This weekend I was planning on sitting down to write a homily for Pentecost, but when the news started to come through about the violence and destruction in Chicago I just couldn't focus. I know it sounds cliche at this point but we are really in troubled times. I have never seen anything like this … Continue reading Pray for Peace
The Ascension of Our Lord
Friends in Christ, Earlier this year, thankfully prior to the current lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, I was able to travel with my seminary class to the Holy Land for a 9 week pilgrimage. To be honest I did not really want to go at first. I was worried about being in a place so foreign … Continue reading The Ascension of Our Lord
“Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
My friends in Christ, As we come to yet another Sunday where we are unable to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass together in our Churches, let us try to make the most out of this time of pain and trial. In the readings today we are being called to prepare ourselves to proclaim … Continue reading “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
An Easter Reflection in the time of Pandemic
An Easter Reflection in the time of Pandemic (Written for St. John Fisher Parish) I am sure that I am not the only one who feels that this is the strangest Easter they have ever had. For the first time for all of us, there is no public Mass on Easter Sunday. We are not … Continue reading An Easter Reflection in the time of Pandemic
Rejoice in the Lord always
Some of you may be wondering why the priest wears rose, not pink, vestments today. Well, the answer is in the entrance antiphon that we sung at the beginning of Mass. We sang “Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete..” That is: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice… The Lord is at … Continue reading Rejoice in the Lord always
Preparing a worthy dwelling place for the Lord
Today is the second Sunday of Advent. Advent is the first and shortest of our liturgical seasons and in my opinion, it is the most beautiful. Sadly though, in our culture today, Advent doesn’t exist. Christmas starts sometime in mid-November when the radio stations decide to start playing Christmas music and it goes until December … Continue reading Preparing a worthy dwelling place for the Lord
Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
In response to the news that Ireland has overwhelmingly voted to repeal the 8th Amendment of the Constitution that recognized the right to life of the unborn, I suggest we all make an act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages … Continue reading Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Cardinal Sarah on silence
I am sharing here a wonderful little video of His Eminence Robert Cardinal Sarah. Card. Sarah speaks to us here about the importance of silence. We need silence in order to be able to converse with God. Without it, everything is just drowned out by noise. I am looking forward a weeklong silent retreat next … Continue reading Cardinal Sarah on silence
Favorite Pint and Cigar
So since the by-line of this blog starts out with "pints and cigars" I feel I should at least say something about it. So I'll start by mentioning some of my favorite of each. My all-time favorite beer has to be Guinness. As a proud Irishman, how could it be anything else? I love all sorts … Continue reading Favorite Pint and Cigar
The Semon on the Mount: Our Handbook for the Christian Life
In the gospel of St. Matthew we find Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” in chapters 5-7. One can think of these chapters as a handbook for living the Christian life. For in them we are told things such as “blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied” (Mt … Continue reading The Semon on the Mount: Our Handbook for the Christian Life
Hound of the Lord 