(Photo © Scott P. Richert)

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On November 12, 2008, at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Francis Cardinal George of Chicago released a statement congratulating President-elect Barack Obama and discussing Catholic concerns about the incoming administration. Cardinal George is the president of the USCCB, but he made it clear that "This statement is written at the request and direction of all the Bishops."

Cardinal George's statement begins by quoting Psalm 127 and then pointing out the role of the Christian faith in advancing the common good:

"If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil." (Psalm 127, vs. 1)

The Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States welcome this moment of historic transition and look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the members of the new Congress for the common good of all.

In order to advance the common good, however, we must as a nation have a proper understanding of that good, and here Cardinal George makes it clear that current political divisions undermine that understanding. Read more...

A reader writes:

I know that the Catholic Church considers both immersion and pouring/sprinking on the head to be valid forms of the Sacrament of Baptism.

My question concerns the traditions of the Eastern Catholic Church. I have seen a few baptisms in Eastern Catholic churches where the baby is immersed in water (just above the waist) and the priest moves the child in the shape of the Cross three times as he says, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." Does it effect the validity of the baptism because the child is immersed, but no water flows on the child's head?

The reader has asked a very good question that highlights one of the fundamental differences in practice between the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church and the Eastern Rites (as well as the Eastern Orthodox Churches).

To answer it, we need to cut to the heart of the matter: For a baptism to be valid, is it necessary for the head of the person being baptized to get wet? Read more...

(Photo © Scott P. Richert)

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