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You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing. These are the words spoken by the Prophet Isaiah in the first reading for Christmas Mass During the Night. Today we can truly know abundant joy and great rejoicing for as…
Read MoreThis morning I joined our school children for Morning Prayer. I asked them if there was an important day coming up to which they responded yes. Then, I asked what the day was. Lots of hands went up and I…
Read MoreMy favorite Christmas song is O Come All Ye Faithful. Even though it is my favorite, I only know one verse of it because that is all I learned as a child. For those of you who don’t know me,…
Read MoreYesterday I said Mass for our school children for the holy day, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As I always do, and especially with the new translations, I looked over the prayers before Mass. Or…
Read MoreWe minister to one another in different ways. As a priest, the prime way that I minister to others is presiding at the celebration of the sacraments. I also minister in teaching RCIA, visiting the sick, and in the work…
Read MoreThe following article appears on the cover of this week’s bulletin, just one week into using the new translations. Fr. Jeff’s Thoughts on the New Roman Missal About a year ago, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced…
Read MoreHere is the homily I shared with parishioners this Sunday as we began Advent and using the new translations of the Roman Missal. 1st Sunday in Advent, Year B Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:33-37 November 27,…
Read MoreHere is my last regular bulletin article on the new translations. Bulletin Article for 11/27/2011 Appreciating the New Translations Today, we begin using the new translations. We may trip up on the words, forgetting to say “And with your spirit”…
Read MoreToday is a national holiday here in the United States. Today we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a holiday celebrated by many people, religious and atheist alike. We have much to give thanks for. While Thanksgiving is considered a secular holiday,…
Read MoreToday (November 20, 2011) is the last Sunday we will use the old Sacramentary for the prayers at Mass. We have used the same translation for over twenty-five years (If you go to daily Mass or Mass on Thanksgiving this week you…
Read MoreBulletin Article for 11/20/2011 Appreciating the New Translations The words the priest says following the Lord’s Prayer change slightly. The principal change is “protect us from all anxiety” becomes “and safe from all distress.” Anxiety and distress? What is the…
Read MoreI titled this article “What Does It Mean to Trust in God?” but the thought behind it really is ‘why doesn’t God answer my prayers?’ In my own life, I very much strive to trust in God, knowing that he…
Read MoreBulletin Article for 11/13/2011 Appreciating the New Translations After the Great Amen, we come to the Lord’s Prayer. Currently, there are various phrases the priest may say to lead us into this awesome prayer that Jesus taught us. In the…
Read MoreMy next article on the New Translations Appreciating the New Translations One of the oddities in the new translation that puzzled me is right after the consecration. Currently, the priest says, “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.” In the…
Read MoreToday (November 2nd) is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. That’s its official title. It is more commonly called All Souls’ Day. Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints honoring all those who are now saints dwelling in…
Read MoreToday we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. It is a holy day of obligation, meaning that we should all gather at Church for Mass today. It is a solemnity and a holy day of obligation because of the important…
Read MoreHere’s my next bulletin article on the new translations Appreciating the New Translations In each Eucharistic Prayer we hear the words over the “chalice”, Take this all of you and drink from it, this is the cup of my blood,…
Read MoreFor some faith seems to part of their lives just for an hour on Sunday. The rest of the week they seem to forget about how our faith calls us to live. God is present among us at all times…
Read MoreBulletin Article for 10/23/11 Appreciating the New Translations One of the deliberate word changes within the Eucharistic Prayers is the changing from the word “cup” to “chalice.” Currently, our tendency is to use the word “cup” to describe the multiple…
Read MoreOne of the few things that is certain in life is that everyone will die at some point. Recently, we had a funeral for a 96-year-old woman who had been very active in the church. Her death had been coming for a…
Read MoreHere’s my bulletin article for 10/16/11 on the new translations. Appreciating the New Translations At the end of the Preface we sing the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy). Currently, it begins Holy, holy, hold Lord, God of power and might.’ “God…
Read MoreBulletin for 10/9/11 Appreciating the New Translations After the gifts are brought up and the altar is prepared the congregation stands and the priest currently says “Pray my brothers and sisters that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the…
Read MoreHere’s my article on the new translations of the Roman Missal for October 2nd. Appreciating the New Translations After the opening prayer, we begin the Liturgy of the Word. Nothing is changing in the readings or the homily (except with…
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