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Advent is such a special season, a beautiful, grace-filled time in which the Church prepares for the Coming of the Lord — both at the end of time and in the present Christmas Season. And one of the …
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12/12/19
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The calendar of the ancient world followed closely the changing of seasons: the plantings of spring and the harvestings of autumn, the brilliance of summer and the gloom of winter. What started as an …
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12/12/19
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Two years ago, speaking before a Vatican-sponsored international symposium titled “Prospects for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons and for Integral Disarmament,” Pope Francis said we cannot …
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12/12/19
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I don’t listen to classical music all the time, but sometimes I do, and while driving home recently I heard on the radio a Bach cantata that was inspired by the biblical account of Mary’s …
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12/5/19
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Modern technology owes an immense debt of gratitude to the Arabic world for the invention of written numbers — 1,2,3,4, etc. Roman numerals — I, V, X, L, C, D, M — simply would not have …
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12/5/19
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As clergy, we touch upon very holy realities when we baptize, consecrate the Eucharist, give absolution to sinners, or anoint the sick. These special moments engage divine grace in deep and important …
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12/5/19
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When we pray Christianity’s most important single prayer – The Our Father — do we really attempt to understand and meditate upon the challenge of its words — especially “thy kingdom …
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11/28/19
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. (Eph 1: 3)These words of St. Paul to the Ephesians encourage us, too, to be …
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11/28/19
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It is easy to appreciate why the sun would become an object of reverence, even adoration, in the ancient world. The sun gave light and provided warmth and encouraged growth and determined the passage …
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11/28/19
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Two recent experiences illustrate the power of words.
The first. While walking through the church after a Funeral Mass a lady stopped me to ask: “Bishop, are you feeling okay?” “Yep, I’m …
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11/21/19
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Christian tradition has long given personal designations to honored but nameless characters from Scripture and folklore. Perhaps the most obvious honorees are Anna and Joachim, parents of the Blessed …
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11/21/19
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Q. Who made you? A. God made me.
Q. Why did God make you? A. God made me to know him, love him and serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next.
Many readers will …
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11/14/19
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A phrase readers might not have heard since their days in catechism class is the expression rash judgment. Rash judgment is, of course, jumping to conclusions regarding a neighbor’s conduct. The …
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11/14/19
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During a recent speech in Texas, I mentioned that “Drag Queen Story Hours” are being sponsored by local public libraries across the country. Toddlers and kids are brought in and placed in front …
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11/14/19
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November is a month of remembrance and gratitude, from the start of the month with All Saints Day and All Souls Day to the end of the month with Thanksgiving Day. We remember with gratitude those we …
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11/14/19
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You’ve probably heard about the fitness regimen that challenges you to walk 10,000 steps each and every day. The practice is the key to better health and a long life, the experts …
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11/7/19
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Many consider the pre-eminent effect of the Second Vatican Council to be the introduction of the Age of the Laity. More lay participation in the liturgy, more lay persons on parish boards, as well as …
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11/7/19
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You are called by God to be a saint! And that all important calling from the Lord is not just to be seriously considered on All Saints Day – but every day!
It is no coincidence that the …
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11/7/19
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In the fall, we celebrate the harvest of the summer season, but we also begin moving toward that season of dying. The plants give up their abundant life. The days grow shorter, and it is a time of …
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10/31/19
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Unlike most of Judea’s geography, Jericho is an Israeli city of natural springs. Water flows liberally through cobble stone gutters washing away refuse and cooling the neighborhoods. And there …
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10/31/19
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