Bishop Robert P. Deeley of Portland, Maine, celebrates a New Year’s Day Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland. Citing incidents of religious violence as 2019 came to a close, including a knife attack at a rabbi’s home in New York and a shooting at a Texas church, Bishop Deeley said American society is experiencing “too much” religious-based violence and hatred. (CNS, courtesy of the Diocese of Portland, Maine)
Red Mass
5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 14, St. Mary’s Basilica, 231 N. Third St., Phoenix
Bishop Robert P. Deeley will serve as the guest homilist and join Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares in praying for the upcoming legislative session.
Open to the public. Reception following at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, across the plaza.
PORTLAND, Maine (CNS) — Bishop
Robert P. Deeley of Portland Maine, called for the country to continue working
to end “any form of religious prejudice” during a New Year’s Day Mass.
Citing incidents of religious
violence as 2019 came to a close, including a knife attack at a rabbi’s home in
New York and a shooting at a Texas church, Bishop Deeley said American society
is experiencing “too much” religious-based violence and hatred.
“Unfortunately, it marks the
century for us,” he told worshippers at the Cathedral of the Immaculate
Conception in Portland. “We have seen too many shootings and attacks on
religious houses and communities. As Christians we cannot tolerate any kind of
religious prejudice.”
Bishop Deeley, who will preach
at this year’s Red Mass Jan. 14 at St. Mary’s Basilica, attributed the violence
to “the implicit permission of society” for giving rise to such attacks.
While acknowledging that some of
the attacks are carried out by “mentally disturbed” people, he said they “find
their ideas in places where such hatred is fostered.”
The bishop called on people to look into their hearts and
reflect on their thoughts and words to ensure that they are not contributing to
prejudice.
Bishop Robert P. Deeley of Portland, Maine, greets young men following a New Year’s Day Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland. Bishop Deeley will preach at the Diocese of Phoenix Red Mass this year. (CNS, courtesy of the Diocese of Portland, Maine)
“We should be overcoming all
prejudice,” Bishop Deeley said. “No one should be judged on his or her religion
or race.”
He also urged people to pray for
the comfort of people hurt in the recent violence as well as those who lost
friends or family members in the incidents. “And, in prayer, as well, we ask the Lord to cleanse our
hearts and our minds of any form of prejudice by which we prejudge others,” he
said.
Pointing to religious freedom as
enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution, Bishop Deeley said people
should be able to worship and practice their faith freely and openly.
He said the story of Jesus’
birth can provide answers to the problems facing American society. Mary, Jesus’
mother, also can show people how to more closely follow God.
“She asks of herself how God is
acting in her life. In her reflection, in her prayer, she holds the things that
happen to her, and she looks at the way in which God directs her life through
these events,” the bishop said.
Bishop Robert P. Deeley of Portland, Maine, concelebrates Mass with U.S. bishops from the New England States at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome in this Nov. 5, 2019 file photo. The bishops were making their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican to report on the status of their dioceses to Pope Francis and Vatican officials. Bishop Deeley will preach at the Diocese of Phoenix Red Mass this year. (Carol Glatz/CNS)
“Mary knew in her heart that
only in reflection, in prayer, in conversation with the God Who had asked her
to be the mother of His child would she be able to carry on her mission, to be
faithful to what she had been called,” he continued.
He suggested that Mary become a “model of prayer” because
she “shows us that we should go before the Lord in silence to listen and to ponder.”
The world can be a noisy, chaotic place, he said, adding: “We need to find
silence. In the silence we meet God.”
Bishop Deeley returned to the
Christmas mystery of Jesus’ birth, encouraging the Massgoers to pray and
reflect on how He is asking the faithful to “participate in His mission of
bringing God’s love into the world.”