REFLECTIONS ON RECENT PAPAL DECLARATION

As you probably know, the Vatican Office for the Doctrine of the Faith recently issued a declaration entitled Fiducia Supplicans in response to questions that had been raised over the past several years regarding same-sex couples.  You may also have read about the controversy that this declaration has raised throughout the Church around the world.  In case you haven’t read it, I would like to offer a summary of this declaration and some reflections about it.

 

The document begins with an introductory Presentation that offers the context for this declaration.  It […]

2024-01-12T09:54:24-05:00January 13th, 2024|

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD (Year A, B, C)

Isaiah 60: 1 – 6

This Sunday, we will hear again from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.  The section we will hear is from the 60th chapter, so we know that it is from trito-Isaiah, which comes from the time when the people have returned from the Babylonian exile.  Whereas Isaiah’s prophecy is filled with warnings of impending doom, here we will hear a message of hope.  Those of you who have the Catholic Study Bible will want to check the footnote on these verses:  The Church makes use of […]

2024-01-15T11:19:37-05:00January 7th, 2024|

SOLEMNITY OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH

As you may recall, I was the chancellor of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem before I was assigned here in 2011.  In that previous position, I had the privilege of working with this international Catholic organization that supports the Christians living in the Holy Land, most particularly in the West Bank and Gaza.  We would raise approximately $10 million annually to support parishes, schools, orphanages and hospitals operating in the West Bank and Gaza.  This support was essential for the Christians who are trapped there due […]

2023-12-28T18:39:27-05:00December 30th, 2023|

ADVENT ENDS AND CHRISTMAS BEGINS

It’s not very often that we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent one day and Christmas the next.  The last time this occurred was six years ago in 2017 and it won’t happen again until 2028.  As I have heard from so many, it seems that Christmas has come much sooner, even though it’s on the 25th of December, as it is every year.  As we end the Advent Season and jump right into Christmas, allow me to reflect on the significance this time has for all of us.

Last Sunday, […]

2023-12-22T13:12:43-05:00December 23rd, 2023|

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (Year B)

Isaiah 40:1 – 5, 9 – 11

The first reading and Gospel passage this Sunday speak of St. John the Baptist, the last prophet of the Old Testament who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. Unlike last week’s readings, which focused on the coming of the Lord at the end of time, this week’s first reading and gospel focus on his first coming – and the preparation for his coming through John the Baptist’s prophetic proclamations. 

For our first reading this Sunday, we will again hear from the […]

2023-12-12T12:03:57-05:00December 10th, 2023|

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.” (Mark 1:1-2)

As we enter into this new liturgical year, we hear again today from the Gospel of Mark.  As I mentioned in last week’s article, we will be hearing almost all of Mark’s Gospel over the course of this year since it is year B in the liturgical calendar.  As we begin to hear from this, […]

2023-12-07T09:33:36-05:00December 9th, 2023|

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Year B

Isaiah 63: 16b – 17, 19b, 64:2 – 7

We begin Year B in the Sunday Liturgical Calendar this Sunday.  The Gospel featured this year is Mark; the oldest Gospel and the shortest.  And, as we do in year A, we will hear for the next three weeks from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.  This Sunday, it is from the chapters that are often called Trito-Isaiah (56 – 66) and most scripture scholars assign to the time after the people have been allowed to return to Jerusalem.  But, as […]

2023-12-05T12:22:38-05:00December 2nd, 2023|

THE SEASON OF ADVENT

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful!  Be alert!  You do not know when the time will come. …Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrow, or in the morning.  May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.  What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” (Mk 13:33, 36-37).

With these words, our Lord calls us to prepare us for his coming; he comes to bring us to God’s kingdom. As […]

2023-11-30T15:01:15-05:00December 2nd, 2023|

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

On this, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, the Church calls us to reflect on the kingship of Jesus Christ.  It’s quite different from how we ordinarily think of a king.  Rather than a ruler who makes his power known over his subjects, our God is like a shepherd tending his flock.  As we hear in this Sunday’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, God will look after his sheep “as a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep” (Ez […]

2023-11-17T13:13:52-05:00November 25th, 2023|

EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL UPDATE

Did you know that there have been nine National Eucharistic Congresses here in the United States of America?  Many of us fondly recall the 41st International Eucharistic Congress that our archdiocese hosted in August of 1976.  It was a great boost to our faith and followed a long line of Eucharistic Congresses held around the world since the first one in Lille, France in 1881!  But, there have also been National Eucharistic Congresses – nine in all – beginning in 1895; the last one was in 1941.  And, you will […]

2023-11-17T13:15:29-05:00November 18th, 2023|
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