In the News

Our Desire for the Eucharist

By Fr. Jeff | 03/29/2020

When 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 More

5th Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 03/28/2020

A 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 More

Being “Church”

By Fr. Jeff | 03/26/2020

We 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 More

Staying Connected

By Fr. Jeff | 03/24/2020

We 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 More

Seeing the Best and/or Worst in Us

By Fr. Jeff | 03/22/2020

Difficult 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 More

4th Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 03/21/2020

For 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 More

Facing the Coronavirus With Prayer

By Fr. Jeff | 03/19/2020

On 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 More

What are We to do Without the Mass?

By Fr. Jeff | 03/17/2020

The 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 More

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 03/15/2020

3rd 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…

Read More

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 02/08/2020

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year AIsaiah 58:7-10Psalm 112:4-5, 607, 8-9 (4a)1 Corinthians 2:1-5Matthew 5:13-16February 8, 2020 Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” Who is He speaking to?  Who is the…

Read More

The Application of Just War Theory

By Fr. Jeff | 01/03/2020

I just watched the national news talking about the killing of an Iranian general. Our government says he is responsible for terrorism and was currently planning attacks against American citizens. I do not want to make any judgment on the…

Read More

Providing Meaning

By Fr. Jeff | 10/22/2019

Twelve years ago, on June 30, 2007, I was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. I serve and am incarnated in the Diocese of Rochester. Priests who are incarnated in a diocese are called diocesan or secular priests.…

Read More

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/11/2019

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CWisdom 18:6-9Psalm 93:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22 (17b)Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19Luke 12:32-48August 11, 2019 “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.”  The Lord has chosen to make all of us his children. …

Read More

You Can’t Fight Hate with Hate

By Fr. Jeff | 08/05/2019

We continue to see violence. This Saturday, August 3rd, there was a shooting in El Paso, Texas at a Walmart. The death toll now stands at 22 with more than two dozen injured. Law enforcement officials say the evidence points…

Read More

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 03/03/2019

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CSirach 27:4-7Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (see 2a)1 Corinthians 15:54-58Luke 6:39-45March 3, 2019 “Can a blind person guide a blind person?”  If they try, they may “both fall into a pit.”  If a blind person…

Read More

Another Tragic Shooting

By Fr. Jeff | 11/08/2018

I woke this morning, November 8, 2018, to hear the news of another mass shooting, this time in a bar in southern California.  Twelve people are dead along with the shooter himself.  As I watch the news this evening, a…

Read More

God Our Help and Our Hope – Homily for October 2018 Holy Hour

By Fr. Jeff | 10/17/2018

Homily for October 2018 Holy Hour Ezekiel 34:1-6, 11-12a Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 1 John 1:5-2:2 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 In the days of Ezekiel many shepherds were more concerned about their own wants than taking care of the flock…

Read More

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 09/02/2018

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5 (1a) James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 September 2, 2018 Beginning today and for the next few weeks our second reading comes from the…

Read More

The Parkland Shooting and the 1st Sunday of Lent, Year B – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 02/18/2018

1st Sunday of Lent, Year B Genesis 9:8-15 Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (10) 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:12-15 February 18, 2018 Our readings today begin by taking us back to the time of Noah.  The world had given into sin. …

Read More

Another School Shooting

By Fr. Jeff | 02/15/2018

Today’s first reading begins “Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom.”  We each have a choice.  We can choose “life and prosperity” or “death and gloom“.  We would think everyone would want…

Read More

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 10/08/2017

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 5:1-7 Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20 Philippians 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43 For the Israelites, the use of the image of the vineyard in relation to God was a familiar one.  Isaiah speaks…

Read More

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/20/2017

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus moved on to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  This might have seemed surprising to the Jews.  Tyre and…

Read More

A Voice Crying Out in the Desert

By Fr. Jeff | 08/18/2017

Last week it was the situation in North Korea that was the headlines on the news.  Then came the white nationalist activity in Charlottesville, VA.  Yesterday brought a car driving through a crowd of people in Barcelona Spain.  Today (August…

Read More

Korea & the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 08/13/2017

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus’ disciples found themselves a few miles offshore “being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.” …

Read More

Conflict and the “Joy of the Gospel”

By Fr. Jeff | 08/08/2017

I have been reading Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) for the last couple of weeks (I read slowly as I reflect over the text).  I just read paragraph 227 and was deeply struck by it.  I think it…

Read More

Archives