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Here is this week’s homily from the Bread of Life Discourse 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 1 Kings 19:4-8 Ephesians 4:30-5:2 John 6:41-51 August 5, 2012 Elijah has apparently decided to give up but why? If you go…
Read MoreToday’s Gospel Reading (Saturday, 8/11/12, 18th Week in Ordinary Time) always make me ask how strong is my faith. In this particular gospel, a man comes to Jesus seeking help for his son. Jesus’ disciples (who have already done some…
Read More18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Ephesians 4:17 20-24 John 6:24-35 August 5, 2012 Jesus has fed the people (5,000 of them!). They are following him. Ideally they would be following him because they had come…
Read MoreOur Sunday gospels right now come from Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. For those new to my blog I don’t often put my homilies on this blog because my homily constantly develops over the week and I don’t…
Read MoreAnother ten days has passed since I last wrote. The funerals have slowed down with just one funeral in church and a separate burial last week. That doesn’t mean everything has slowed down. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday of this…
Read MoreWell, today is four weeks since my arrival at Immaculate Conception. If you remember my earlier writings, Sr. Edna had spoken to me as I was carrying in my boxes to schedule a funeral.  Tomorrow, I will preside at my eighth funeral since my…
Read MoreHere is my homily for Sunday, July 22nd. 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Jeremiah 23:1-6 Ephesians 2:13-18 Mark 6:30-34 July 22, 2012 Once again the apostles gather with Jesus. But this time their gathering takes on a different…
Read MoreToday is three weeks since my arrival as the pastor of Immaculate Conception Church. Last week I spoke about how busy I have been. I continue to be busy with funerals and meetings. What I am really trying to focus…
Read MoreI titled this article “Summer Slow Down” but there really hasn’t been one for me. The primary reason for that, of course, is my recent appointment as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca. Being new to the parish I…
Read MoreToday (July 4th) we celebrate our country’s independence. It is a good day to think about the principles our country was founded on. The Declaration of Independence, the founding document of our country, states We hold these Truths to be…
Read MoreOne of the things I have been reminded of during my transition to Immaculate Conception is how interconnected we can be. Here are some examples. When one parishioner introduced herself, I recognized the last name and discovered I know her…
Read MoreHere is my homily that I offered this weekend as I began as pastor of Immaculate Conception Church.  For those who haven’t seen me preach, I adjust from Mass to Mass so what follows isn’t always exactly what I said…
Read MoreI officially arrived at Immaculate Conception Church as the pastor on Tuesday (June 26th). As I was carrying boxes into the office, Sr. Edna asked to talk to me about a funeral. She apologized for having to ask so quickly. …
Read MoreIt is the time of year for graduations. Nowadays, we have graduations from Pre-K, Kindergarten, elementary school, high school, and college. Graduations mark the accomplishment of learning. They come at the end of the school year and are often thought…
Read MoreI left my job with the New York State Department of Transportation in 2000. I then spent two years in Rochester completing my pre-theology studies. Then I went to Washington, DC at Theological College for two years. Next, I was…
Read MoreKnowing there are a number of new people reading my blog in the last couple of months I just want to take a moment to let people know that if you post a comment, it is important that you make…
Read MoreHere is the homily I gave today. Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood, Year B Exodus 24:3-8 Hebrews 9:11-15 Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 June 10, 2012 While in the desert, the Israelites received the Law from God through Moses. …
Read MoreI am not one to like change but I also believe change is a necessary part of life. There can be no growth without change. Change has been a regular part of my life since I left my job with…
Read MoreI attended a presentation presented by our diocesan tribunal entitled “Where Do Laws Come From?” by Emmett G. Wells, Lay Director of the Tribunal. As the title indicates, the presentation examined the origin of “law” in general. Today, many might…
Read MoreI present my homily for today (May 20, 2012 – 7th Sunday in Easter, Year B) here because, building from the first reading, I talk about how we select leaders in the church and government. If you have never heard…
Read MoreHere is the article I wrote for the cover of today’s (Mother’s Day) bulletin. In the Church today we celebrate the Sixth Sunday of Easter but we also recognize today as Mother’s Day. We take time each year on the…
Read MoreI put the title of this article in quotations because it is not actually my title. It is the title of a talk I heard today by John L. Allen, Jr. and it is also the title of his book…
Read MoreIn this Sunday’s (May 6, 2012) Gospel, Jesus proclaims “I am the vine, you are the branches” and He calls us to “remain in him.” What do we do to remain in Jesus? It begins with coming to Mass but…
Read MoreFor several years the Diocese of Rochester has held an annual Stewardship day with a featured speaker. This year it was a combined theme of Evangelization and Stewardship with a guest speaker. The New Evangelization calls us to learn more…
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