Our Guest Columnists Columns
The Georgia Bulletin features guest columns and spiritual reflections from laypeople and clergy from the archdiocesan community.
Our Guest Columnists
“Season of preparation”
BYEnglish
Advent is a season of preparation, anticipation and waiting. It’s a time to stretch and strengthen a particularly stubborn, and sometimes weak, “muscle”—patience. In his Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul lists patience among other fruits of the Holy Spirit such as love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (5:22-23). St. Thomas Aquinas, […] English
Previous Columns by Our Guest Columnists
Blessed are those persecuted for the sake of righteousness
This is the ninth column in a 10-part series. “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Mt 5:10 Persecution is rampant in our world today. To limit our concern for the persecuted only to those who share our baptismal identity, or some cultural similarity […] English | En Español
By CLIFFORD YEARY, Associate Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyAdvent prompts questions of the heart
Within hours of Black Friday, if not sooner, streets become adorned with Christmas lights, coffee cups change color and stores ready for another holiday season; the Advent season begins. The liturgy of Advent, which begins Dec. 3 this year, with its songs and prayers, emphasizes that we are in a time of waiting, as do […] English
By FATHER JOSE MEDINA, Catholic News ServicePublished: November 27, 2017
An Advent meditation: Memory and hope
“So … what are you giving up for Advent?” Lent gets all the attention. There is Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, the daily “giving up” of chocolate and meatless Fridays. Lent has a lot of reminders. But Advent sneaks up on us. For a string of Sundays, the priest is in green vestments signifying Ordinary Time […] English
By MSGR. J. BRIAN BRANFIELD, Catholic News ServicePublished: November 27, 2017
Blessed are the peacemakers
This is the eighth column in a 10-part series. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Mt 5:9 Perhaps it is easier to identify “not peace” than to nail down the meaning of “peace.” War is not peace; anxiety is not peace; holding grudges is not peace. The list could […] English | En Español
By CACKIE UPCHURCH, Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyWhat is happening at Mass?
As many Catholics know, the Second Vatican Council famously referred to the liturgy as the “source and summit of the Christian life.” And following the prompts of the great figures of the liturgical movement in the first half of the 20th century, the Council fathers called for a fuller, more conscious and more active participation […] English
By BISHOP ROBERT BARRON, CommentaryPublished: November 2, 2017
A word to those being confirmed
One of the greatest privileges I have as a bishop is the opportunity to preside at the sacrament of confirmation. A drawback, however, is that I am obligated to conduct over 40 confirmations in roughly a two-month period—which means that I become tired, rather quickly, of my own homily! As a result, I’m frequently shifting […] English
By BISHOP ROBERT BARRON, CommentaryPublished: October 19, 2017
Blessed are the clean of heart
This is the seventh column in a 10-part series. “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” Mt 5:8 Cleanness, or purity, of heart speaks of our motivation, our desires that move us to act and seek a place and purpose in the world. The 19th century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard famously […] English | En Español
By CLIFFORD YEARY, Associate Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyBlessed are the merciful
This is the sixth column in a 10-part series “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Mt 5:7 Twice in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus chides the leaders among the Pharisees to “go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” In both instances, Jesus uses a quote from […] English | En Español
By CACKIE UPCHURCH, Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyBlessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness
This is the fifth column in a 10-part series “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” Mt 5:6 Jesus knows what it means to hunger. After his baptism by John, he undertook a 40-day fast in the wilderness, where, it can be safely said, water would also have […] English | En Español
By CLIFFORD YEARY, Associate Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyBlessed are the meek
This is the fourth column in a 10-part series If you browse the internet for the word “meek” you will likely find countless links to indicate that meekness is not the same as weakness. The very fact that this occurs so often in an internet search tells us that in our day and time the […] English | En Español
By CACKIE UPCHURCH, Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyBlessed are those who mourn
This is the third column in a 10-part series “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Mt 5:4 The beatitudes are blessings directed toward followers of Christ, first of all, and to the crowds as potential followers. The crowds would probably be puzzled by many of the blessings. Being poor in spirit […] English | En Español
By CLIFFORD YEARY, Associate Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyA reflection on Haiti: What can be done?
In the early 1980s I went to Haiti to see for myself. I wanted to observe the living church in the poorest of all disadvantaged countries. I was stunned by what I saw—schoolchildren huddled in shelters made from banana leaves being instructed without books or writing materials and overflow groups sitting under shade trees for […] English
By FATHER JOHN C. KIERAN, CommentaryPublished: June 1, 2017
Blessed are the poor in spirit
This is the second column in a 10-part series Repeatedly, we who consider ourselves disciples of Jesus, are called to examine our lives. What motivates us? What shapes our sense of right and wrong? How are we progressing on this path that we call faith? Where do we find our deepest joy? What causes us […] English | En Español
By CACKIE UPCHURCH, Director, Little Rock Scripture StudyJesus challenges us to be blessed in life
This is the first column in a 10-part series. One of my first encounters with Southern manners and hospitality occurred in the Louis Armstrong airport in New Orleans after flying there from my Idaho home. I had just tugged my rather large suitcase off the carousel when a skycap asked me if I would like […] English | En Español
By CLIFFORD YEARY, Associate director, Little Rock Scripture StudyAn Easter blessing
I wish you a happy Easter, and I send you this blessing with my love and prayers. May the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints—and whatsoever good you do or suffering you endure—cleanse you of all your sins, bring you an increase […] English
By FATHER JOHN CATOIR, Special to the BulletinPublished: April 20, 2017
‘The Son shines, the Father reigns’
I saw the phrase, “The Son shines, the Father reigns,” on the marquee of a Protestant church during a particularly rainy week in March and thought “how clever.” In this Easter season, Father and Son together is a central theme, our heavenly Father having given to us his Son to be crucified, suffer death and […] English
By JOHANNA BALDWIN, Special to the BulletinPublished: April 20, 2017
It’s safer to be a fan than a follower
Our directive is to be followers of Jesus, but some of his actions and the results of those actions make following Jesus quite challenging. Jesus did some pretty outlandish things, and he sure did get into trouble with the religious leaders, the ruling governments and sometimes his mom. Hence, I find it tempting to be […] English | En Español
By P.J. EDWARDS, Special to the BulletinHoly Week
The celebration of Holy Week, which began on Palm Sunday and ended on Easter Sunday, presented a variety of events and moments in Jesus’ life. The week started with the cheering of the Jews, proclaiming Jesus as King in his triumphal entry to Jerusalem, and the celebration of the Last Supper with his gift of […] English | En Español
By BISHOP LUIS R. ZARAMA, Commentary‘They bring abundant blessings’
“I thirst.” When Jesus spoke these words from the cross, he articulated one of the most profound mysteries of our faith. His words remind us that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. Jesus was embodied—he hungered and he thirsted—and he was embedded in concrete relationships characterized by intimate love. In John’s account of […] English | En Español
By MARIE F. MARQUARDT, Ph.D., Special to the Bulletin