Lex Cordis Caritas - The law of the heart is Love

Our diocese is blessed with seven Catholic high schools located across central Illinois: Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in Springfield, St. Teresa High School in Decatur, Marquette Catholic High School in Alton, Routt Catholic High School in Jacksonville, Quincy Notre Dame High School in Quincy, St. Anthony Catholic High School in Effingham and the newest: Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, which was founded in 2012. All seven of these Catholic high schools provide excellent academics, religious formation, athletics and other extracurricular activities. These various components of our Catholic high schools are not separate silos with no connection to each other. All of them work together with the goal of educating well-rounded individuals who are grounded in the values of the Catholic faith and are prepared intellectually, emotionally and spiritually for successful careers and family life as responsible citizens.

Our theme for the 2016 Annual Catholic Services Appeal is: “Continuing the Mission of Charity.” The inspiration for this theme comes from St. Teresa of Calcutta, who was canonized a saint by Pope Francis earlier this month. St. Teresa of Calcutta, of course, was known for founding the Missionaries of Charity and for their charitable work with the poor. Your generous contributions to the Annual Catholic Services Appeal support the hard work and dedicated ministry of all of these people who make up our “diocese.” I personally beg you to respond generously to support me and our “diocese” by contributing at least one percent of your annual income to our Annual Catholic Services Appeal either by direct mail, by giving to the in-pew collection in your parish, or by donating online at www.dio.org/giving.

Here in Springfield, the voice of believers in the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception must speak out against the expansion of abortion services at the new Planned Parenthood facility on Bruns Lane, which will now offer surgical abortions in addition to chemical abortions. In contrast, pregnancy resource centers in Springfield such as the Pregnancy Care Center, the Elizabeth Ann Seton program, Lifetime, and Beerlahai Roi Women’s Ministries have many resources to assist low-income women throughout her pregnancy, birth, and role as a parent. Not only pro-life advocates, but all people who are truly pro-choice should support the services of these pregnancy resource centers to give women a real choice to have their babies and give them the gift of life, rather than the dead-end no-choice of abortion. The only real caring choice it to choose life.

It is important for couples entering into marriage to have a clear understanding of what the church teaches about the meaning of marriage so that they may enter into a valid marriage and receive the sacramental graces that flow to the baptized as husband and wife.

Words are hard to come by in the aftermath of the despicable shooting that took place on June 12 in Orlando, Fla., killing 49 people and wounding 53 others. At least, words are hard for me to come by. Some have been quick to use the massacre as a platform for their political agendas or their social ideologies. I am<br /> not a politician, so I will leave it to political authorities to devise policies that will bring these increasingly all-too-frequent horrific attacks to an end. I am a spiritual leader, so my words will focus on the spiritual realm.