Death of Monsignor Richard Hughes of the Archdiocese of Washington

In a letter sent to priests Cardinal Wuerl today announced "with sorrow" the death of Reverend Monsignor Richard A. Hughes on March 6, 2017. He was 88 years old and a resident of Sacred Heart Nursing Home in Hyattsville, Maryland.

Monsignor Hughes was born on October 10, 1928 in Washington DC. His seminary studies were at St. Charles college, Catonsville, Maryland, St. Mary's Seminary, Paca St., Baltimore and at the North American College in Rome with classes at the Gregorian University. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 20, 1952 o'at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.

His first assignment as parochial vicar was at the church of the Little Flower, Bethesda and in 1962 as parochial vicar at Saint Reese of Avila Parish, Washington, DC. In 1965 he was named pastor of Holy Angels Parish, Avenue, Maryland and in 1968 pastor of Saint Margaret of Scotland Parish, Seat Pleasant, Maryland. He was named pastor of Saint Mark the Evangelist parish, Hyattsville, Maryland in 1970, then pastor of Saint Michael parish, Baden, Md in 1987 and in 1994 as pastor of Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He retired in 2007 and resided in Mount Calvary Parish,  Forrestville, Maryland. In 2013 he moved into Sacred Heart nursing home, Hyattsville, Maryland.

Monsignor Hughes was named a papal chamberlain a 1972 and domestic prelate in 1978. He served on the Priest Senare, as Censor Librorum for the Archdiocese of Washington and was a member of the archdiocesan Board of Education as parish priest examiner. He was dean of southern Prince George's County, a chaplain of the Maryland Knights of Columbus Councils 4076, 3022, 1955 and on many boards and councils for Prince George's County.

The Vigil will be held on Thursday, March 9, 2017, 3 to 7 PM at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The vigil Mass will be at 7:30 PM. Cardinal Wuerl will celebrate the funeral Mass at Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish at 10:30 AM on Friday, March 10, 2017. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton, Maryland.

come together & let our County Commissioners know: WE DO NOT WANT SEX ED IN OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES: attend meeting March 7

Sex Ed in our Public Libraries will be open for televised discussion with St. Mary County Commissioner's Tuesday night (tomorrow night, March 7th) at 6:30 at the 
Leonardtown Gov't Center, Chesapeake Building at 41770 Baldrigde St., Leonardtown MD 20650

ALL concerned citizens of the state of Maryland are welcome to attend. (Library employees are STATE employees). 

A few of the commissioners confirmed with me (as well as in the below article, page 3)
that they are on our side with this, however, we need to show-up to give them political support for any actions that they
might want to take on this issue.

A County Commissioner also confirmed with me today via text
that "the other side is expected to attend, in numbers" who are trying to make this
"a First Amendment" issue.  

The below article reveals that our Library Board & Directors intend to facilitate Sex-Ed in our library in the future.
This *absolutely* cannot stand.

Let's
Libraries usually benefit from silence but, in this case, we must be loud and clear in the correction of their error.

 http://countytimes.somd.com/read/

Catholics in the Archdiocese of Washington are dispensed from the obligation to abstain from eating meat on Friday, March 17, 2017

Dear Brother Priest, 

As we begin this season of Lent, it is good to be reminded of the Church’s call for all Catholics to animate this time of grace with acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Church invites us to deepen our relationship with God through prayer and to express our love of God in our love of our neighbor, especially the poor, whom we assist through almsgiving.

The Church also calls us to deny ourselves of some of the physical comforts we have become accustomed to through fasting. The requirement set forth in the law of the Church asks us to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, which amounts to only eight days of abstaining from meat out of the whole Year. 

Having acknowledged the importance of prayer, fasting and almsgiving during this time of Lent, sometimes, for pastoral and cultural reasons, we are asked to reconsider the rules and regulations, especially regarding abstinence, and consider granting a dispensation. This year, the memorial of Saint Patrick, March 17, falls on a Friday, and we have received several requests for a dispensation from the obligation to abstain from meat on this day.

