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During this past summer Pope Francis made a much publicized journey to Canada, chiefly Western Canada, where he lamented and atoned for what he termed the “cultural genocide” visited on …
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10/27/22
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The Pharisee and the tax collector are presented to the worshipping community in this Sunday’s Gospel as models of prayer: the one to be shunned; the other to be emulated. The Pharisee’s …
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10/20/22
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When Martin Luther renounced the Catholic Church’s traditional framework and declared the Bible to be the sole rule of faith, he received a considerable amount of support from the Christian …
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10/13/22
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Mass every Sunday was an integral part of my young life, as was true for most and likely all of my neighborhood friends. The 9 a.m. Sunday Mass was the children’s Mass and all were expected to …
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10/6/22
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In the depths of the lower library at the former Our Lady of Providence Seminary at Warwick Neck was a book entitled, “The Thirteenth: Greatest of Centuries.” The hefty tome was authored …
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9/29/22
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When the Ukrainian invasion by Russia first occurred six months ago, the prayers of many rightfully begged God for a swift and safe resolution to this unhappy conflict. The neighborhood Ukrainian …
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9/22/22
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The Old Testament Book of Tobit is a fanciful tale of Jewish life about two hundred years before Christ. Prayers, psalms, and aphorisms blend a chilling narrative about persecution with a charming …
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9/15/22
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Although the Far East nation of India is overwhelmingly Hindu, an ancient Christian church community has existed since Apostolic times along the country’s Malabar Coast. A very strong tradition …
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4/16/20
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At Bethlehem’s manger, Jesus Christ came to earth in the flesh. St. John affirmed: “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” St. Paul testified that Jesus was “a man like us …
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4/9/20
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The Jewish nation cited movingly by Isaiah in this coming Sunday’s Old Testament reading is lost in self-pity. Tormented by their stronger neighbors – Assyria, Babylon, Egypt – they …
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4/2/20
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Scripture scholars often discern seven signs in the first half of the Gospel according to St. John. Chapters 2 through 11 feature seven misfortunes — some just a matter of inconvenience, …
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3/26/20
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The disciples, as many people still do today, thought that misfortune was a punishment sent from God for sins committed. “What did I do to deserve this?” is still a question asked of the …
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3/19/20
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A Bible passage that is most challenging to Scripture scholars is the episode of Jesus encountering the Syrophoenician woman who begs a cure for her daughter (Mk 7:24-30). By any standards, the …
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3/12/20
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The Apostles Peter, James and John were singled out by Jesus Christ at least three times to witness major Biblical events that would both challenge and strengthen their understanding, their …
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3/5/20
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Very early in the Judaeo-Christian tradition the number 40 begins to take on a significance that will broaden and deepen as God continues to reveal his plans for mankind through celebrated Biblical …
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2/27/20
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Although St. Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” and St. Luke’s “Sermon on the Level Stretch” closely parallel one another, St. Matthew’s account stretches to …
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2/20/20
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In the United States, when one refers to “the Duke,” the allusion suggests John Wayne, the great cinematic hero of the last century. In the United Kingdom, when one mentions “the …
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2/13/20
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When President Kennedy left the Massachusetts Senate for the White House in Washington, he advised his fellow senators, “We must always consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill – …
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2/6/20
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Within weeks of my ordination, after the celebration of Mass at St. Charles parish in Woonsocket, a woman approached me at the altar rail and requested the ceremony of “churching.” This …
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1/30/20
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The Scriptural Holy Land, today most generally known as the Republic of Israel, was, in the time of Christ, easily divided into three portions. Judea, on the south bordering Egypt, was quite solidly …
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1/23/20
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