You will notice that the two Christmas trees that had been filled with tags for women’s and children’s gifts at Mercy Hospice, as well as local people in need are gone – so are all the tags!  Over the past few weeks, so many of you have so generously taken the tags and returned with gifts for these needy women and children whom you will probably never meet; in their name, I want to thank you!  Let me also thank those of you who filled the school cafeteria recently with […]

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 […]

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary opened once again this September for the education and formation of 176 seminarians from 12 (arch)dioceses and six religious congregations; 67 of the seminarians are preparing to become priests in our archdiocese!  Founded in 1832, it has provided excellent priestly formation for our archdiocese and (arch)dioceses around the country.  I am very proud of our seminary and grateful for the preparation it offered me to be your priest.  It’s clear that we need a seminary to prepare more men to become priests to serve the faithful […]

Adopt-a-Family, Christmas Food Baskets, Christmas Giving Tree

Halloween is just behind us, Thanksgiving and the beginning of Advent are still a few weeks away and yet, Christmas preparations are well underway in our stores; I saw Christmas cards and decorations in stores at the end of September!  Fortunately, we have the privilege of sharing the true spirit of Christmas that goes beyond the holiday parties, exchange of gifts and cards and seasonal decorations.  We have several parish initiatives that will allow you to give to those in need as […]

Ready or not, next Saturday is already the first day of November!  We will join with the universal Church in celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints.  Since it occurs on a Saturday, it is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year.  We will not celebrate a Vigil Mass on Friday and will celebrate the regular 8:00am Mass on Saturday.  Although it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, I encourage you to attend the 8:00am Mass as we celebrate this important solemnity.  We find encouragement throughout the year in […]

You might have heard an advertisement on KYW or seen one on your favorite television channel promoting the work of our archdiocese.  It’s titled “Catholic. Every day.” and it is intended to bring the great work of our archdiocese to the attention of everyone in the Philadelphia area.  You might have noticed that the advertisement speaks of the Catholic Church of Philadelphia rather than the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.  According to Archbishop Nelson Pérez, this has been done deliberately as a marketing tool to rebrand us as a living Church rather […]

“Please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth.” (2 Kings. 5:17).  What a curious request we hear at the end of this Sunday’s first reading.  Elisha, the great prophet in Israel, had just cured Naaman, the great army commander of the Arameans, of leprosy.  Why would Namaan want this pile of earth from Israel?  You will recall that the people at that time believed in local gods.  They believed that these local gods ruled over particular lands.  That’s why various Old Testament books speak of the gods of […]