For pastoral reasons, all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Washington are dispensed from the obligation to abstain from eating meat on Friday, March 17, 2017, the memorial of Saint Patrick. Catholics who avail themselves of this dispensation are encouraged to consider abstaining from eating meat the following day. 

May the Lord bless you and the people you serve with many graces during this holy season of Lent.

With every good wish, I am

                                                    Sincerely in Christ,
                                 
                                                    Most Reverend Barry C. Knestout
                                                    Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia 

Washington archdiocese warns priests against inappropriately associating the Church's Liturgy with political protest

February 22, 2017

Dear Brother Priest,

Recently, Catholic Mass was celebrated in Lafayette Square, across from the White House, for people who were protesting and exercising their free speech rights.

As you can understand, this type of event can cause confusion among the faithful and can potentially diminish the dignity of our liturgical worship by inappropriately associating the Mass with political protest.

It is good to be reminded that the Liturgical Norms and Policies of the Archdiocese of Washington provide that "Every legitimate celebration of the Eucharist in the Archdiocese of Washington is directed by the Archbishop, either in person or through priests who are his helpers” (Norms, 6.3.1); and, “for the celebration of the Eucharist, the people of God normally are gathered together in a church or, if there is no church or if it is too small, then in another respectable place that is nonetheless worthy of so great a mystery.” (Norms, 6.17.1)

If you are approached by a person or group to celebrate Mass anyplace other than an approved Catholic church or Catholic place of worship, please contact my office so that we might assess whether or not to grant permission for the celebration.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. With kind regards, I am

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Reverend Barry C. Knestout Auxiliary Bishop of Washington 

Stop Sex Ed for 12-18 year olds at Waldorf Public Library

From Georgia Kijesky:

See all contact information below);

Sex-Ed class (March 6th, 6-7:30pm)

is sponsored by the Waldorf West Public library & co-sponsored by a LUBRICANT company.

The "educator" is a self-described "vivacious queer, feminist, & dancer." (see below) Twitter account shows she supports abortion. The talk will include "info on local clinics.." The decision to host this "workshop" was made by Ashley Teagle & Sarah Guy, AFTER investigating & reviewing the material Bianca Palmisano would be presenting, Ms. Teagle informed me. She is confident that Ms. Palmisano is an expert on this topic; that the information needs to be available to all members of the community.

It should be noted that this class is advertised ONLY for teens, BUT, Ms. Teagle 

assured me a security officer is present at our facility during the workshop to ensure safety of children. 

Ashley Teagle, Branch Manager of Waldorf West Library, *refuses* tocancel the class, wholeheartedly believes this "safe-space" needs to be provided for
teens interested in this topic so they have access to the information they want that they cannot find anywhere else (same opinion
espoused by St. Mary's County Deputy Director, Maryann Bowman.).
In a nutshell, she apologized & politely told me to go pound sand. How "PC" of her.

So, the class is still on. I find it curious that such "workshops" would need a parent to sign a waiver for their child to attend, however, this workshop is open to ANY child from 12-18 yrs of age. MINORS. This is borderline sex-offender, no? Despite my concerns, Ms. Teagle "respectfully disagreed," and proceeded to assure me the class will still be on.

So, I contacted; spoke with President of Charles County Commissioners, Claudia Bellony-Atanga. Out of everyone I spoke with, she is the *only* one who actually sounded disturbed, and said as much. Although she did use some PC language, like having to remain biased and open, and actually asked me if I'd be just as concerned if Bianca were straight, she took the time to go to Bianca's twitter page while i was on the phone with her and vocally sounded shocked; repulsed. (Understandably so.).

I also spoke with Janet Salazar, Director of Charles County Libraries. She listenedand reservedly expressed shock asked to investigate on her end; will be calling me back.

Neither has--as of yet--committed to cancelling the class, so we must keep the pressure on. As of 2:45pm Tuesday, Feb. 21st, the class is still being advertised made available to our precious children.



