Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” exclaimed a very concerned Dorothy in the classic 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.”

Here in Colorado, gardeners are just as exasperated by our “wildlife vs. garden plants” situation.

Once upon a time in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, there were only two seminarians studying for the priesthood. Whenever a young Catholic male expressed interest in learning more about a vocation to the priesthood, there was great rejoicing in all the land, even if he never applied to the seminary. Ordinations were rare but joyful occasions. The likelihood of a priest shortage seemed more real as more and more priests neared the age of retirement.

Click here to watch:
Bishop Golka's Reflection on the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

This summer, I have an incredible opportunity to do a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James.  The Camino de Santiago in Spain is a pilgrimage that Christians have walked for hundreds of years.  With many starting points all around Spain, France and Portugal, pilgrims walk for several days across the countryside to reach the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James the Greater, one of Jesus’ original twelve apostles, is buried. Pretty exciting right?