Is your parish growing? But more importantly, should growing just be looked at as numbers?

There are many statements in Pope Francis' encyclical "Laudato Si" (Praise be to you, O Lord!) that are key to the implications of the Holy Father's second encyclical letter. The theme of the mutuality of the humankind-earth relationship is a primary one. The world of nature serves humankind in so many ways. The pope reminds us to be profoundly grateful for that service, and to remember that we humans are called also to serve the earth, particularly by doing all that we can to preserve it from further destruction.

The last time you were in the produce section of your favorite grocery store, chances are you didn't think about the people who made it possible for all of those fruits and vegetables to be there in front of you. We rarely think about that. It's almost as if the tomatoes and lettuce and apples just appear by magic.

The Bible doesn't tell us much about the earthly father of Jesus but from the little that it does tell us, fathers can learn a lot about what is needed to be a good Christian father. Who was St. Joseph and what can we learn from him today?

Whenever I come across a discouraging report on the state of religious belief and commitment, it forces me to ponder more deeply why my own Catholic faith is such a potent and enduring dimension of my existence. And why I believe that every person with a healthy, positive, mature and informed religious commitment is (potentially, at least) more fully human, more fully alive, more inclined to compassion and service to others.

It's contraception's 50th anniversary - on June 7, 1965, the Supreme Court ruled in the Griswold v. Connecticut case that contraception was legal.

"I felt I'd committed the unforgiveable sin."

So often, it seems, our practices and our laws are put in place as a reaction to some movement of the moment, or some incident or series of events. Frequently, the long-term effects of such laws are not thoroughly thought out, and then it becomes very hard to remove or modify the law.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for all Americans. It does not discriminate. It takes life without regard to age, income, ability, race, or gender. In the U.S., someone attempts suicide every 32 seconds, and someone completes a suicide every 14 minutes

Parish success might come down to the answer to a simple question: Why aren't we growing? I am convinced that the next evangelization can start with this answer. Why?

Did that title get your attention? I could have titled my column "Francis Is Coming," in anticipation of our Holy Father's visit to the United States September 22-27 of this year. The Holy Father has also just confirmed that he will make a pastoral visit to Cuba just prior to his arrival in the U.S. This will be a significant follow up to St. John Paul II's visit in 1998, in which I was privileged to participate.

Since the 13th century, the month of May has been especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady, Mother Mary. This is often seen as a dedication to new life. Especially after our cold winter, everyone is hoping that spring will finally roll around - that the classic saying "April showers bring May flowers" will come true. May is also the culmination of a long decision-making process for many seniors that brings a sort of new life - where to attend college.

One day during the month of May is set aside in our country to celebrate mothers, to honor and give thanks for all that they do for us. Many other countries will celebrate Mother's Day with us on May 10.

"In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills," writes the prophet Isaiah.

Within a short time last month we witnessed events that should have made us consider, once again, the state of race relations in our country. On a Sunday in March more than 70,000 people joined together to march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge to recreate the 1965 event led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to protest the lack of voting rights for African-American citizens.

Washington D.C. (CNA) - What does it mean to be truly pro-life? Amid debates over abortion and the death penalty, Catholic ecologists say that one issue is often overlooked in discussions involving human life and dignity - the environment.

Our diocese has been blessed with a large number of refugees from over 30 countries.

Pope Francis has clearly made his own this teaching of the council that "the well-being of the individual person and of human and Christian society is intimately linked with the healthy condition of that community produced by marriage and family." So it is that our Holy Father has convoked two synods of bishops in Rome to reflect on the joys and challenges of family life in our time.

The Resurrection of Jesus reminds us of the basic belief of our faith as St. Paul expressed perfectly in his first letter to the Corinthians 15:14 "... and if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty too your faith."

Isn't it striking how much we need each other? We may feel like we are independent, and there is something of the "rugged individualist" that plagues our American psyche and culture. But the truth is that no one can live well independently of others. We are inter-dependent beings.

Would you receive an ashen cross on your forehead if it meant being ridiculed, mocked and laughed at or even worse, if it meant persecution? It would probably be easier to say yes to the first part of the question, but the last part of the question? I wonder what I would do?

