Uncategorized

It’s Nice to Know People Care

By Fr. Jeff | 09/21/2011

It’s nice to know people care.  I’m not talking about people who care about me.  Two weeks we had major flooding in the southeast corner of our diocese from the remnants of Hurricane Lee.  The Diocese of Rochester in which…

Read More

Working Together As One

By Fr. Jeff | 09/17/2011

To me one of the great treasures of the Catholic Church is that we are not just an agglomeration of individual churches.  Each church has its own building but we share the same liturgy with every Latin Rite Catholic Church…

Read More

Jesus and the Way We Do Our Jobs

By Fr. Jeff | 08/15/2011

Some people seem to think our faith doesn’t have much to do with the way we do our jobs.  A person might say I am accountant or a engineer or work in a government office.  My job doesn’t relate to…

Read More

By Fr. Jeff | 08/14/2011

Today, one of our churches at Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, St. Januarius’, celebrated the dedication of its newly renovated sanctuary.  The present church was built in the 1960’s.  Another one of our churches is having some roof work…

Read More

Who Are We More Like in Faith?

By Fr. Jeff | 08/03/2011

Today’s readings (August 3, 2011) show two different responses of faith.  In the first reading, the Israelites are preparing to enter the promised land.  At God’s command, scouts are sent ahead to explore the area.  The scouts return with reports…

Read More

Death and Life

By Fr. Jeff | 07/30/2011

The post that follows is the article I wrote for the cover of our bulletin at Our Lady of the Lakes for July 31, 2011. Death & Life Jesus knows what it is like to lose a loved one. Today’s…

Read More

Change

By Fr. Jeff | 07/13/2011

Is change a bad thing or a good thing? There are people who resist any change.  Their argument may be as simple as ‘we have been doing it this way for years.’  On the other extreme are people who seem…

Read More

Forgiveness

By Fr. Jeff | 07/09/2011

Forgiveness can be a difficult thing.  It can be difficult to forgive someone when they do something that hurts us.  It can also be difficult to accept forgiveness that is offered to us after we have hurt someone.  When someone…

Read More

What Do You Like to Read About?

By Fr. Jeff | 07/02/2011

You may have noticed in the last few months I haven’t written as much as I used to.  Generally, I make a point to write something here at least once a week.  I write more often as Spirit inspires me. …

Read More

Who Determines Right and Wrong?

By Fr. Jeff | 06/24/2011

In our country where we believe in democratic principles, laws are passed by the majority vote of elected representatives (who were elected by getting the largest share of the vote – not necessarily a majority if there were more than…

Read More

The Holy Trinity

By Fr. Jeff | 06/19/2011

As part of our diocesan initiative this year to help us better understand the Mass, here is the homily I gave today on the Holy Trinity.  All three persons of the Trinity are at work in the Mass and they…

Read More

Trust

By Fr. Jeff | 06/03/2011

Who do you trust?  Why do you trust them? I place my trust in God, or, at least that is always my goal.  I willingly put my trust in God because I know he won’t deceive me.  I know God…

Read More

Wondering

By Fr. Jeff | 05/20/2011

Tonight I am wondering what to write about.  Sometimes, I might write two to four times a week with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  I start writing tonight not because I know what I want to say.  I’m writing…

Read More

Stations of the Cross

By Fr. Jeff | 04/03/2011

Recently, a couple of people asked me if Pope John Paul II had changed the Stations of the Cross in 1991.  They had been reading in one of the many lenten prayer books that available and it said that Pope…

Read More

Some Questions and Answers

By Fr. Jeff | 03/22/2011

I received three questions yesterday submitted to the web site and have posted the answers at https://www.renewaloffaith.org/questions.asp#qa. Peace, Fr. Jeff

Read More

Fasting

By Fr. Jeff | 03/09/2011

Today (Ash Wednesday) is a day of fasting and abstinence.  As Catholics, we abstain from meat today.  I seldom go a day without eating meat so this is a sacrifice for me but I do so willingly because God is…

Read More

Getting Ready For Lent

By Fr. Jeff | 02/26/2011

Getting ready for Lent might seem like a strange title for an article.  After all, Lent is a season of preparation, a time of seeking conversion.  In Lent, we work to open our hearts to God. So, what do we…

Read More

Jesus Gives His Disciples a Pop Quiz

By Fr. Jeff | 02/17/2011

In today’s gospel (Thursday, February 17, 2011 – Sixth Week in Ordinary Time) Jesus asks him disciples two questions. First, he asks them, “Who do people say that I am?”  A nice beginning question, no pressure, simply asks factually what are…

Read More

The Disciple’s Response

By Fr. Jeff | 01/23/2011

Here is the text of my homily for today (January 23, 2011 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time). 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A St. Michael’s 5:00 p.m, 7:00 a.m. & 9:30 a.m Isaiah 8:23-9:1 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17…

Read More

Motivation

By Fr. Jeff | 01/21/2011

When we evaluate an action as good or bad we tend to look at the effects.  Certainly the effects of our actions are very important.  We must consider the effects our actions have not just for ourselves but for others.…

Read More

Doing God’s Will

By Fr. Jeff | 01/14/2011

In today’s readings (January 14, 2011), we once again hear about those whose struggle to do God’s will. In the gospel, many people are coming to see Jesus and hear him preaching.  A group comes with their friend who is…

Read More

Faith

By Fr. Jeff | 01/06/2011

In tomorrow’s Gospel (January 7, 2011), the leper sees Jesus, falls prostrate before him and says, ““Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” The act of the leper falling prostrating before Jesus means he recognizes that Jesus is…

Read More

A Better Place

By Fr. Jeff | 12/30/2010

I think that one of our goals in life should be to make the world a better place.  But how do we know when we have done this? I remember being part of a conversation with a group of teenagers…

Read More

Preparing for Christmas

By Fr. Jeff | 12/03/2010

How are your preparations for Christmas going? What comes to mind when you read the question?  Do you think about the list of gifts you need to buy?  Do you think about the food you need to prepare?  Do you…

Read More

Christmas is Coming

By Fr. Jeff | 11/26/2010

I wrote the following for this weekend’s bulletin as we begin Advent. Christmas is Coming! Notice, the title says Christmas is coming.  The Christmas shopping season began Friday but Christmas day is still almost a month away.  We see Christmas…

Read More

Archives