We are a democracy, and we get the leaders we deserve because we elect them.
The Church is not fully Church if it lacks dialogue.
We want to let people know that we can build solidarity with suffering folks so that they are not excluded, they are integrated.
'Dialogue' is not a dirty word; it's our word.
We're not a Church of preservation but rather a Church of proclamation. To achieve this end, we must be open to significant, if not revolutionary, changes in how the Archdiocese with its parishes and ministries is organized, how it's resourced, how it's staffed.
We don't need military weapons in our society. We're not supposed to be at war with one another.
People are looking for a way in which their spiritual life can be deepened. They are finding it in some of our Catholic parishes and sometimes not in others, and that opens the door for them to go elsewhere.
I want to be a partner with business, labor, civic leaders, foundations, other churches so that we can work together... If I can talk to all of these people and have something in common, maybe I can get them to see that they also have something in common with each other when we come together.
I take time to be with people, and I learn a lot.
For me, the real goal is how do we make vibrant and vital faith communities that are sustainable for the long run.
I don't want the abnormal or something special. I want to have a normal life.
Realities are greater than ideas. Because sometimes ideas can separate us unnecessarily. So let's attend to the realities that we have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. That's what I want to do.
We don't need more divisive language or programs and policies that are going to tear the fabric of the nation apart.
The Eucharist is an opportunity of grace and conversion. It's also a time of forgiveness of sins, so my hope would be that grace would be instrumental in bringing people to the truth.
I don't think sometimes people in positions of leadership in the church really engage gay and lesbian people and talk to them and get to know about their lives.
We're all different; we all have our ways of understanding ourselves and the way we live our lives and struggle with our humanity.
Getting to know people as they are is very, very important.
Every school that I have ever attended, except for kindergarten, I went to a Catholic institution.
Radical individualism can be very sad.
We realize there is no political party or politician who fully takes into consideration the issues the church is about. This is nothing new to us.
