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Our Blog

Understanding Eucharistic Culture

By Fr. Jeff | 08/01/2023

Last week I wrote my first article, “What Does It Mean to be a Eucharistic People,” on Timothy P. O’Malley’s book, Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press. 2022, part of the…

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Do We See What God Offers as a Treasure?

By Fr. Jeff | 07/30/2023

In today’s gospel Jesus continues to teach in parables. The first two parables speak of something so valuable that one would be willing to sell everything that one has to obtain the treasure that is offered. Jesus says the Kingdom…

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What Does It Mean to be a Eucharistic People?

By Fr. Jeff | 07/25/2023

Almost three and a half years ago, our churches were shutdown by the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic. In his new book, Becoming Eucharistic People: The Hope and Promise of Parish Life (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press. 2022), part…

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 07/23/2023

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AWisdom 12:13, 16-19Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 (5a)Romans 8:26-27Matthew 13:24-43July 23, 2023 “Where have the weeds come from?” The man had sowed only good seed.  Why were weeds growing in the field? His enemy had…

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Looking Ahead to a New Series in the Fall

By Fr. Jeff | 07/18/2023

I am presently planning to do a fall series of presentations of discipleship. The question at hand is what does it mean to be a Christian disciple. With that in mind, I thought I would share some initial thoughts with…

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15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 07/16/2023

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 55:10-11Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 (Luke 8:8)Romans 8:18-23Matthew 13:1-23 July 16, 2023 The crowds that came to Jesus were large.  They all had heard something about Jesus that drew them there.  Perhaps they…

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Limbo and the Baptism of Children

By Fr. Jeff | 07/11/2023

Recently I wrote an article, “When to Call the Priest,” to help people understand the change of understanding from Extreme Unction/Last Rites to the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Today I would like to offer some thoughts on…

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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

By Fr. Jeff | 07/09/2023

In the time of our first reading today the Israelites were under foreign rule. Israel had been a great nation but had been defeated by their enemies. They were saddened in this situation. Through the prophet Zechariah the Lord tells…

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Two Good Decisions

By Fr. Jeff | 07/04/2023

Last week the United States Supreme Court issued decisions on two cases involving religious freedom. The first case was 303 Creative vs. Elenis (see Kevin J. Jones, “Supreme Court sides with web designer opposed to same-sex marriage” Catholic News Agency.…

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

By Fr. Jeff | 07/02/2023

Elisha spent much time travelling to deliver God’s message as his prophet. Today, we hear of the woman who urged him to dine at her house. She knew that Elisha was “a holy man of God.” She was already “a…

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When to Call the Priest

By Fr. Jeff | 06/27/2023

Jesus Christ instituted seven Sacraments as channels of God offering his grace to us (see my series, Sacraments: Channels of God’s Grace for our Catholic understanding of the Sacraments). These are divided into three categories, initiation, healing, and service. There…

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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 06/25/2023

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AJeremiah 20:10-13Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 (14c)Romans 5:12-15Matthew 10:26-33June 25, 2023 Jeremiah faced danger.  He heard “the whisperings of many” who sought to “denounce him.”  Why did they want to denounce him?  Because he…

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The Impact of Relativism

By Fr. Jeff | 06/20/2023

In attempt to understand gender ideology, in recent months I have been reading various materials related to the topic. I find it a topic difficult to understand. For me, part of the problem is that acceptance of gender ideology is…

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We Are His People

By Fr. Jeff | 06/18/2023

God did not simply free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and walk away. Rather, He chose to establish a covenant with them (see today’s first reading). In doing so, He formed a relationship with them. It was not a…

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The Importance of Hell

By Fr. Jeff | 06/13/2023

You might be surprised by the title of this article, “The Importance of Hell.” Is Hell important? It is important for us to know that Hell exist and that people can actually end up there. Now, while our Catholic Church…

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The Most Holy Blood of Christ, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 06/11/2023

The Most Holy Body and Blood of ChristDeuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16aPsalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 (12)1 Corinthians 10:16-17John 6:51-58June 11, 2023 The Book of Deuteronomy is seen as a farewell address by Moses as he reminds the people of what the Lord…

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More From “The Old Evangelization”

By Fr. Jeff | 06/06/2023

Last week I began my reflection on The Old Evangelization: How to Spread the Faith Like Jesus Did by Eric Sammons (El Cajon, CA: Catholic Answers Press. 2017) with my article “Discipleship Necessitates Evangelization.” In that article, I presented Sammons’ discussion…

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Three Yet One

By Fr. Jeff | 06/04/2023

This Sunday we celebrate The Most Holy Trinity. In today’s second reading, Paul concludes his Second Letter to the Corinthians invoking the Trinity as he writes, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the…

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Discipleship Necessitates Evangelization

By Fr. Jeff | 05/30/2023

I recently read The Old Evangelization: How to Spread the Faith Like Jesus Did by Eric Sammons (El Cajon, CA: Catholic Answers Press. 2017). When I saw the title, I ordered it based on my continuing desire to evangelize. As…

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Honoring Mary and Honoring Those Who Died in Service

By Fr. Jeff | 05/29/2023

A few years ago Pope Francis decreed that the Monday after Pentecost would be celebrated as the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. That’s today (5/29/23). Our first reading today comes from Genesis right after Adam…

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Pentecost – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 05/28/2023

PentecostActs 2:1-11Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 (30)1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13John 20:19-23May 28, 2023 Our passage from Acts today begins, “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled…”  We need to realize there are two meanings to this.  First, it was…

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Is Nothing Sacred?

By Fr. Jeff | 05/22/2023

Last Friday I read a news article, “Shooting at funeral home in Ecuador leaves four dead,” (by Diego Lopez Marina, Catholic News Agency, 5/19/23. Available online at https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/254364/shooting-at-funeral-home-in-ecuador-leaves-four-dead). It is not the first time I have heard of a shooting…

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The Time Between

By Fr. Jeff | 05/21/2023

“After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles returned to Jerusalem.” There, “they went to the upper room” (first reading for this 7th Sunday of Easter) The upper room is where they had gathered with Jesus after his…

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Knowing What the Truth Is

By Fr. Jeff | 05/16/2023

Throughout the Easter season the first reading for both daily and Sunday Mass (albeit on separate cycles) comes from the Acts of the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of the early church. The Acts of the…

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A Reason For Your Hope

By Fr. Jeff | 05/14/2023

There is suffering in the world. We wish there wasn’t. We pray for an end to all suffering. We need to seek to do our part to alleviate suffering. Yet, we know the reality is that there is suffering. It…

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