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Dec 2, 2024 | 
blackcatholicmessenger.org | Nathaniel Tinner |Ronald Smith
An Emeryville city councilmember will face a censure vote on Tuesday as tensions flare between the Black Catholic legislator and his colleagues, who have opposed his reform efforts and a recent political challenge against sitting mayor Courtney Welch. Welch successfully moved on Nov. 5 to place an ethics vote against Kalimah Priforce on the city council agenda, alleging violations that were not detailed publicly until 17 days later.
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Nov 30, 2024 | 
blackcatholicmessenger.org | Nathaniel Tinner |Ronald Smith
The latest sex abuse lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs has come just as he was denied bail this week on federal charges that led to his arrest in September. First reported by Deadline, the rapper-turned-mogul has been accused of beating Bryana “Bana” Bongolan and dangling her over the balcony of a 17-story high-rise in Los Angeles in 2016. She is seeking some $10M in damages for emotional distress, according to a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday by attorney James R.
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Nov 1, 2024 | 
blackcatholicmessenger.org | Nathaniel Tinner |Samantha Smith |Ronald Smith
Maryland’s Catholic bishops have commemorated the 160th anniversary of emancipation in the state, marking the day as a “pivotal moment in history.”On this day in 1864, the Maryland Constitution was amended to reflect the dictates of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which did not apply to Maryland because it never seceded from the Union during the Civil War.
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Nov 1, 2024 | 
ncronline.org | Ronald Smith
Pope Francis holds a news conference aboard the papal plane on Sept. 13, 2024, following his 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania. (Reuters/Guglielmo Mangiapane/Pool) Pope Francis recently encouraged American Catholics to vote, and he shared that it is OK to vote for the "lesser evil." The question is, though: Was Francis speaking solely about presidential candidates, or was this inclusive of political parties?
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Jan 10, 2024 | 
columbian.com | Ronald Smith
What does a functioning government look like? Is it one that addresses the issues facing its constituencies? Life issues like: People want to afford to buy a home; they want to feel safe in that home and feel safe on the streets; they want to educate their kids without incurring decades of debt; they want to know that their retirement will be secure and consistent; they want affordable and adequate health care.
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Sep 28, 2023 | 
tulsaworld.com | Ronald Smith
My daughter’s kindergarten class has 18 children. Research shows this is an extremely high number, but one considered very good by Oklahoma standards. The Tulsa Public Schools Staffing Plan states that the target student-to-teacher ratio is 28-to-1. This ratio is based on the district’s budget, which is finite. Funds are cobbled together from various sources, and every dollar has strings attached. Recently, we learned that our school will lose one of three kindergarten teachers.
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Sep 23, 2023 | 
columbian.com | Ronald Smith
I find myself wondering how the “Main Street Republicans,” the moderates, the long-time solid-citizen Republicans, those willing to work across the aisle for the betterment of the U.S., feel about the far-right party members being referred to as “conservative Republicans.” If they are the conservatives, what are the rest of the Republicans, liberals? Is it possible to be an extremist conservative?
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Sep 21, 2023 | 
blackcatholicmessenger.com | Ronald Smith |Nathaniel Tinner
Capitalism and its followers have failed to spread democracy throughout the world. In fact, capitalism has shown dictators, communists, and autocrats how to use money to control nations and keep people in poverty, even while befriending poorer nations to control their natural resources. People say what people want to hear, but how many of us combine our faith with our deeds? Are we acting like hypocrites or following Christian values?
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Aug 21, 2023 | 
blackcatholicmessenger.com | Sara Chinakwe |Ronald Smith |Nathaniel Tinner
The Latin word for Mass is “missa”, which means “to send out.” So every time you leave Mass, you are being sent out on a mission to share God’s light with the world. One of the ways we share our light is by following the Ninth Commandment, which instructs us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Unfortunately, our enslaved ancestors were not given the privilege of receiving neighborly love from those who owned them.
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Aug 20, 2023 | 
blackcatholicmessenger.com | Ronald Smith |Nathaniel Tinner
When the recent Supreme Court decision overturning affirmative action was announced, I warned that more was to come. We should not be surprised that the upheaval has continued. One example, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ actions regarding how slavery will be taught in Florida public schools, is to be condemned by all. Regrettably, DeSantis is just doing what right-wing soccer moms are trying to do all over the country as they take over school boards.
