Uncategorized

A New Look for My Website

By Fr. Jeff | 02/27/2024

After three months of much work, my website has a new look. Those of you who know me, know that I normally update my website myself. The change started when my old blog crashed in November. It didn’t work for three days.…

Read More

The Hidden Depths of the Mass #23

By Fr. Jeff | 01/11/2024

The Eucharistic Prayer – Preface The Eucharistic Prayer starts with a preface.  The preface begins with the priest saying, “The Lord be with you” and the people responding, “and with your Spirit.”  The preface ends with the “Holy, Holy, Holy.”…

Read More

Does the Profound Deserve a Capital Letter?

By Fr. Jeff | 03/07/2023

After a few weeks of some in-depth reflection articles, today I would like to offer a simpler and brief reflection. I pose a question, “Does the profound deserve a capital letter?”. In school we learn the English rules of grammar.…

Read More

Musings

By Fr. Jeff | 08/16/2022

While it is summer, I have been busy with the various activities that go with normal parish life. I have also been busy preparing for my presentation next week, Praying the Rosary From the Heart, on Thursday, August 25th, available…

Read More

A Busy Week

By Fr. Jeff | 11/16/2021

I find myself having gone a week without posting an article here (except for the normal reflection on the Sunday readings). I haven’t written for two reasons. First, I find myself without definitive thoughts to write about. Sometimes an idea…

Read More

Three Weeks

By Fr. Jeff | 04/09/2021

It has been three weeks since I posted an article here that wasn’t a homily. Of course, there were several homilies in this time period. Besides the normal Sunday homilies, I posted my homilies from the Solemnity of St. Joseph,…

Read More

Seeking Your Input

By Fr. Jeff | 03/13/2021

If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know that when the Coronavirus pandemic shutdown began, the number of articles I post here greatly increased. I very much enjoy written articles here, as well as on my…

Read More

Got Questions?

By Fr. Jeff | 06/12/2020

Those of you who are longtime readers of my blog know that sometimes I can go months without writing here on my blog except for posting my Sunday homily. Those long gaps are never my goal. I very much enjoy…

Read More

A Little About This Blog and an Invitation for Feedback

By Fr. Jeff | 04/20/2020

During this time of the Coronavirus I have been posting articles here on the blog every two to three days.  I have very much enjoyed being able to do this.  I started this blog about ten years ago (see “Why…

Read More

Some Thoughts on Atheism

By Fr. Jeff | 01/19/2020

I just finished reading a book called Inside the Atheist Mind: Unmasking the Religion of Those Who Say There is No God by Anthony DeStefano (Nelson Books, Nashville. 2018). Before I highlight a couple of ideas from the book, I…

Read More

Problems with the Blog

By Fr. Jeff | 07/22/2019

For those who subscribe by email to this blog, you may have noticed nothing was being sent out the last couple of weeks. There were technical problems with the blog that appeared to be fixed now (the blog was completely…

Read More

To One Who Has

By Fr. Jeff | 09/24/2018

The gospel for today’s (9-24-18, Monday of 25th Week in Ordinary Time) is a fairly short gospel but I would like to break it into three parts. Part One “Jesus said to the crowd:  “No one who lights a lamp conceals…

Read More

Reflection for Baccalaureate

By Fr. Jeff | 06/18/2018

Tonight I have the honor of offering a reflection during the Newark High School Baccalaureate. It is addressed to this year’s graduating class. Here is my reflection for them: To our graduating seniors, you are about to celebrate a milestone…

Read More

Column for the May 24, 2018 Sun & Record/Wayne County Mail

By Fr. Jeff | 05/25/2018

In addition to what you find posted here on my blog, I write a column about once a month for the Sun & Record/Wayne County Mail? His column this month is found on page 8 of the May 24, 2018…

Read More

Living as Disciples

By Fr. Jeff | 11/22/2017

Today’s first reading (11/22/17, 33rd Wednesday in Ordinary Time, Year One) continues on the same struggle as yesterday’s first reading.  Yesterday, Eleazar, a 90 year old man who remained faithful to the Jewish customs was being forced to choose between being…

Read More

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

By Fr. Jeff | 09/14/2017

Today, September 14th, we celebrate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.  It is a feast, like every saint memorial or feast, that we celebrate every year but yet it is different.  Logistically, because of the importance of…

Read More

Who is Your God?

By Fr. Jeff | 07/20/2017

Today’s first reading continues the story of Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush.  God told Moses that he would send him to rescue the Israelites from Egypt.  Moses asked whom should he tell them sent him.  For us…

Read More

A Year to Bear Fruit

By Fr. Jeff | 06/28/2017

As I began reflecting upon today’s gospel and the idea of “bearing good fruit” I thought about how it takes time to bear fruit.  If we plant a seed we know it will take time for the seed to grow…

Read More

NASCAR Driver Johnny Sauter and Faith

By Fr. Jeff | 06/03/2017

Last night I was watching the NASCAR truck race.  Johnny Sauter won the race and in victory lane on national TV said it was great to win in the month of June, the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,…

Read More

Why it is Important That We Reached Our CMA Goal

By Fr. Jeff | 05/29/2017

This weekend I had the pleasure of announcing at Mass that, for the first time in long as anyone remembers, our parish reached our Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) goal.  You can read the letter Bishop Matano wrote to our parish…

Read More

Accomplishment vs. Meaning: What Drives You?

By Fr. Jeff | 04/30/2017

I have been reflecting on what fulfills me.  What is it that motivates me in what I do?  Ultimately, I am trying to fulfill God’s will for me.  Initially one might think it should be easy to do God’s will.…

Read More

Video of “Navigating the Bible” Session

By Fr. Jeff | 03/23/2017

On Monday night I led a session called “Navigating the Bible.”  I say “session” as opposed to having used “presentation” because the format of this one, like my last session, “Lenten Customs,” was of a different format in the past.  This time,…

Read More

Hope

By Fr. Jeff | 03/15/2017

For those of you who don’t know, I serve at St. Michael Church in Newark in Wayne County, New York, which is bordered on the north by Lake Ontario.  That means today (Wednesday, March 15, 2017) we have about 18…

Read More

Judging the Circumstances

By Fr. Jeff | 03/13/2017

Today’s gospel begins, “Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” The line “Be merciful, just as your Father is…

Read More

I Do Belief, Help My Unbelief

By Fr. Jeff | 02/20/2017

In today’s Gospel (February 20, 2017) we hear the story of Jesus driving out another evil spirit.  He has does this before but this time there is a difference. Before coming to Jesus directly, the boy’s father had asked Jesus to…

Read More

Archives