Bishop-elect Robert Barron's Challenging Appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles

I am one of the thousands ( probably millions) of Catholics who hold Fr. Robert Barron in high regard. He is a great blessing to the Catholic Church.  His YouTube video's, popular website (Word on Fire) and his books as well as his priestly vocation have been a blessing to millions, throughout the world. His Catholicism film series is an award- winning series on the Catholic faith that is a must see for all Catholics. It is a great catechetical tool and I'm always surprised when I meet church- going Catholics who have not seen it. It should be shown in all parishes, with discussion afterwards, as was done in my parish a couple of years ago.
I was amazed to read that next to Pope Francis, he is the "most followed Catholic leader on social media." What an accomplishment, in the modern world!
 I was pleasantly surprised to read that Pope Francis appointed Fr. Barron an auxiliary bishop of  the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. That means that he will be leaving his position as Rector/President of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary, which is located outside of Chicago. So he is definitely going to an area of the country with warmer winters, that's for sure, but California has its share of problems right now and that could be a challenging environment to be in.
Fr. Barron acknowledged that Los Angeles is "an energetic, diverse and creative" Archdiocese and so it seems his own creativity and energy will be an asset to the Church there.  But Los Angeles is a place  where unfortunately some of that creativity has been used to disrespect and dishonor God. What I mean by that is that when I go to the movies, I often hear the name of God being taken in vain and there is no need for that. God has said through the Scriptures that there will be repercussions for dishonoring the name of God. Hollywood doesn't seem to care or perhaps those who make decisions regarding scripts, don't realize what they are doing. I wish they would be more respectful of God's name.
But in any event, I wish Fr. Barron the best of luck and God's blessings in his new assignment.
Let's hope he can be a blessing and a bridge in that creative place he is going to.
NJA

"Blessed Is The Nation"...July 4th, 2015.......

As we celebrate this 4th of July 2015 let us ever be mindful of the great country we live in, (if America is your home).  In this great country,  my family was given opportunities to live and thrive in freedom. I am ever grateful for the blessing I received when I was born in America to Italian-American parents. My grandparents came from Italy and they crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the hope they would have a better life for themselves and future generations and that has come to be. Thank You Lord!
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 33:12). Our nation is in need of blessings, so that we can continue to thrive and grow.  God has to remain part of the equation. The founding fathers of this great land always believed that God would greatly bless us and that too has come to be. But to forget God or ignore God's power, goodness and generosity would be opening ourselves to more problems than we need at this time in history or any time for that matter.
And so I pray on this Independence Day that we will continue to recognize the place God has in our democracy and to give God glory and praise for this great country of America and also remember the great Americans who have gone before us, who have helped maintain our freedom,  peace and greatness. God Bless America!
NJA

Abraham Lincoln  (16th President of the United States) ....
" We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own."  ((1863)