Bianca Palmisano: https://twitter.com/Fun_Size_SexEd
is a self-described "vivacious queer, feminist & dancer"
Her FB page (which I do not have access to, but was told,
shows her involved in "safe-sex space for workers" = prostitution.
https://about.me/biancapalmisano

"If the Pope, remiss in his duties and neglectful of his and his neighbour’s salvation, gets caught up in idle business, and if moreover, by his silence ... he leads innumerable hordes of people away from the good"

"If the Pope, remiss in his duties and neglectful of his and his neighbour’s salvation, gets caught up in idle business, and if moreover, by his silence (which actually does more harm to himself and everyone else), he leads innumerable hordes of people away from the good with him, he will be beaten for eternity with many blows alongside that very first slave of hell. However, no person can presume to convict him of any transgressions in this matter, because, although the Pope can judge everyone else, no one may judge him, unless he, for whose perpetual stability all the faithful pray as earnestly as they call to mind the fact that, after God, their own salvation depends on his soundness, is found to have strayed from the faith."

[10] (Gratian, Decretum, Part 1, Distinction 40, Chapter 6.)

Apostolic letter on the Holy Family by Pope Leo XIII

From the Apostolic Letters of Pope Leo XIII

Breve Neminem fugit 14 Junii 1892
When God in his mercy determined to accomplish the work of man's renewal, which same had so many long ages awaited, he appointed and ordained this work on such wise that its very beginning might shew to the world the august spectacle of a Family which was known to be divinely constituted; that therein all men might behold a perfect model, as well of domestic life as of every virtue and pattern of holiness: for such indeed was the Holy Family of Nazareth. There in secret dwelt the Sun of Righteousness, until the time when he should shine out in full splendour in the sight of all nations. There Christ, our God and Saviour, lived with his Virgin Mother, and with that most holy man Joseph, who held to him the place of father. No one can doubt that in this Holy Family was displayed every virtue which can be called forth by an ordinary home life, with its mutual services of charity, its holy intercourse, and its practices of godly piety, since the Holy Family was destined to be a pattern to all others. For that very reason was it established by the merciful designs of Providence, namely, that every Christian, in every walk of life and in every place, might easily, if he would but give heed to it, have before him a motive and a pattern for the good life.

To all fathers of families, Joseph is verily the best model of paternal vigilance and care. In the most holy Virgin Mother of God, mothers may find an excellent example of love, modesty, resignation of spirit, and the perfecting of faith. And in Jesus, who was subject to his parents, the children of the family have a divine pattern of obedience which they can admire, reverence, and imitate. Those who are of noble birth may learn, from this Family of royal blood, how to live simply in times of prosperity, and how to retain their dignity in times of distress. The rich may learn that moral worth is to be more highly esteemed than wealth. Artisans, and all such as are bitterly grieved by the narrow and slender means of their families, if they would but consider the sublime holiness of the members of this domestic fellowship, cannot fail to find some cause for rejoicing in their lot, rather than for being merely dissatisfied with it. In common with the Holy Family, they have to work, and to provide for the daily wants of life. Joseph had to engage in trade, in order to live; even the divine hands laboured at an artisan's calling. It is not to be wondered at, that the wealthiest men, if truly wise, have been willing to cast away their riches, and to embrace a life of poverty with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

From the foregoing it is evident how natural and fitting it was that devotion to the Holy Family should in due time have grown up amongst Catholics; and once begun, that it should spread far and wide. Proof of this lieth first in the sodalities instituted under the ínvocation of the Holy Family; then in the unique honours bestowed upon it; and above all, by the privileges and favours granted to this devotion by our predecessors to stimulate fervour and piety in its regard. This devotion was already held in great esteem in the seventeenth century. Widely propagated in Italy, France, and Belgium, it spread over almost the whole of Europe; thence, crossing the wide ocean, through Canada it made is way in the Americas, and finding favour there, became very flourishing. Indeed, among Christian families, nothing more salutary nor efficacious can be imagined than the example of the Holy Family, where are to be found all domestic virtues in perfection and completeness. When Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are invoked in the home, charity is likely to be maintained in the family through their example and heavenly entreaty; a good influence is thus exerted over conduct; the practice of virtue is thus incited; and thus the hardships which are everywhere wont to harass mankind, are both mitigated and made easier to bear. To increase devotion to the Holy Family, Pope Leo XIII prescribed that Christian families should be consecrated thereto. Benedict XV extended the Mass and Office to the whole Church.