Jeremiah 33:14-16;  I Thessalonians 3:12-4:2;  Luke 21:25-28,34-36 * It is so dark! And the darkness is not all outside. There’s the darkness of recession that has put many American’s out of work, of the senseless acts of violence and suicide bombers inflicting terror around the world, of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,...
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December 1st is World AIDS Day. Our parish focus this year – “Go…make disciples of all nations…” has challenged us to look beyond our own boundaries and confront some of the most difficult problems facing our world. Catholic Relief Services has been a leader in responding to the international AIDS/HIV crisis over the past...
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North Dakota is one of only a handful of states that offer tax credit for charitable gifts and endowment development. The 2007 North Dakota Legislative Session created an income tax credit specifically for charitable gifts made to qualified endowments by businesses, and the law expands the current income tax credit for individual planned gifts...
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Be a pillow of the Church? This message might make you think of an old Saturday Night Live routine about a character who never quite correctly heard what was said. “What’s this I hear about a pillow of the Church? Oh, pillar of the Church. Never mind…” But this is intentional. We’ve all heard...
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What is theology and who are called to be theologians? Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday in ordinary time, and the end of this liturgical year. Next Sunday begins a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent. Many themes surface during these Sundays, but the end...
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When the world will end is a question which has eluded the Christian community since the time of Christ.  Even though the gospel is very clear in stating that no one knows the time or the hour, many people still are preoccupied or at least curious as to when this will happen.  The end...
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When we pray for the dead at our eucharistic celebrations, for whom are we praying? November, the month of All Souls, is dedicated to praying for the dead in a more focused and intentional manner. Catholics believe that praying for those who have died expresses our continual care and concern for those no longer...
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1 Kings 17: 10-16; Hebrews 9: 24-28; Mark 12: 38-44. I will never forget the first time I met Matthew.  He was a gentleman that the priest’s at St. Paul Seminary had “adopted.”  About once a week he would show up on the doorsteps of the seminary looking for one of the priests to...
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How are the gifts of Pope Leo the Great seen in the church today? November 10 is the feast of St. Leo the Great, a doctor of the church and the first of three popes named “great.” As pope from 440 to 461, he was not only a great administrator but also a well-respected...
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Revelation 7:2-4,9-14;  I John 3:1-3;  Matthew 5:1-12 Today’s celebration of All Saints is very much about “people needing people.”  We Catholics seem very much to need our fellow humans, the saints.  In the first decades of the history of our Church, we have sought out, imitated and prayed to the martyrs of our church...
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