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Bishop Ricard bids farewell to the Florida CatholicOCTOBER 23, 2009 | As we publish the final edition of the Florida Catholic and move toward a magazine format I want to pause and offer my thanks to the staff of the Florida Catholic and wish them well. Bishop Ricard’s 2009 Easter MessageAPRIL 10, 2009 | The Old Testament story of Moses’ dramatic rescue of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt continues to fascinate and inspire. The story also contains their long ordeal in the desert where the Israelites were to experience privations so severe that, much to the annoyance of Moses (and God), they wanted to go back to Egypt “where we had our fleshpots.” Abortion: 50 million lost opportunitiesJANUARY 30, 2009 | Tonight, my dear friends in Christ, we join Catholics and other people of good will throughout the United States as we observe the anniversary of the infamous Supreme Court decision, Roe v Wade. That decision of our Supreme Court has since its inception resulted in the slaughter of more than 50 million unborn children in these United States. Christmas Message for 2008DECEMBER 19, 2008 | This year we enter the holy season of Christmas celebrating the arrival of our Savior into a world torn by war, senseless acts of terrorism, deepening poverty and significant signs of economic turmoil. Some of these troubles seem far away and some are very close to home; some inflict pain on people we don’t know and some inflict pain upon our own families and friends. However, these hard times have a way of reminding us of the tender compassion of our God. Examine the moral dimensions of the issues before you voteOCTOBER 24, 2008 | Statement of Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, and the Council of Priests of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee regarding Faithful Citizenship. In light of the approaching election to the presidency, the disquieting events which are shaping the nation’s economic landscape and the important ballot issues which are facing Florida voters, it is imperative that we examine the moral dimensions of these issues in light of our faith. An Easter message from the office of the bishopMARCH 21, 2008 | We approach the Easter season early this year, the earliest possible date it can be celebrated. It occurs just a few days after the first day of spring, as nature struggles to shred the last remains of winter and welcomes the sunny days of birds, bugs and flowers. Within this natural environment, we also reflect on the greater drama that is unfolding in the liturgy in our parishes: the celebration of the Lord’s Passover from death to life. We also note that this Easter is celebrated at a time when many individuals and families in our nation struggle with unprecedented economic hardships and difficulty. The news is dominated by global violence, conflict and the gross violations of human life, human dignity and human rights. Bishop Ricard’s Christmas messageDECEMBER 21, 2007 | I think that most of us would agree that Christmas is a symbol of hope. I was visiting a second-grade class recently and I asked the children what are some reasons for celebrating Christmas. After some comments were made about receiving presents and Santa Claus, one of the second-graders summed it all up perfectly when he said that it is because it is the day when Christ came into our world so that we might find our way back to his. I don’t know if that insightful little boy ever studied St. Peter’s letters in depth, because what St. Peter wrote reflects something very similar. In 1 Peter 3:18, we’re told that Christ came into our world and died for our sins in order to lead us back to God. That through Christ we might find our way back to God is our great hope, the distillation of all our yearnings and the end of all our journeys. |
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