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Last night, our parish school in Penn Yan (St. Michael’s School) held its spring concert. The first third of the concert was the band playing instrucmental pieces. The rest of the concert was all the children singing as one large…
Read MoreYesterday was the 7th Annual Stewardship Day in the Diocese of Rochester. Representatives from parishes throughout the diocese gathered to listen to speakers about stewardship. The main speaker was Susan Erschen of the diocese of St. Louis where she is…
Read MoreEach year the priests and administrators of our Rochester Diocese gather for a convocation with a featured speaker. Below follows an article I just wrote about the convocation for an upcoming parish bulletin. Continuing Education There is a saying, “We…
Read MoreOn Good Friday, Jesus died for us. On Easter, he rose to new life and he promises a share in the new life in his Father’s kingdom to all who believe in him. We enter into that new life in…
Read MoreThis is the holiest time of the year. Last night (Thursday), we celebrated the Institution of the Eucharist and the Washing of the Feet. Today is Good Friday, the day which we celebrate the Crucifixion of Jesus. Yes, we celebrate…
Read MoreHere are some more of my thoughts on words we use to describe God. Potter – Isaiah 64:7 says “Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of…
Read MoreThis weekend we begin Holy Week. Easter is the highest day of the year for it is the day we celebrate the Resurrection. Yet, to properly understand Easter, we cannot just look at the Resurrection itself. We must look at…
Read MoreWe continue to talk about words people use to describe God. Today I turn to some “negative” words Trickster/Joker – I was a little surprised to see trickster/joker on the list. I don’t know if I have ever heard God…
Read MoreToday I take a look at some more positive words for God. Friend – Without a doubt, God is a friend. A friend is someone you share close moments with. A friend is someone you can count on to always be there. …
Read MoreToday, I continue to talk about “negative” words that some people use to describe God. Of course, when I use the term “negative” I am already beginning to show my disapproval of the term. Punisher – Does God want to…
Read MoreHere I continue with a few more words one might use to describe God. For the rest of the series, see “Images of God”. Everlasting/Eternal – These two words appear together on the list I am working from but I don’t…
Read MoreRecently, a couple of people asked me if Pope John Paul II had changed the Stations of the Cross in 1991. They had been reading in one of the many lenten prayer books that available and it said that Pope…
Read MoreA couple of days ago I started to write about words that people might use to describe God. I started with tyrant, policeman, and stern judge. Today, I would like to reflect on some positive words. All Powerful One –…
Read MoreNone of us has seen God but we can each have our own way of describing our experience of God. Recently, my spiritual director gave me a list of words that people may use to describe God. He asked me…
Read MoreI received three questions yesterday submitted to the web site and have posted the answers at https://www.renewaloffaith.org/questions.asp#qa. Peace, Fr. Jeff
Read MoreWhen we think of saints, the first thing that comes to mind is often ‘people that are in heaven.’ The second thing that might come to mind is that we pray for their intercession. I emphasize ‘for their intercession’ because…
Read MoreIt seems to me that the number of natural disasters and the size of the disasters has been rising, floods, volcanoes, and earthquakes. The latest, of course, is the earthquake in Japan this week. There is massive damage from the…
Read MoreI just returned this evening from a short time to New York City. Yesterday I attended an all-day meeting of PCNY (the Priests’ Council of New York). We hold quarterly meetings with priests representing all the diocese of New York…
Read MoreI have posted my homily on the Concluding Rites Peace, Fr. Jeff
Read MoreGetting ready for Lent might seem like a strange title for an article. After all, Lent is a season of preparation, a time of seeking conversion. In Lent, we work to open our hearts to God. So, what do we…
Read MoreI have uploaded my homily on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Peace, Fr. Jeff
Read MoreIn today’s gospel (Thursday, February 17, 2011 – Sixth Week in Ordinary Time) Jesus asks him disciples two questions. First, he asks them, “Who do people say that I am?” A nice beginning question, no pressure, simply asks factually what are…
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