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Our Blog

Labor Day – The Nature of Work

By Fr. Jeff | 09/07/2026

Today we celebrate Labor Day.  Most working people celebrate Labor Day by taking the day off from work as if “work” is something to avoid.  It is in work that we may find fulfillment.  Here I want to distinguish between work and a job.  Work is something…

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23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 09/06/2026

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Ezekiel 33:7-9 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8) Romans 13:8-10 Matthew 18:15-20September 6, 2026  Silence is not the answer.  Much of the world tells us to be silent about our faith.  They claim that faith is a private matter not to be talked…

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Being Authentically Catholic

By Fr. Jeff | 09/03/2026

As I work on our evangelization ministry, a recurring question is how do we get people to listen and engage with what our faith teaches.  This is true for people who do attend Mass.  It is even more true for those who do not come to church.    How do we…

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22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/30/2026

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (2b) Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27 August 30, 2026  When Jesus asked Peter, “who do you say that I am”, Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Peter got it write!  Or did he?  Jesus…

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New Video – A Reason For His Hope

By Fr. Jeff | 08/29/2026

This morning I offered a presentation called A Reason For His Hope. In this presentation I tell the story of my journey of faith in a way that I hope shows why our Catholic faith is important to me and…

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St. Louis IX, Patron of Our Parish (2026) – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/25/2026

St. Louis IX, Our Patron SaintIsaiah 58:6-11Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8a-9Matthew 22:34-40August 25, 2026 In the United States Catholic liturgical calendar, August 25th, is the Optional Memorial of St. Louis of France.  As an optional memorial, most parishes will use the…

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21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) 

By Fr. Jeff | 08/23/2026

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8 (8bc) Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20 August 23, 2026  Who do you say that Jesus is?  If someone asks you to tell them who Jesus is, what would you say to them?  The people in today’s gospel reading think Jesus…

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How Are We to Respond? 

By Fr. Jeff | 08/21/2026

How are we to respond when a politician says or does something we disagree with?  The same we respond to anyone, as a disciple of Jesus.  No, I am not trying to be political.  I am thinking about people who tell me how statements and actions made by our…

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New Presentation Coming – “A Reason For His Hope”

By Fr. Jeff | 08/19/2026

At my new parish assignment, I will soon be giving an in-person presentation telling my journey of faith with the goal of helping people understand where our faith is important to me. I have decided to offer this presentation via…

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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) 

By Fr. Jeff | 08/16/2026

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 (4) Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 August 16, 2026  Word of Jesus and his power to heal was spreading.  It had reached even the ears of a Canaanite woman whose daughter…

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Faith and Choice

By Fr. Jeff | 08/15/2026

When there is discussion about issues like abortion, assisted suicide, and LGBT issues, often one of the arguments used regarding other people being allowed to choose these things is the argument of choice.  People using this argument will claim that you might think it is wrong but everyone must…

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19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 08/09/2026

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13aPsalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 (8)Romans 9:1-5Matthew 14:22-23August 9, 2026 Elijah took shelter in a cave.  Why?  Did he expect to find God there?  If you read the passage leading up…

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18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) 

By Fr. Jeff | 08/02/2026

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 55:1-3 Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18 (16) Romans 8:35, 37-39 Matthew 14:13-21 August 2, 2026  Even when Jesus moved from one place to another, the crowds followed him.  As He saw them, “his heart was moved with pity for them.”  With his Most…

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A Heavy Heart

By Fr. Jeff | 08/01/2026

I write today with a heavy heart, a heart weighed done in suffering as we are just days away from assisted suicide becoming legal in New York State.  It happens on August 5th. This is “a time to weep, and…a time to mourn” (Ecclesiastes…

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The Need for Evangelization

By Fr. Jeff | 07/30/2026

Last week, in my article, “The New Parish,” I mentioned that I now have time to work on evangelization ministry that is near and dear to me.  I thank God that I have been able to spend a significant amount of time working on evangelization ministry and, since last week’s article, prolife ministries.  This…

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Seeking the Lord’s Will

By Fr. Jeff | 07/28/2026

Are you part of the good seed or are you part of the weeds?  Today’s gospel reading invites us to ask ourselves if we are following God’s Will or not.  God is patient with us but there will be a final judgment.  Where do you plan to…

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17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) 

By Fr. Jeff | 07/26/2026

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130 (97a)Romans 8:28-30 Matthew 13:44-52 July 26, 2026  Our Lord appeared to Solomon with an incredible offer, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”…

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The New Parish

By Fr. Jeff | 07/20/2026

In May I announced I would be moving to a new assignment (see my homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter and my previous post, “Working For a Better Future”.  In those posts I explained my reasons for moving to a new parish.  I was tired and found myself not able to work on…

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026) 

By Fr. Jeff | 07/19/2026

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 (5a) Romans 8:26-27 Matthew 13:24-43 July 19, 2026  What image of God do you have?  Do you see God as loving?  God the Father sent his Son Jesus to save us through his death on the Cross. The general…

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Knowing Our Parish Patron Saints

By Fr. Jeff | 07/16/2026

It is a tradition in our Catholic faith that each church bears the name of a saint(s) or a name that reflects Jesus Christ’s gift of grace such as Blessed Sacrament or Mount Calvary as the place where Jesus was crucified for…

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15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 07/12/2026

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 (Luke 8:8) Romans 8:18-23 Matthew 13:1-23 July 12, 2026  How do you view suffering?  Paul writes, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for…

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily (2026)

By Fr. Jeff | 07/08/2026

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AZechariah 9:9-10Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 (1)Romans 8:9, 11-13Matthew 11:25-30July 5, 2026 As I have been transitioning from my last parish to here (St. Louis Church), I have been reflecting on what God is…

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Change Leads to Reflection

By Fr. Jeff | 06/29/2026

As my homily for this past Sunday showed, my upcoming change in assignment has led me to some reflection.  In my homily I mentioned some of the good things that happened in the parishes during my five years of service at St. Mary’s of the Lake and St. Benedict’s.  I have…

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