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I recently read the book Things Worth Dying For: Thoughts on a Life Worth Living by Archbishop Emeritus Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap. (New York: Henry Holt and Company. 2021). Reading it has led me to share some thoughts about…
Read MoreAs I prepare to move to another parish, I reflect on what God has called me to do at St. Luke’s and what God will be calling me to do at St. Mary’s of the Lake and St. Benedict’s. In…
Read More4th Sunday of Easter, Year BActs 4:8-12Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29 (22)1 John 3:1-2John 10:11-18April 25, 2021 Who is our shepherd? Who is it that we expect to help us? Do we trust in man, meaning do expect…
Read MoreAfter we confessing our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receiving a penance, we say an Act of Contrition. This expresses our sorrow for our sins. We say the Act of Contrition as part of the ritual of the…
Read MoreThere is a saying that change is inevitable. Change certainly seems common. Once again I am about to experience a change in my parish assignment. It was announced this weekend that I will be leaving St. Luke the Evangelist Parish…
Read More3rd Sunday of Easter, Year BActs 3:13-15, 17-19Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9 (7a)1 John 2:1-5aLuke 24:35-48April 18, 2021 Easter is a season of resurrection. The Resurrection of Jesus is pivotal in our Christian faith. Thus, Jesus doesn’t want us to…
Read MoreDifficult people…we probably have all dealt with difficult people in our lives. It isn’t easy or we won’t call them “difficult” people. There is no one single way to deal with all difficult people. It takes patience. It takes understanding.…
Read MoreAs I have said before, many people today have some knowledge of what the Catholic Church teaches on various topics without knowing why the Church teaches it. Helping people understand not just what the Church teaches but why is at…
Read More2nd Sunday of Easter, Year BActs 4:32-35Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 (1)1 John 5:1-6John 20:19-31April 11, 2021 On this Second Sunday of Easter we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. In today’s gospel Jesus gives the power to forgive sins to the disciples…
Read MoreIt 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 MoreEaster Sunday, Year BActs of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (24)Colossians 3:1-4John 20:1-9April 4, 2021 “Mary Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning.” Why? Why go early in the morning? Whose tomb was she going to? …
Read MoreGood Friday: Celebration of the Lord’s PassionIsaiah 52:13-53:12Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 (Luke 23:46)Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9John 18:1-19:42April 2, 2021 I begin with two questions. First, who is responsible for the death of Jesus? Secondly, why was He put…
Read MoreHoly Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s SupperExodus 12:1-8, 11-14Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-181 Corinthians 11:23-26John 13:1-15April 1, 2021 Our readings tonight begin in the time of the first Passover, that saving time when the Lord set his people free from slavery…
Read MorePalm Sunday of the Passion of the LordGospel at the Procession – Mark 11:1-10Isaiah 50:4-7Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 (2a)Philippians 2:6-11Mark 14:1-15:47March 28, 2021 Our gospel for the blessing of the palms began, “When Jesus and his disciples drew near…
Read MorePenance Service for LentGenesis 3:1-11Psalm 51Matthew 27:27-31March 24, 2021 Next week we celebrate Holy Week. On Sunday we will bless the palms and hear the story of Jesus’ Passion as told in Mark’s Gospel. On Holy Thursday we celebrate the…
Read More5th Sunday of Lent, Year A (RCIA)Ezekiel 37:12-14Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 (7)Romans 8:8-11John 11:1-45March 21, 2021 Today we hear of the last of seven signs done by Jesus. And it is no small sign! Lazarus, the one who Jesus…
Read MoreSolemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary1 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24aMarch 19, 2021 Today we celebrate this Solemnity of St. Joseph. I emphasize “solemnity” because it…
Read MoreIf we are going to understand and appreciate what our faith teaches we must see as God sees, not as human beings see (see 1 Samuel 16:7). For instance, I recently wrote an article, “Chastity and Sexuality”, to help people…
Read MoreFourth Sunday of Lent, Year A (RCIA)1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13aPsalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 (1)Ephesians 5:8-14John 9:1-41March 14, 2021 Samuel was a prophet in the days of King Saul. Saul was not a good king. So, God chose to…
Read MoreIf 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 MoreLast night I hosted the third webinar in my series, “Treating Life with Dignity and Love.” The recording of the webinar and the slides are now available online at www.renewaloffaith.org/prolife3. You can now register for Part IV on April 14th,…
Read MoreIn March of last year we began to feel locally the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Coronavirus was known to be out there. Knowing it was coming, precautions were put in place. In church it began with the suspension…
Read MoreThird Sunday of Lent, Year A (RCIA)Exodus 17:3-7Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Romans 5:1-2, 5-8John 4:5-42March 7, 2021 Jesus is on the road through Samaria with his disciples. While his disciples went into town to buy food, He stops to rest…
Read MoreWe talk about chastity. What does it really mean? We use the term “sexuality” but what is our Catholic understanding of sexuality? What does sex have to do with religion anyway? Sexuality has a lot to do with living our…
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