The other week I had the opportunity to once again visit the small hilltop town of Orvieto, Italy, shortly before the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as the Feast of Corpus Christi, which we celebrated last Sunday. This feast was instituted for the Universal Church in 1264 by Pope Urban IV, who was at that time living in Orvieto.

Dear Friends,

A week ago some of our Parish and school staff members surprised me with a humbling Birthday celebration and cake. As I later sat and reflected on this event, I recalled a song we once sang as novices: "What a wonder to be in the Vineyard of the Lord God. He is calling us to become witnesses. Forever, and to teach his word to all nations, here on earth, yes, until the end of time!"

In the Encyclical Mediator Dei, the Venerable Pius XII writes that "the Church is without question a living organism, and as an organism, in respect of the sacred liturgy also, she grows, matures, develops, adapts and accommodates herself to temporal needs and circumstances, provided only that the integrity of her doctrine be safeguarded" (no. 59).

Dear Friends,

The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And this year on June 11th, Most of our Bishops, members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Heart, as many of us may know or have used and/or read, represents Love. My first tee shirt had the inscription, I ❤ You" on it. I understood it as "I heart you!" until my maternal Aunt Rita corrected my limited childhood knowledge. She told me that the red heart symbolizes Love, and so my T-shirt was an expression of I LOVE YOU.