Dear Sisters and Brothers, The Second Mountain: In the last ten years or so, I have become a fan of the New York Times columnist and NPR/PBS radio and television personality David Brooks. In some significant ways, my becoming a fan has been quite unlikely. I am a pretty liberal Catholic, and pretty liberal as [...]
Dear Sisters and Brothers, A few years ago, my friend Tom died of brain cancer. Tom had been a Navy pilot for thirty years and was always in great physical and mental shape. So when he began to show signs of physical weakness and mental confusion, everyone became concerned. He was eventually diagnosed with [...]
Dear Sisters and Brothers, The first reading and the Gospel are hospitality stories. Hospitality was an esteemed virtue in the ancient world. It is still a highly regarded and very necessary virtue. In the first reading we see how, when three strangers (Yahweh and two heavenly companions) suddenly appeared to Abraham, he reacted with [...]
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Larry Skutnik, 28, was a shy man who worked in a government office in Washington. On the afternoon of January 13, 1982, a severe snowstorm hit the city. He was on his way home when he ran into a traffic jam on one of the bridges over the Potomac River. [...]
Dear Sisters and Brothers, A preacher was speaking at an open-air crusade in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Billy Graham was to speak the following night. But he arrived a day early. He came unannounced and sat on the grass with the crowd. In front of him sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to be listening attentively to the [...]
My Dear Sisters and Brothers, The gospels have one objective, to lead us to Christ. Christ has one objective, to lead us to God. And God has one objective, to bring us to eternal happiness. Today’s gospel, in its desire to lead us to Christ does not picture Christ as “an easy going, do whatever [...]
My Dear Sisters and Brothers, More than sixteen-hundred-years ago, St. Augustine addressed a group of catechumens whom he was instructing on the faith in anticipation of their baptism and reception into the church. In what has become known as Augustine's "Sermon 272," the great doctor of the church unpacks the theology of the Corpus Christi -- [...]
Totus Tuus Catholic Summer Camp ~ St. Mary’s, Paris ~ June 16-21 Grades 1-6 (June 17-21) Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 2:30 pm Grades 7-12 (June 16-20) Sunday-Thursday, 7:00 pm—9:00 pm Parish Potluck—June 19th at 6pm Noon Parish Hot Dog Roast-June 21st
God is watching over us. Nowadays, thanks to the security camera, We are often being watched, Watched by cold, dispassionate eyes, intent only on catching us in wrong-doing. The feeling that someone is watching us is not a pleasant feeling. But the feeling that someone is watching over us is a lovely feeling. God is [...]
Dear sisters and brothers, The feast of the Blessed Trinity, which we celebrate today, brings us face to face with the mystery of God. We can know certain things about God by looking at creation. But it is Jesus who reveals to us the mystery of God. Sometimes, we may so obsessed with God’s creation [...]
