Bishop Doherty's Columns
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Articles prior to 2022
- Being a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission (November 14, 2021) [text]
- Abortion on demand: A critical life issue (October 17, 2021) [text]
- Sacramentum Mundi (October 3, 2021) [text]
- Anniversaries help serve as a reminder (September 5, 2021) [text]
- Learning is a refreshment (August 22, 2021) [text]
- Guard the narrative (July 12, 2021) [text]
- Apostolic Mission (May 16, 2021) [text]
- Mystagogy and history (April 18, 2021) [text]
- Christ is with us always (April 4, 2021) [text]
- Confusion or Indigestion? (February 21, 2021) [text]
- Tasks before leaving the pandemic, living through challenging times (January 24, 2021) [text]
- Civility and Sanctity in 2021 ( January 11, 2021) [text]
- The Word is God (December 24, 2020) [text]
- Bishop Doherty's Reading List (December 13, 2020) [text]
- Notes from the Bishop's Desk (November 29, 2020) [text]
- Bishop Doherty statement on the Vatican “McCarrick Report” (November 6, 2020)
- Thoughts at All Saints, All Souls Days (November 1, 2020) [text]
- Look upon the Lord for hope, strength and grace: ‘God sets before us what we need’ (October 18, 2020) [text]
- Frequently asked questions to keep in mind during this year’s elections (October 4, 2020) [text]
- How Catholic social teaching helps us to understand our duties and responsibilities (September 20, 2020) [text]
- When the world whirls around us, return to the Cross (September 6, 2020) [text]
- Priesthood, Presbyterate (August 9, 2020) [text]
- Praying with an Outrigger (July 27, 2020) [text]
- Reflecting back on the last 10 years: ‘My blessings have been many’ (July 13, 2020) [text]
- Regarding Father Rothrock’s June 28, 2020 bulletin article (June 30, 2020)
- Eucharist, a noun and verb (June 29, 2020) [text]
- Bishop Doherty's statement regarding the death of George Floyd (June 2, 2020) [text][Spanish]
- ‘Go and make disciples’: Living out our faith (April 12, 2020) [text]
- Uniting in the Heart of Christ: Why do priests serve? (March 22, 2020) [text]
- Racism then healthcare then oversight (February 23, 2020) [text]
- Think globally, act locally: A Lenten theme (February 9, 2020) [text]
- I am not a robot. But I work for some (January 26, 2020) [text]
- Ad Limina visit in Rome (January 12, 2020) [text]
- Prince of Peace (December 22, 2019) [text]
- Bishops in Baltimore, Our Review Board (December 1, 2019) [text]
- What frames the call? (November 7, 2019) [text]
- Our 75 historic years (October 6, 2019) [text]
- Uniting in Heart: Being the people of God (September 22, 2019) [text]
- Social doctrine in print (September 15, 2019) [text]
- Traditions: Cherishing decades of history (September 1, 2019) [text]
- Preaching. Gender in Education. Real Presence. (August 18, 2019) [text]
- International conference on safeguarding children (July 21, 2019) [text]
- Looking in, looking out (May 19, 2019) [text]
- May our Risen Lord be alive in your heart (Apr. 21, 2019) [text]
- Holy Week 2019 (Apr. 7, 2019) [text]
- Ethnic and racial pre-judging (Mar. 24, 2019) [text]
- Considering matrimony (Mar. 10, 2019) [text]
- New York state law 2019 (Feb. 10, 2019) [text]
- Catholic Schools Week 2019 (Jan. 27, 2019) [text]
- The best treasure (Dec. 23, 2018) [text]
- Prayer intentions via Fruitful Harvest (Dec. 9, 2018) [text]
- Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe; a word of thanks (Nov. 25, 2018) [text]
- Anti-Semitism (Nov. 11, 2018) [text]
- A message to the people of the Lafayette diocese (Nov. 4, 2018) [text]
- All Saints and Souls (Oct. 28, 2018) [text]
- Celebrating our 75th year (Oct. 21, 2018) [text]
- Bishop Doherty’s reading list (Oct. 7, 2018) [text]
- A message to the people of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana (Sept. 2, 2018) [text]
