In the News
Dear Lord, It has been a challenging year and we still have two months to go. The challenges have come in various ways. Perhaps the one most obvious to all is the Coronavirus Pandemic. Our greatest concern is for those…
Read MoreRecently I was watching the news about the wildfires on the West Coast. They say that over 4 million acres have burned this year. California has already passed their record for the number of acres burned in a single year…
Read MoreIt’s hard to know but it seems like I have heard of increasing numbers of acts of violence (mainly shootings). I currently serve in a parish about thirty minutes outside of Rochester, NY. Last weekend, Rochester had three separate shootings…
Read MoreOne of the things I like to write about here on my blog is current events in the news. I also desire to incorporate current events into my homilies. I think this is important because we need to show our…
Read MoreAs a church, as the people of God, we face difficult times. Right now, we are dealing with the Coronavirus. We are celebrating public Masses (with face masks and social distancing), albeit with smaller numbers as people stay home to…
Read MoreWe face challenges in our world today. Of course, there has been challenges as long as there has been people making bad choices with their free will. There has also being illnesses that challenge us but do not know why…
Read More“Is God Angry With Us?” This is the question that began a comment posted on my blog. It is an important question. It is a question a lot of people may be asking. I think the best way to begin…
Read MoreWe live in stressful times. The Coronavirus is causing us stress in keeping us home from work, school, and leisure activities. Restrictions are beginning to ease but we will continue to be affected by the virus even after things open…
Read MoreEaster VigilGenesis 1:1-2:2Exodus 14:15-15:1Isaiah 55:1-11Romans 6:3-11Matthew 28:1-10April 11, 2020 Tonight we celebrate our Easter Vigil. It is the highest liturgy of our liturgical year. We started our Easter Triduum Thursday evening with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper with the…
Read MoreHoly ThursdayExodus 12:1-8, 11-14Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-181 Corinthians 11:23-26John 13:1-15April 9, 2020 As we begin our Easter Triduum tonight, I note that the Jewish people just began their Passover last night. Our first reading tonight is the story of the…
Read MoreWhat was your life like before the Coronavirus? Maybe you were very busy at work. Maybe you were very busy with your children’s (or grandchildren’s) activities. Maybe you are retired and you didn’t do much because it always seemed like…
Read MoreI write this on Saturday morning just before we celebrate Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday begins Holy Week with our celebration of the Easter Triduum culminating in the Resurrection of Jesus. This year Holy Week will be like no other Holy…
Read MoreIn my most recent blog article, “The Sacrifice of the Mass,” I wrote on how in our celebration of the Eucharist, God makes present for us the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Now, I want to talk about our…
Read MoreIn the articles I have written during the Coronavirus crisis, my discussion about the Eucharist has so far focused on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. It is his Body and Blood that give us spiritual nourishment. Now,…
Read MoreWhen I posted my homily last week, I included a link to an Act of Spiritual Communion and some information about it. It was the first week after Masses were suspended because of the Coronavirus in the Diocese of Rochester…
Read MoreA reminder that you can find a list of Masses online at https://catholiccourier.com/articles/list-of-parishes-with-livestreams-available 5th Sunday of Lent, Year AEzekiel 37:12-14 Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (7)Romans 8:8-11John 11:1-45March 29, 2020 Last week we hear the story of Jesus opening the…
Read MoreWe continue to be separated to do our part to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. I miss seeing the people. I miss gathering together to celebrate the Eucharist. Celebrating the Eucharist is the most important thing we can do.…
Read MoreWe are not currently able to gather together to celebrate Mass because of the Coronavirus. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith (Lumen Gentium, 11). Thus, this time without public celebration of the Eucharist might seem a…
Read MoreDifficult times can bring out the best and the worst in us. It is in our response to difficult times that we witness to the world what we really believe. It is in difficult times that we can find out…
Read MoreFor those unable to attend Mass this Sunday, here are some helpful links before sharing my homily: Catholic Courier list of TV and Online Masses Readings for this Sunday, March 22, 2020 Act of Spiritual Communion 4th Sunday of Lent,…
Read MoreOn Tuesday I wrote an article, “What are We to do Without the Mass” on how we can stay connected to God. There I spoke of the importance of the Eucharist in our lives and pointed to the new “Prayer…
Read MoreThe way in which we live out our faith has changed drastically in the last two weeks. We first heard of the Coronavirus in China back in December. It has been spreading since then. Other countries like Italy began to…
Read More3rd Sunday of Lent, Year AExodus 17:3-7Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Romans 5:1-2, 5-8John 4:5-42March 15, 2020 After God set them free from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites found themselves in the desert thirsting for water. Water is not just a…
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