright, co-founder of the International Forgiveness Institute in Madison, Wisc., who presented a retreat, “Father, Forgive Them for They Know Not What They Do: Forgive­ness as Redemptive Suffer­ing”

When Pope Leo III placed a crown on the head of Charlemagne on Christmas day in 800 A.D., the Holy Roman Empire emerged as the first attempt to recreate a vast political entity espousing the Christian gospel. From an empty grave outside the walls of Jerusalem to the thrones of the monarchs of Europe, the Christian faith spread its influence over society. Christianity began as a persecuted religion with its adherents hidden in their homes. It gradually became the dominant influence on Western civilization. (cf. Charles Scaliger, The Rise of Christendom

Religious freedom is under fire again and the state of Indiana is ground zero. With the passage of its Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Indiana joined other states that already have similar laws, mirroring the federal Religious Freedom and Reformation Act that President Clinton signed into law in 1993. While that law was originally intended to apply to both federal and state actions, the Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that is applied only federally. Including Indiana and Arkansas this year, 21 states have since passed their own versions of this law.

The disciples of Jesus are in hiding. Jesus has been crucified. They fear for their lives. But, early Easter morning, the courageous women come to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. Love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18).