I was fortunate enough to work for several years at a parish that was richly diverse in culture. The church was located near a major airport and demographically expressed the patterns of immigration. For many years, it has been predominantly…
On this final day of May, the month of Mary, we celebrate the feast of the Visitation. We contemplate this passage from Luke’s Gospel that comes immediately after the account of the Annunciation. In those days Mary set out and…
My deep gratitude and appreciation for that simple sentence was born during a time of quiet prayer. In a grace-filled moment, the Holy Spirit gently nudged me to consult a dictionary for the actual meaning of the word mercy. Raised…
How much do you know about St. Patrick? Did you know that he was not born in Ireland? He was born a Romano-British citizen in the 5th century and so much of what is said about Patrick is a legend.…
“The conversion of St. Paul was a turning point in the history of the early Church.” This powerful statement, offered in the Living with Christ missalette, highlights the commentary for the feast we celebrate today. St. Paul continues to be…
Over the last few weeks, I have been privileged to attend the funerals of several people who were faithful to their baptismal promises. Their baptisms were meaningful in defining who they became and how they lived. I had a personal…
Today, December 12, gives us an opportunity to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patron Saint of the Americas, and improve the relationships between each of us and other peoples on this continent. Today we also observe the…
The feast of Christ the King, instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925, is of great spiritual significance because it is on this day that we recognize, proclaim and celebrate the sovereignty of Jesus Christ over the entire universe. Is…
For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, the leaves have fallen and begun their decay. There is little left in our gardens but the most tenacious blooms and produce. The longer nights have begun to impinge on daylight…
When one hears the words All Saints, images of painted plaster statues placed on pedestals or icons of beautiful representations in gold may come to mind. We can be distracted by ideas of perfect virtue or supernatural holiness. It is…