From the Archbishop

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love.” This prayer calls upon the Holy Spirit to be present in the hearts of the faithful, kindle in them the fire of God’s love and to work through each disciple transformed to be God’s love for all. We celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, the conclusion of the Easter season on May 24.

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and we are called to be His faithful and loving flock. We are blessed to have such a shepherd, and we are blessed to be His flock, His disciples, His Church.

Recently, I received a letter from a Confirmation candidate. She shared why she chose her Confirmation patron saint, St. Dymphna—the patron saint of mental health. This candidate has a brother who is affected by mental illness. In her loving concern and care for him, she is discerning a health care profession to assist others who also suffer from mental illness.

El cuarto domingo de Pascua también se conoce como el Domingo del Buen Pastor. Jesús es nuestro Buen Pastor, y estamos llamados a ser su rebaño fiel y amoroso. Somos bendecidos por tener un pastor así, y somos bendecidos por ser su rebaño, sus discípulos, Su Iglesia.

April is designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month, serving as a vital reminder for everyone in the Archdiocese of Mobile to prioritize the protection and well-being of our youth. As Archbishop, I assure you that we as an archdiocese are vigilant in this priority. I have served on the USCCB Child and Youth Protection Committee, met with victim-survivors and their families, and collaborated with our own archdiocesan Office for the Protection of Minors and Adults (OPMA) to ensure that our parishes are in compliance with child and youth protection training. The OPMA is also audited each year for compliance by an independent firm hired by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Last year, a total of 7,877 minors were trained, and 1,302 background checks were conducted on new employees and volunteers. Additionally, the archdiocese conducted 303 group training sessions.