Sacraments

My Latest Presentation on the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation

By Fr. Jeff | 02/07/2020

I just uploaded the video and handouts for the second presentation in my series on the Sacraments. This one is on Baptism and Confirmation. It can be found online at www.renewaloffaith.org/sacramentsinitiation1. Please note that with a lot of good questions,…

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Baptism of the Lord – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 01/12/2020

Baptism of the LordIsaiah 42:1-4, 6-7Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 (11b)Acts 10:34-38Matthew 3:13-17January 12, 2020 Christmas day was 18 days ago.  We began our Christmas season with the story of the birth of our savior “who is Christ and Lord.” …

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New Presentation Series – Sacraments: Channels of God’s Grace

By Fr. Jeff | 01/10/2020

On Wednesday I started a new series of presentations on the Sacraments. It’s a five part series. Here is a link to the first presentation (a general introduction). www.renewaloffaith.org/sacramentsintro Peace, Fr. Jeff

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Advent Penance Homily 2019

By Fr. Jeff | 12/19/2019

Advent Penance Service 2019Isaiah 57:14-21Psalm 63Matthew 3:1-12December 19, 2019 Christmas is coming but it is not yet here. We get excited for Christmas.  Psalm 63, our responsorial psalm today, is one of my favorite psalms because it expresses our desire…

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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.…

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28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

By Fr. Jeff | 10/13/2019

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C2 Kings 5:14-17Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 (see 2b)2 Timothy 2:8-13Luke 17:11-19October 13, 2019 As our first reading begins today, Naaman is “plunged into the Jordan seven times.”  This might remind us of how Jesus…

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4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 02/03/2019

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CJeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13Luke 4:21-30February 3, 2019 This passage from 1 Corinthians is one of the suggested readings for weddings.  I think couples pick it as their…

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2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 01/20/2019

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year CIsaiah 62:1-5Psalm 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-101 Corinthians 12:4-11John 2:1-11January 20, 2019 Having brought our Christmas season to a close last weekend with our celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, we are now in…

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Baptism of the Lord – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 01/13/2019

The Baptism of the LordIsaiah 40:1-5, 9-11Psalm 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30 (1)Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7Luke 3:15-16, 21-22January 13, 2019 Throughout our Christmas season, I’ve talked about the connections between the feasts and solemnities we celebrate during this season. With our…

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Advent Penance Service – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 12/15/2018

Advent Penance Service 2018Colossians 1:12-13Psalm 51Luke 15:1-7December 15, 2018 We are here today to celebrate a Sacrament.  We begin with this Penance Service as a way to pray together before we celebrate the Sacrament individually.  Some call this sacrament Confession.…

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The Presentation of Mary and Our Presentation of Ourselves

By Fr. Jeff | 11/21/2018

Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is celebrated on November 21st marking the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary the New in Jerusalem in the year 543.  As with most of…

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13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 07/01/2018

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Wisdom 1:13-15, 2:23-24 Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13 (2a) 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15 Mark 5:21-43 July 1, 2018 Today we hear of Jesus doing two great healings.  One is for…

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24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 09/17/2017

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Sirach 27:30-28:7 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 Romans 14:7-9 Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus came to offer us “forgiveness” but forgiveness wasn’t “new” with Jesus. We see it in what Sirach writes, “Forgive you neighbor’s…

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God’s Presence

By Fr. Jeff | 09/06/2017

Today’s Gospel for Mass comes from Luke 4:38-44.  It has just seven verses and is set near the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry but it contains much of what we see throughout Jesus’ ministry. We hear how the crowds bring…

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The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 06/18/2017

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 John 6:51-58 Moses speaks to the Israelites of how they were “afflicted with hunger” and God fed them “with manna, a food…

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4th Sunday of Easter, Year A – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 05/07/2017

4th Sunday of Easter, Year A Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 1 Peter 2:20b-25 John 10:1-10 Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter.  Each year on this Sunday we hear Jesus’ Good Shepherd discourse as found…

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“So What’s on the Altar?”

By Fr. Jeff | 02/22/2017

I just a new video.  My previous videos have been approximately one hour-long videos that are video recordings of presentations I have done to parishioners present in the audience. This new video, “So What’s on the Altar?” is a 7 1/2…

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The Sacrament of Reconciliation

By Fr. Jeff | 12/10/2016

Today we have our Advent Penance Service that includes First Penance for some of our children.  Below I share my homily with you to encourage you to think about what the Sacrament of Reconciliation means.  You will find a link…

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Responding to a Question About Intimacy in Marriage

By Fr. Jeff | 11/23/2016

Recently I received the following question, “How does a Catholic man survive in a sexless marriage? I love my wife very much.”  This can be a very challenging situation.  I commend the man for asking this because it tells me…

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Baptism of the Lord, Year C – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 01/10/2016

Baptism of the Lord, Year C Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 Luke 3:15-16; 21-22 January 10, 2016 Our Christmas season began with our Masses on Christmas Eve.  For many people when December 25th ended, Christmas was over but not…

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The Church’s Teaching on Marriage

By Fr. Jeff | 07/04/2015

On June 26th, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that two people of the same gender have the right to marry in our entire country.  Archbishop Kurtz, President of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishop (USCCB) immediately…

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The Anointing of the Sick

By Fr. Jeff | 05/09/2015

Each year our parish celebrates a Mass with the Anointing of the Sick and today is the day.  As I prepare my homily here are some thoughts I would like to share with you. Sacraments are a powerful thing and…

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Baptism of the Lord, Year B – Homily

By Fr. Jeff | 01/11/2015

The Baptism of the Lord Isaiah 55:1-11 1 John 5:1-9 Mark 1:7-11 January 11, 2015 Today our celebration of our Christmas Season draws to a close with our celebration of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus.  Our Christmas Season began…

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People Want to be Forgiven II

By Fr. Jeff | 03/27/2013

Today’s readings (3/27/13), contrast two “people”.  In the reading from Isaiah we hear of the Suffering Servant.  Ultimately this prophecy finds fulfillment in Jesus but we can all fulfill in some way as Christian disciples seeking to God’s Will.  In…

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People Want to Be Forgiven

By Fr. Jeff | 03/17/2013

Over the past few weeks, I have spoken in homilies and during the announcements about the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) and opportunities for people to confess their sins.  With some assistance from our parish Evangelization Team, I created two videos and…

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