This weekend, I have asked to have Cardinal Cupich’s article from last week’s Chicago Catholic printed in our bulletins (see below).  I know not all will appreciate what he has to say; however, it is thought provoking and something we as Christians and Catholics should be aware of, think about and pray about.

At a time when our national conscience is being tested, when legislative proposals like the “big, beautiful bill” threaten to slash vital services for the most vulnerable among us, Cardinal Cupich has not stayed silent.  He speaks out clearly against what are unconscionable cuts to health care, food assistance, and housing programs that uphold the dignity of the poor, the elderly, children, and immigrants.

I realize that these are complex issues that all of us do not agree on, but it seems like we live in a climate where policies are often praised for their political appeal rather than their moral consequences.  In the article, Cardinal Cupich reminds us that the measure of a nation is how it treats those who have the least.  He calls us back to the Gospel imperative: to care for the least among us, to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and never confuse wealth with worth.

The late Oscar Romero, who lost his life speaking out for the poor, once said: “When the Church hears the cry of the oppressed, it cannot remain silent” and I am proud that Cardinal Cupich has spoken out!

If ever, you have found yourself thinking, I want to pray better, this scripture reading is for you. Luke 11:1-13.  The Our Father is a school of prayer.  Jesus teaches His disciples the Our Father which is a masterclass in prayer, compact and profound.  It’s not just one prayer but four prayers in one. First, it is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving placing God above all.  Second, it is a petition, where we ask for our daily needs both spiritual and material.  Third, it is a plea for mercy, as we ask for forgiveness and the grace to forgive others.  And finally, it is a declaration of trust in God’s providence, a surrender of our will to His.

Praying the Our Father well, means acknowledging that God knows what is best for us – even when God’s will challenges ours.  It is an invitation to deeper faith.  Let us remember that prayer is not always about getting what we want, but drawing closer to the One who loves us most.

Let’s all say an Our Father for all our teens and chaperones who will be traveling and experiencing ASP - our parish’s Appalachian Service Trip.  May they have a safe and enriching experience. 

With you a Christian. For you a priest.

Father Carl Morello
Pastor
Ascension and St. Edmund Parish
St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles Parish

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Cardinal Blase Cupich Statement - "Unconscionable cuts" 

July 9, 2025 

This is the term Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, used to describe the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Congress enacted this week. The cuts he referred to are those “to healthcare and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God’s creation.”

The archbishop pulled no punches in observing that “the bill, as passed, will cause the greatest harm to those who are especially vulnerable in our society. As its provisions go into effect, people will lose access to health care and struggle to buy groceries, family members will be separated, and vulnerable communities will be less prepared to cope with environmental impacts of pollution and extreme weather. More must be done to prevent these devastating effects.”

The archbishop’s message reminded me of the prophetic words of St. Pope John Paul II during his 1995 visit to the United States. In Newark, he spoke of America’s “enterprising spirit, which has always sought the most practical and responsible ways of continuing to share with others the blessings God has richly bestowed here.” He urged Americans to use their “spirit of creative generosity (to) help meet the needs of your own poor and disadvantaged. They too have a role to play in building a society truly worthy of the human person — a society in which none are so poor that they have nothing to give and none are so rich that they have nothing to receive. The poor have needs which are not only material and economic, but also involve liberating their potential to work out their own destiny and to provide for the well-being of their families and communities.” And then he added in words that should prick the conscience of us all  in this moment, “America will continue to be a land of promise as long as it remains a land of freedom and justice for all.”

During that same visit, he touched on our defining legacy of welcoming newcomers. “Quite close to the shores of New Jersey,” he recalled, “there rises a universally-known landmark which stands as an enduring witness to the American tradition of welcoming the stranger, and which tells us something important about the kind of nation America has aspired to be. It is the Statue of Liberty, with its celebrated poem: ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ... Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me’.” Again, he followed up with words that should give us pause in this moment. “Is present-day America becoming less sensitive, less caring towards the poor, the weak, the stranger, the needy? It must not! Today, as before, the United States is called to be a hospitable society, a welcoming culture. If America were to turn in on itself, would this not be the beginning of the end of what constitutes the very essence of the ‘American experience’?”

Archbishop Broglio was right to use the word “unconscionable,” for indeed it is a call for all of us as Americans to examine our conscience about what makes America great.