At the beginning of this past summer, I attended the Christian Leadership Institute in preparation for being on Youth Board. I was quite excited, and couldn't wait to start up the year full of fun events including Witness the Spirit, Da Bounce and, especially,

As we journey deeper into Lent, the choice is ours - a mission or the Matrix.

There is an embarrassing story my family loves to recount every Christmas. It is, of course, about me. I was very small, perhaps in first-grade. The only remaining present for me under the tree was from my aunt. When I opened the beautifully wrapped package and discovered a sweater - hand-knitted, no less - I tossed it to the ground and broke out in tears. What I had wanted more than anything else was a little toy fire truck. And no one had given it to me ... not even my aunt.

My story begins with my loving family. I was born to Luke and Pamela Uebler in July of 1990. I also have a younger brother Kyle and a younger sister Sara, whom I admire and enjoy spending time with. Father Michael Uebler, my uncle, baptized me, and I like to tell him that, so far, it's working.

The Program of Priestly Formation lists those responsible for the discovery and promotion of a religious vocation. It comments the bishop, the presbyterate, the vocation director, the seminary and seminarians as all having vital roles in caring "for the birth, discernment and fostering of vocations, particularly to the priesthood."

There was a bit of history made this past December, and it deserves some thought beyond just the headlines it made. Bishop Richard J. Malone and Episcopal Bishop R. William Franklin issued a joint pastoral letter on the renewal in Western New York.

Every year the Diocesan Vocation Office produces and distributes a vocation poster to every parish in the diocese. This year the poster was done in two sizes and it focuses on Pope Francis as he ordains a young man to the priesthood at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Both of the posters contain a quote from Pope Francis on vocations. Have you seen these posters in your church or school?

Is the Catholics Come Home campaign over at your parish? Let's hope not.

I had served as a parish priest for nine years when then Bishop Henry J. Mansell asked me to return to Christ the King Seminary as part of the formation team. In those nine beautiful years in parish ministry, I encountered some dedicated lay people who wanted to know what they could do to promote vocations.

Unlike some Christian churches which tend to be self-contained, self-sufficient and freestanding, our Catholic parishes are distinct faith communities within the larger Church community that we call the diocese. For us Catholics of Western New York, the "Diocese of Buffalo" is another way of speaking about the entire Roman Catholic community of our eight counties - all of the people (laity, religious, priests and deacons), as well as our parishes, schools, colleges and universities, health care and human service ministries, and so much more.

As Valentine's Day approaches I try to reflect on my life and how I follow in Jesus' example in loving all people and especially God. The most important rule Jesus gave us was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

During February many parishes, schools and businesses will be celebrating National Black History Month. Feb. 1 is National Day of Prayer for the African-American and African Family. The theme chosen this year is Courage for the Step I'm On.

Patience has never been my strong suit. Waiting can feel agonizingly prolonged and sometimes pointless. Often, the effort to be patient is accompanied by varying degrees of suffering - whether it comes from awaiting a currently unattainable good, living through a painful situation, or any number of other reasons. In the last couple of years, I've begun to question more deeply what patience is, realizing that it must be more than white-knuckled endurance.

On Sunday, Jan. 18, the diocese will be celebrating a Mass at Blessed Trinity Church, 317 Leroy Ave., Buffalo, at 10:30 a.m., in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. All are welcome to come and join us!

Even as homes, stores and streets are quickly stripped of holiday decorations during these days after Christmas, Christians continue to observe the Lord's birthday through Sunday, Jan. 11, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Every human person, male and female, is created in God's image, created to live in relationship

For any celebration or holiday, the first thing we usually think about is sharing food. There is no doubt about it. Having a meal with friends and family is an experience of recalling our past with each other, strengthening the bonds we have, and sharing our hopes for the future. It's no wonder that Jesus was so often eating and drinking with people of His time - and that He left us an ultimate meal to share with each other.

Have you ever wondered what newcomers notice at your church? The first impression may determine whether they decide to return or just keep shopping. The best ways to be guest-friendly may surprise you.

During the Christmas season we tend to forget the true meaning of Christmas, allowing the hustle and bustle of the season to replace what is really important - the birth of a beautiful baby born in a manger to a woodworker and his wife.