FROM THE CARDINAL

FALL 2021

“THE BODY OF CHRIST.”

“Amen.” 

“The Body of Christ.” 

“Amen.” 

“The Body of Christ.” 

“Amen.”

To some, this might seem dull and repetitive: the same five words, over and over, as people step forward for what outwardly appears to be a bit of unleavened bread. To a priest, however, there is no sound more inspiring – and the longer the line of worshippers repeating it, the better. It’s the sound of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – entering into the souls of the faithful. It’s pure joy.

While we’re at it, here’s another inspiring phrase: It’s good to be back. That’s one we clergy have heard a lot of over the past three months, as more and more Catholics returned to Mass in person.

Let me just say to all who have returned: It’s great to have you back. It’s a blessing to pray with you and to share Jesus with you in our greatest prayer. To those of you still unable to return, we look forward to the day when we will see you again.

Yes, we’ve heard of the Delta variant, and we’ve got our eye on it. Your safety is still a top priority for us. We’re still sanitizing our churches, and if there’s a need to take more precautions, we will follow the expert guidance of our medical team at ArchCare, other medical professionals, and civic leaders.

It seems we are in an age of uncertainty here on Earth. That’s where we are lucky as Catholics – because there are a number of truths about which we can have absolute certainty. The Lord loves each and every one of us. That’s true beyond doubt. Our Blessed Mother watches over us. And from the moment of our baptism, Jesus calls us to Him. Part of that calling is for us to be members of the Body of Christ and receive Him in the Eucharist, to join the community of Christians and witness the love of Jesus among our brothers and sisters.

In this Fall 2021 edition of Archways, our cover story, “Homecoming,” celebrates this time of returning to Mass and to your Catholic community. Come what may, masked or unmasked, distant or close up, I delight in the return of so many, and I invite the rest of the faithful to come home and experience the joy. It’s faith that gives our lives meaning, and it’s through Jesus that we conquer death. 

Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll find a feature about the blessings of Catholic marriage (and the many ways the Church and the Archdiocese of New York can support couples in good times and in bad). In “Our Parish, Our Planet,” you’ll read about how parishioners throughout the archdiocese are inspiring awareness and action toward the goals of Laudato si’, Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environmental crises facing our shared earthly home. “Masculine Genius” considers St. Joseph as a model for Catholic manhood; “Welcoming a Generation Back” addresses efforts to bring young adult Catholics back into the faith; and “Where Priests Are Formed” profiles one of the gems of the archdiocese, St. Joseph’s Seminary, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary.

We hope you find the issue useful, informative, and uplifting.

The Body of Christ.

Amen.

Yours in Christ,
Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York