- Archbishop McCarrick; the Pennsylvania report (Aug. 5, 2018) [text]
- Obituaries as a moral reflection (July 15, 2018) [text]
- Notes after the June meeting of bishops (June 24, 2018) [text]
- Priests' lives (June 3, 2018) [text]
- Understanding the assignment of diocesan priests (May 27, 2018) [text]
- Noticing Pentecost (May 20, 2018) [ text]
- Diocese looking at 7th year: Dynamic! (Apr. 29, 2018) [ text]
- Disbelieving for Joy (Apr. 15, 2018) [ text]
- 'My Lord and my God' (Apr. 1, 2018) [ text] [ texto en espa ñol]
- Death, a Lenten Mirror (Mar. 25, 2018) [ text]
- In the wake of Parkland, Florida (Feb. 25, 2018) [ text]
- Who are We doing the Fasting and Abstaining? (Feb. 18, 2018) [ text]
- Launching into Lent (Feb. 11, 2018) [ text]
- Catholic Press Month (Feb. 4, 2018) [ text]
- Snow in the Bible (Jan. 21, 2018) [ text]
- March for Life, Indianapolis and D.C. (Jan. 14, 2018) [ text]
- Sacrament of confirmation: not same old (Jan. 7, 2018) [ text]
- Today is where God is with us (Dec. 24, 2017) [ English] [ Espanol]
- I am grateful (Dec. 10, 2017) [text]
- Advent: What it is / Que significa Adviento? (Dec. 3, 2017) [text]
- Why the U.S. bishops' group is a conference (Nov. 26, 2017) [ text]
- A moral compass (Nov. 19, 2017) [ text]
- Thanksgiving questions (Nov. 12, 2017) [ text]
- Reformation 500th Anniversary (Oct. 22, 2017) [ text]
- Let's not be silent (Oct. 15, 2017)
- Collections following natural disasters (October 1, 2017) [ text]
- Bishop Doherty's reading list (September 17, 2017) [ text]
- Situating administration and planning (September 10, 2017) [ text]
- Saying our love (September 2, 2017) [ text]
- Situating racism (August 20, 2017) [ text]
- Give the millennials a break (August 6, 2017) [ text]
- Health care legislation, changes ( July 2, 2017) [ text]
- What is the bishops' conference? (June 18, 2017) [ text]
- Seminarian appeal, priest assigments, Pentecost (June 4, 2017) [ text]
- Social doctrine taught by the Church (May 21, 2017) [ text]
- Suicide and '13 Reasons Why' (May 14, 2017) [ text]
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Bishop Timothy L. Doherty shares with the people of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana in most editions of the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Moment. Enjoy the reflections and words from Bishop Doherty in his column. -
The Catholic Moment, October 6, 2024
Devotions serve as a special reminder that we are 'not alone'
The mother of a seminary classmate prayed daily at her home. She had a favorite time and select prayers. Across Catholic Christianity we can call this devotions. She called it "doing my religion."
Devotions, properly understood and practiced, connect us with the Risen Christ who came to gather us into life with God. To help us live toward eternal life with God. This focus on our destiny after our death is a very Catholic thing. Now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Many of us have a menu of devotions. These are the prayers and meditations we return to regularly. For us who are ordained, our devotions include preparation for Mass and homilies, the Liturgy of the Hours, the rosary, silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. When asked if I have a particular devotion, I often say something about the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
I have a special reverence for the text of the prophet Daniel, chapter 3, verses 57-88. There is not space to include it here, but it is a praise of Creation and thereby the Creator. It is an inventory of all creation, including human creatures without distinction. As I write this, it is dawn and I look south over a lake hundreds of miles north of Lafayette. When I arrived here , I walked to the end of the pier over the water and read aloud this passage from Daniel. Yet in the quiet of the morning, I am not alone.
