Sacraments

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…

Read More

The Role of Godparent

By Fr. Jeff | 03/09/2013

Recently, the question of who can be a godparent has come to me.  Many see it is as an honor to be chosen to be a godparent.  It is an honor but it also comes with responsibility.  To see it…

Read More

Confession or Spiritual Direction

By Fr. Jeff | 03/03/2013

As Catholics we should be familiar with the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).  Less known, there is also Spiritual Direction.  The two can have a lot of overlap.   The Sacrament of Reconciliation focuses on our sins but can include some conversation that…

Read More

RCIA

By Fr. Jeff | 03/02/2013

Soon we will celebrate Easter.  At the Easter Vigil many people across the world will be baptized and/or received into the Catholic Church.  As that draws closer we are seeing more rites for these people at Sunday Mass.  Lent begins for…

Read More

The Gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation

By Fr. Jeff | 02/20/2013

Many of you may have seen my presentation recorded in January on the story of my faith journey.  One small part in that presentation was a mention of the first time I went to the Sacrament of Reconciliation after my…

Read More

Receiving the Eucharist

By Fr. Jeff | 10/20/2012

The topic of who can receive Communion in the Catholic Church has come up a couple of times in recent weeks.  It probably began about the time we had the “divorce readings” on Sunday.  The topic of divorce and receiving…

Read More

Confirmation

By Fr. Jeff | 10/16/2012

We have six parishioners who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation along with others from our region on October 23rd.  Here at Immaculate Conception I help lead the preparation sessions so I have been thinking about this sacrament…

Read More

By Fr. Jeff | 06/10/2012

Here is the homily I gave today. Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood, Year B Exodus 24:3-8 Hebrews 9:11-15 Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 June 10, 2012 While in the desert, the Israelites received the Law from God through Moses. …

Read More

Do You Let Jesus Forgive You?

By Fr. Jeff | 02/19/2012

Here is my homily for today. 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 Mark 2:1-12 February 19, 2012 Isaiah is speaking in the first reading to the people who have been held in…

Read More

The Forgotten Sacrament

By Fr. Jeff | 01/28/2012

I have been teaching our RCIA Catechumens and Candidates about the Sacraments.  There are seven sacraments that we can separate into three categories.  Under the category of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.  Marriage and Holy Orders are categorized as…

Read More

The Sacrament of Marriage

By Fr. Jeff | 08/20/2011

A primary responsibility of priests is the celebration of the sacraments.  Among them is the Sacrament of Marriage.  Deacons can also witness the Sacrament of Marriage.  I use the word “witness” deliberately because it is the couple that celebrate the…

Read More

Baptism of the Lord

By Fr. Jeff | 01/09/2011

Here is the homily I delivered for the Baptism of the Lord Baptism of the Lord, Year A St. Theresa’s 11:00 a.m. Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Acts 10:34-38 Matthew 3:13-17 January 9, 2011      John the Baptist has been busy calling people…

Read More

Penance

By Fr. Jeff | 12/11/2010

What comes to mind when you hear the word penance?  We often think of penance as the “punishment” we receive when we go to Confession.  That would be true but that definition of penance needs to go a little deeper. …

Read More

Finally, the new articles on Baptism and Original Sin Are Done!

By Fr. Jeff | 08/01/2010

I have finally finished the articles on baptism and original sin.  The web addresses are Baptism- https://www.renewaloffaith.org/ls/baptism.htm Original Sin – https://www.renewaloffaith.org/basics/originalsin.htm Peace, Fr. Jeff

Read More

RCIA

By Fr. Jeff | 07/08/2010

It’s time to think about RCIA but first what is RCIA? RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. RCIA is the process by which a person joins the Catholic Church.  There are two general groups of people…

Read More

What is an Annulment?

By Fr. Jeff | 06/12/2010

This week I was talking to a couple and they said they had read that an annulment is a “Catholic divorce.”  This is not true. A divorce is a civil (government) process that ends a legal relationship.  It views marriage…

Read More

Diaconate Ordination

By Fr. Jeff | 06/05/2010

I attended the ordination in Rochester of nine men to the diaconate today; eight as permanent deacons and one as a transitional diaconate.  It is always a moving event.  This year I knew three of the men.  One from the…

Read More

Restored Order

By Fr. Jeff | 05/27/2010

When did you receive your sacraments? Most of us in the United States were baptized as babies.  We then receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and our First Eucharist around the age of reason (7).  Then, the next sacrament we receive…

Read More

Dying and Rising

By Fr. Jeff | 04/10/2010

We celebrated Easter Sunday last week but our celebration of Easter has not ended.  We celebrate the Easter Season for 50 days until Pentecost.  Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection.  It is the celebration of new life but before…

Read More

The Anointing of the Sick

By Fr. Jeff | 02/18/2010

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not a well-understood sacrament.  Many people who grew up prior to the Second Vatican Council still understand it as “Last Rights.”  Understood as “Last Rights” one would only call for the…

Read More

Archives