Congratulatons Msgr. Ranieri! Ad Multos Annos!

After two years of college seminary, Joseph Ranieri learned the Archdiocese of New York would not allow him to become a priest. The reason: New York had “too many priests.” 

Ranieri was informed that — as the child of a broken home — he did not “make the cut” for the see’s major seminary.

Just as his road to the priesthood seemed to come to a dead-end in New York, God opened a new path. And for the past 60 years, Msgr. Ranieri, 86, has served as a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington instead.

“But that was God’s providence,” he told the Register, his New York accent as strong as ever. “I would not have traded my ministry in Washington for anything in the world.”

More than 65 years after New York thought he would not make much of a priest, Msgr. Joseph Ranieri received a different letter from the current archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan. This time, Msgr. Ranieri was asked to accept a 2018 “People of Life” award from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to give national recognition to his 10 years of priestly ministry with Project Rachel, a post-abortion-healing ministry.

To read the full story, please go to NCR.

Are you struggling with the emotional & spiritual pain of abortion?

Are you struggling with the emotional and spiritual pain of abortion?

The Washington DC/Maryland Rachel's Vinyard Retreat Team will host a healing retreat the weekend of March 2-4, 2012. The retreat, in English and Spanish, for both men and women, offers an opportunity to help one to understand that God loves us despite our human failures and weakneses.

For more information, contact Deborah Penzak at dpenzak@hotmail.com.

Had an Abortion? Feeling shame? Guilt? Sadness?

Today is the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision on aborton. I have decided not to bring you a story about the March for Life but of one that may help those who are experiencing the sadness and guilt of having an abortion.

Project Rachel Ministry; sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington, is hosting a support group for women who have feelings of shame, guilt, sadness and other difficult emotions, over their abortion experience.

The support group meets weekly.

For additional information, including location, e-mail Julia Shelava ProjectRachel@adw.org.