Traditional Latin Mass in Maryland

In his weekly column, " Thoughts on Our Church ," Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien recounts a brief lesson in Maryland history : The seeds were probably sown centuries ago in a hostile atmosphere for Catholics in the New World. In 1633, as the earliest colonists were about to set sail for “Mary Land”, Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, instructed “his said Governor and Commissioners” that while sailing and upon arrival at their destination “they instruct all the Roman Catholics to be silent on all occasions of discourse concerning matters of religion...” His Excellency then goes on in his thoughtful essay to demonstrate the modern results of this mindset: From those days and even to the present, many Catholics have too often felt that we have still to prove ourselves as truly American. Nothing has seemed capable of persuading the Protestant majority that Catholicism could be compatible with American democracy. It has been said that Catholics’ participation in World Wars

The Archbishop of the "Premier See" of the United States has expressed his thoughts on the invitation of President Obama to the commencement at the University of Notre Dame . In a story written by George Matysek, Jr., His Excellency states his views: Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien said he is “disappointed and bewildered” by the decision of University of Notre Dame officials to honor President Barack Obama with an honorary doctorate at this year’s graduation ceremony. The university announced March 20 that the president would be the commencement speaker at its May 17 graduation. In a March 26 letter, Archbishop O’Brien told Notre Dame President Holy Cross Father John I. Jenkins he “fully supports” the March 24 statement of Bishop John M. D’Arcy of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., that raised concerns about the decision. Bishop D’Arcy pledged not to attend this year’s graduation and cited a 2004 statement by the U.S. Catholic bishops that Catholic institutions “shou