The words of the prophet give me plenty of company. These are not an escape from the noise of commerce or crude political speech, from the suffering of the sick or the violence of racial and ethnic prejudice, the searing heat of wars, the agony of refugees from either war or unjust oppression.
These words are a hymn that unites us all to each other and to the earth. They are a prayer that unites our humanity once we take the focus off of our fears, our jealousies, our presumption God loves some persons or countries more than others.
I recite Daniel to the lake and the miles of trees around its shore and know that I am a loved but temporary part of this creation. I am thinking that if everyone could be in awe of the Creator more than our own self, our accomplishments, our possessions, our political allegiances, and look toward the eternal destiny we have in God, we would reflect God's loving kindness effectively. Or at least I myself might. And this might be the reason that God has blessed me with time for any devotions in the first place.
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Previous articles
Devotions serve as a special reminder that we are 'not alone' (October 6, 2024) [text]
Partisan or political? (September 8, 2024) [text]
Being Eucharistic, being just (July 31, 2024) [text]
Eucharist depends on thankful living (July 7, 2024) [text]Priests hear from Eucharist scholar (June 23, 2024) [text]
Faith and Belief (May 26, 2024) [text]
Faith and Voting (April 28, 2024) [text]
Exhibitionists and Voyeurs (April 14, 2024) [text]
Ressurection: Amazing! (March 31, 2024) [text]
Lent Leans into Evangelization (March 17, 2024) [text]
My Lent (February 11, 2024) [text]
We are called to Protect Life (January 28, 2024) [text]
Informing our Moral Compass (January 14, 2024) [text]
Christ's Light has the Power to Transform us All (December 24, 2023) [text]
Finding the Light in Christ (November 26, 2023) [text]
Vocations include being Peacemakers (November 12, 2023) [text]
Prayer is our Participation (October 29, 2023) [text]
Confusion or Indigestion (reprint from Feb. 2021)
Church family: '...more than believing in God' (September 3, 2023) [text]
Encountering the Holy Spirit: 'It is an act of faith to ask for the Spirit who is grace and guidance' (August 6, 2023) [text]
Spiritual Reading (July 23, 2023) [text]
USCCB Meeting Update (July 11, 2023) [text]
Confirmation Faith (June 4, 2023) [text]
Firearm Safety (May 14, 2023) [text]
Salvation comes to us body, soul and mind (April 23, 2023) [text]
Celebrating Christ's victory over death and sin (April 9, 2023) [text]
My side of the Altar (March 26, 2023) [text]
O say, can you see... (March 12, 2023) [text]
Moral teachings and commands: 'Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me' (February 12, 2023) [text]
Morality teachings: 'Our faith does not suppress our dignity as humans in community' (January 15, 2023) [text]
'A Savior has been born': Welcoming Jesus into our hearts and home this Christmas (December 25, 2022) [text]
"This Day God Gives Me" (December 11, 2022) [text]
Vocation: What sort of leap? (November 13, 2022) [text]
Going into November (October 30, 2022) [text]
Meditations and memories (October 16, 2022) [text]
The farther back you can look... (October 2, 2022) [text]
Moral teachings (September 18, 2022) [text]
Mental health, a shared pursuit (September 4, 2022) [text]
Fulfilling the mission of the Church: 'In honoring the dignity of our younger members, we honor God' (August 21, 2022) [text]
Community renewal inside Eucharistic Revival (August 7, 2022) [text]
Phases of faith reflect our dynamic relationship with Christ (July 24, 2022) [text]
Worship, truth, communion cups (July 10, 2022) [text]
Remembering those who fought for our freedoms this coming Memorial Day (May 29, 2022) [text]
Serving the diocese and the People of God (May 15, 2022) [text]
Our role as Christian citizens: 'Religious liberty is about much more than choosing to worship' (May 1, 2022) [text]
Christ invites us to begin anew (April 17, 2022) [text]
Letter on the Mass (February 22, 2022)
I can't run with my faith. Okay if I walk? (February 6, 2022) [text]
