Free Republic

Because marriage between one man and one woman was established by nature itself, neither the government, the courts, nor the Democratic attorney general of Virginia have the “right or legitimate authority to alter the original design of marriage,” said the two Catholic bishops for Virginia, who added that the Catholic Church cannot violate its own teachings and “will continue to defend marriage as a union between a man and a woman.” Bishop Paul S. Loverde, head of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, for northern Virginia, and Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo, head of the Diocese of Richmond, made their statement on...

On a cool and rainy afternoon last week, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde visited Virginia’s Democratic Sens. James Webb and Mark Warner to demonstrate Catholic opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) and any similar legislation. The bishop was accompanied by Father Richard Mullins, Arlington diocesan director of Multicultural Ministries, and Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist Sister Clare Hunter, director of the Respect Life Office, They brought 189,000 postcards that were the result of participation in a nationwide campaign by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to prevent the passage of FOCA. The local effort was coordinated by...

Bishop’s forceful letter is "making the rounds." A U.S. Catholic bishop is speaking out against the evils of pornography and his message is making its way around the world.  In a pastoral letter, Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, Va., said pornography is "an attack on the living Temple of God." He further insisted that the images distort people's ability to see one another as a unique and beautiful expression of God’s creation. The Rev. Terry Specht, spokesman for the Diocese of Arlington, said Bishop Loverde’s message is simple, but profound."Christians are people called apart by God to live a life...

The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on Oct. 15 during the Diocesan Pilgrimage at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. The relationship of mother and child is unique. We know this from our own personal experience: how we would instinctively run to our mother and seek her help in time of need. In the days following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, our hearts were profoundly touched by the pictures of mothers holding their children to protect them. We read — with tears welling from our eyes — the...

What happened? On August 5, 2005 Bishop Paul Loverde suspended Fr. Joseph Clark without notice and without serious cause. Why? On Sunday, July 24 Fr. Clark celebrated the 11:00 a.m. Mass at Holy Family Church in Dale City assisted by a permanent deacon who committed serious liturgical abuses in handling the Precious Blood. After Mass, Father attempted to correct and instruct the deacon who was unreceptive. Father told him in the future he would not permit him to assist if the abuse continued. How did the deacon respond? A few days later Fr. Robert Avella, the Bishop’s Delegate for Clergy,...