This Monday we will join with the universal Church in celebrating the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is a holy day of obligation and we will celebrate Mass at 6:00pm on Sunday evening as well as at 6:30, 8:00am, 12:10 and 7:00pm on Monday; I hope you will be able to join us for this important celebration of our faith.

Mary enjoys many wondrous titles but this one is of particular importance.  In fact, it is so significant that it is under this title that […]

 THE SEASON OF ADVENT

“Be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come” (Mt 24:44).

With these words, our Lord helps to prepare us for his coming.  As we begin a new liturgical year today, the First Sunday of Advent, allow me to reflect on the season of Advent and the Gospel of Matthew (from which we will hear extensively during this liturgical year).

We human beings cannot live without hope.  As far as we know, we are the only ones among the animals […]

On this, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, the Church calls us to reflect on the kingship of Jesus Christ.  His kingship is anticipated in the anointing of David as the king of Israel.  In today’s first reading at Mass from 2 Samuel, we hear the Lord God say to David, “You shall shepherd my people Israel.”  And, in the Gospel passage from Luke, we hear the Jewish rulers, who have just succeeded in having Jesus crucified, taunt him with “If you are the King of the Jews, […]

POPE LEO XIV’S FIRST APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION

As the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and its 1.4 billion faithful, the pope has a monumental task in directing the Church.  Each pope sets priorities and a direction as he leads us ever closer to the fullness of God’s kingdom.  For example, St. John XXIII opened the Church to the modern world with the Second Vatican Council.  St. John Paul II showed God’s love to the entire world with his many trips to every corner of the globe.  Pope Francis called […]