An interview with Tony Magliano, author of 'Making a Difference' Part 2

Catholic Online recently started running Tony Magliano's syndicated column, "Making a Difference." Several publications around the world carry "Making a Difference" and Catholic Online is proud to offer this important perspective on social justice to our readers.

a href="https://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=56026">You can read Tony Magliano's latest column by clicking here.

We recently asked Tony a few questions by email, to gain insights into his perspective. The first portion of his interview is published below. Remember to come back to Catholic Online to read Tony's column as it is published every two weeks. You can also read past entries by searching for him by name on here.

Read the first part of this interview here.

4. Marshall Connolly: Who are some of the Catholic personalities you have encountered? What impression or impact did they have on you? Tony Magliano: I saw St. John Paul II four times - and up close in Rome. He was a bigger than life prophet for Christ, the vulnerable and the poor. He powerfully denounced war. He was indeed a peacemaker.
 
I once met Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata. I said to her in the little bit of Hindi I know, "Hello, how are you?" And she replied in Hindi, "Hello. How am I? I am OK." So, I had a brief, wonderful conversation with Mother Teresa in Hindi!
 
I am a friend of Joan Andrews-Bell. Joan is the Daniel Berrigan of the pro-life movement. She has selflessly been arrested around 150 times for nonviolent civil disobedience at many abortion mills. 
 
And speaking of Father Dan Berrigan - who has seen the inside of many prisons for his nonviolent civil disobedience at military bases and military weapons factories - I once had the honor of interviewing this courageous prophet for peace. He said U.S. Catholics need to ask themselves the question: "Am I a Catholic-American or an American-Catholic?" What comes first for you, faith or country?
 
5. Marshall Connolly: What issue is closest to your heart and why?

Tony Magliano: I am a strong proponent of the Catholic Church's consistent ethic of life teaching. This teaching links all the pro-life, social justice and peace issues together. For as St. John Paul II in his encyclical The Gospel of Life said,""Where life is involved, the service of charity must be profoundly consistent. It cannot tolerate bias and discrimination." Catholic social teaching clearly calls us to protect and promote the lives and dignity of all -especially the vulnerable and poor. Everyone counts in the eyes of God.
  
 
6. Marshall Connolly: There are a lot of young Catholics who read Catholic Online. Nearly half of our demographic is youth (according to what I have been told). Although you're still young yourself, what message do you have for these readers?

Tony Magliano: Well, at 61 I'm not exactly young, but I am certainly young at heart. I would like to say to young Catholics, be yourself, but as St. Francis de Sales advised, be your absolute best self! Allow Jesus Christ to be the center of your life. Celebrate the sacraments, develop a deep prayer-life, read and pray over the scriptures - especially the four Gospels, actively search for ways to serve the poor and vulnerable every day, become knowledgeable of Catholic social teaching and strive to put it into practice, advocate in person and online for just and charitable laws and policies that especially serve the needy, and strive to let your idealism and enthusiasm for social justice and peace be an inspiration for the entire Catholic Church and world!

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