I celebrated my fifth Christmas in Italy this past December. It was certainly the most normal one after COVID. Still, I was struck by several
When I was a small child, singer Don Cornell had a huge radio hit (1955) with a tune called “The Bible Tells Me So”: Have
The Church gives us the season of Lent to prepare our hearts for the day that changed the course of history: Easter Sunday. Of course
If the teachings of the Church are obscure or ambiguous and in many parishes today this is precisely the situation, then how can the concerned
Who gets into heaven? Now that is a really good question. For sure, Jesus Himself said that we must enter heaven through the narrow gate,
One of the nice things about being an associate pastor of a wonderful parish in a poorer area was that I got to see many
Scripture is clear. We are to pursue holiness. 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect
Several years ago, I had a discussion with a Protestant friend about the Catholic practice of consecrating oneself to Mary. Like many Protestants, he thought
Since stricter lockdowns were imposed in certain regions of the Philippines two months ago, I’ve thought about how the saints in heaven would have coped
After Jesus chose his apostles from among His disciples, I have to wonder, what about the ones who weren’t chosen? What did they do? What
God’s grace changes lives: He takes us as we are, but He never leaves us as we are (Pope Francis, General Audience Wed 2 Dec
Personal development, or self-help, is a growing area of interest in our society. For proof just browse through your local bookstore for books on mental
I was reflecting on holiness and my inner life and I realized I have been lacking in the spirit of sacrifice, especially since the beginning
Here in Portugal, it is common to say to a pregnant woman, “As long as the baby is healthy… that is most important.” What if
“God meets you where you are at” is an insidious spiritual fallacy of our modern times. it is a platitude amenable to various personal interpretations
Every year, I help to plan the annual Connecticut Catholic Men’s Conference. The 2019 event on October 19th was a great success, with inspiring speakers,
Like the rest of my fellow Catholics in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, my heart has a continual, aching heaviness. In these terrible but
Last month, I concluded an article by asking how we can know for sure that Catholicism, in particular, is God introducing Himself to the human
Last month’s article, Love and the Productive Power of Not, took a look at how most of the Ten Commandments are “negative” or in other
Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:10) When I say the word “love”, what comes to
Joseph, “You are the quietest of those who visit peaceful homes” * My woodland is still heavy under snow. A fresh coating fell last night,
Lent is a time of prayer, penance, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for the celebration of the Paschal Mystery. But another event for which we