Some recent studies have revealed that singing is beneficial for one’s mental health. One study reported that nursing-home residents showed a decrease in anxiety and depression when they joined in a singing program.

The American Robin, when in search of friendship, sings a cheerful song. During courtship, he sings a whisper song and the female responds with a soft chirp. When defending their young against predators, both male and female robins sound an alarming note.

On May 24, 2012, the New Jersey Star-Ledger published an editorial labeling U.S. Catholic bishops partisan. The editorial, entitled Manufactured Fight, took offense at the bishops’ outspoken position against the Obama administration’s mandate for health insurance to provide certain services.

A recent survey has uncovered some interesting statistics about Catholic beliefs and practices. For example, only 42 percent of Catholics are able to name Genesis as the first book of the Bible, in contrast to the 76 percent of Protestants who can.

Since the earliest days, the Church has made good use of catechisms to pass on the faith. In first century Syria, the cradle of Christianity, the Didache (Doctrine of the Apostles) was used. It was a compendium of the apostolic teachings on doctrine, morality, and liturgy.

During a May 6 appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Vice President Biden said, “I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights…”

In his eulogy of President Lincoln, Senator Charles Sumner quoted Lincoln’s own words about his Gettysburg Address. The president had said, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.” Senator Sumner respectfully disagreed.

According to recent statistics, young people (ages 12 to17) spend 103 hours a month watching TV and an average of 31 hours a week using the internet. In the many programs and sites that they view, they encounter the prevalent philosophical thought of our day.

On April 12, 2012, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement on religious liberty entitled Our First, Most Cherished Liberty. Despite the fact that the media, for the most part, has remained silent about the document, it is worth reading.

[The following article is the sequel to the article “Freedom in America: the Question” published in the Beacon] In 1992, the Supreme Court was confronted with the growing restrictions that States were placing upon access to abortion.

Since the introduction of the new liturgical texts for Mass this past Advent, we have become accustomed to new words and new expressions in our common prayer. Some of the changes in the Mass are obvious and readily noticed. But not all.

One of America’s greatest social reformers, writers and statesmen lived when this country was being torn apart by racial prejudice and the horror of slavery. Frederick Douglass was known both in the North and in the South as well as abroad.

In the 17th century, the Flemish chemist J.B. Van Helmont coined the word gas. In 1907, the American humorist G. Burgess coined the word blurb to describe a short summary or brief advertisement. And, most recently, in 2006, Noah Glass coined the word twitter for mass text-messaging with short updates or “tweets.”

According to a recent survey, church goers in America came out ahead of non-church goers in their charitable donations. Individuals who are religious and practice their faith also volunteer and engage more frequently in random acts of kindness. (Cf. Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell, American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, 2010).

On January 3, 2012, the Herald News published a letter to the editor entitled “Diocese Should End Neglect of Cathedral.” The North Haledon resident who took pen to paper and sent his thoughts to the press certainly values the importance of our cathedral. We share with him - and with many others - the desire to see the cathedral repaired and reopened.

Is not this the issue at hand in the heated controversy over healthcare coverage between the Church and the present administration? The free exercise of religion: this is what is at stake.

The Church that Christ began in this area of the world is flesh and blood, and very much alive. And the Church remains alive and strong when her members faithfully live the teaching of Christ and are unafraid to confront with one Catholic voice any government that tramples their freedom of religion into the ground!

In this most recent ruling on healthcare, a government that avidly promotes freedom of choice has decided not to allow Catholics the freedom to choose. It need not be this way. But, the line has been drawn in the sand. Can Catholics simply accept the fact that the Catholic conscience is not to be tolerated in America?

When human life is trampled underfoot, society no longer has a moral foundation. As Pope Benedict XVI has said, "a society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized" (Caritas in Veritate. 15).

The ending of the Gloria remains unchanged. We conclude our joyful praise by acclaiming the very mystery of God who exists from all eternity as the communio of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Into this great mystery, the entire Liturgy lifts us up, giving us a share in the life of the Triune God.