Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priest, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.  He spoke this openly.  Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  At this, he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.  You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”   He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said, “Whoever wishes to come […]

Last summer, while we were in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, I began a series of presentations in my Parish Bulletin articles on the beautiful stained glass windows of our church.  This was in response to an increased interest in them that had resulted from a highlighting of some of the stained glass windows during our live streamed Masses that began when all public Masses were prohibited due to the pandemic.  Beginning in July and ending in December, I offered explanations on all of the windows in the nave, […]

Today, we will join with the universal Church in celebrating the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, into heaven.  It is not often that we actually celebrate it on a Sunday.  It is the principal feast day of the Blessed Mother, so I would like to offer you some reflections on it.

The commemoration of the death of Mary is known as the Assumption because of the tradition that, shortly after her death, Mary was raised up, body and soul, into heaven.  In the Eastern Church, it is […]