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A little more than 20 years ago, while I was a pastor in Wichita, a couple came to me because their marriage was falling apart.

I love Lent. Please don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I embrace penance or self-denial more eagerly than others do. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!

As I sit down to write this column, the presidents of the world’s Catholic bishops conferences likely are traveling to Rome.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola takes the existence and activity of Satan very seriously. In his classic “Spiritual Exercises,” he refers to the devil as the enemy of our human nature. Satan hates us.

“Go Make Disciples! Building a Culture of Conversion and Discipleship for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City”

As readers who occasionally scan my public calendar in the Sooner Catholic or on the archdiocesan website can attest, I spend a lot of time visiting our Catholic schools.

In one of our most beloved Christmas carols we sing the joyful refrain, “O come, let us adore him.”

In the simple beauty of its liturgy, Advent is one of the richest seasons of the year.

Earlier this month, I travelled to Baltimore for the Fall Plenary Assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. I went with a sense of anticipation and purpose.

As this issue of the Sooner Catholic reaches homes across the archdiocese, the bishops of the United States, myself included, will be gathering in Baltimore for our fall General Assembly.

In a previous issue of the Sooner Catholic we covered the beautiful ordination to the diaconate of two of our seminarians in Rome.

Through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord promises, “I will give you shepherds after my own heart” (Jer. 3:15). God keeps his promises. At this moment, we are all deeply aware of our need for good shepherds to lead, guide and protect the flock entrusted to their care.

The cascading reports of clergy abuse and coverups within our beloved Church have affected Catholics differently. It has caused righteous anger, visceral disgust as well as shame.

One year ago, on Sept. 23, we celebrated the beatification of Blessed Stanley Rother in Oklahoma City.

“A Church without charity does not exist.” These are the words spoken by Pope Francis in 2013 to leaders of Caritas, the network of Catholic charitable institutions from around the world.

"Man cannot live without hope, and education is the generator of hope. … The true educator is like a father or a mother that transmits a life capable of a future.” – Pope Francis, addressing the plenary session of the Congregation for Catholic Education in 2017.

With the Fourth of July behind us we have come to the unofficial halfway point of summer. Summer plans are unfolding.

On June 26, Oklahomans will go to the polls to vote on candidates and issues that will impact the quality of life of all for us here in the Sooner State. Among the ballot measures that we must address is State Question 788, which, if passed, will legalize medical marijuana for persons over 18 years of age. We would be wise to study this carefully.