Why do we confess to priests? Can’t we just confess to God? Let’s just suppose for a moment that I, as an underpaid writer, decided that I needed some fast cash and so I rob a store! Whom would I owe an apology to? Certainly I would apologize to the store’s owner, as well...
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I know the feast of St. Joseph is coming soon. Is there any connection to Lent? On March 19, we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This solemnity during the Lenten season provides us with another model for living out the Lenten discipline of turning our...
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Joshua 5:9-12;  2 Corinthians 5:17-21;  Luke 15:1-3,11-32 We are halfway through the 40 days of Lent and today we pause to celebrate.  The Church calls today Laetare, “Let us rejoice.”  And for what do we rejoice?  Why do we break our solemn fast of forty days to celebrate?  The answer to this is found...
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(Video discussion) What is holy water and how do I explain the reason that it is placed at the entrances of churches to my non-Catholic friends? Holy water is a sacramental; a reminder of the life of the church expressed and celebrated through the sacraments. By blessing ourselves with holy water as we enter...
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5th Sunday of the Year – Cycle C 2010+ Isaiah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11 Polls of Catholic churches across the United States give a rather alarming statistic. “The average Catholic parish in North America has fewer than ten percent of its registered members involved in various parish activities.”  What this means is...
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Lent 2010 Spiritual Opportunities February 17 – Ash Wednesday Masses – 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 1:30 pm, 6:30 pm February 21 – World Prayer for Christian Unity – 4:00 pm – Nativity Daily Mass Chapel February 27 – Brunch and Learn “Change Your Life Overnight” – 10:00 am – Nativity Cafeteria February 26-27 –...
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Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19;  I Corinthians 12:31-13:13;  Luke 4:21-30 “A woman named Nora had worked for many years in a large downtown business office.  No one had ever managed to get close enough to her to know her very well.  Nora had a way of quickly turning off anyone who tried to befriend her.  She was...
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Nehemiah 8:2-10; I Corinthians: 12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21 Did you know that on October 10, 1997 at 3:50 p.m., our former President Bill Clinton released a proclamation designating October 12th as “National Children’s Day?”  Did you know that at 4:30 p.m., less than one hour later President Clinton issued another proclamation?  His veto of...
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Isaiah 62:1-5; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11 Weddings today require a great deal of preparation.  There is the guest list, the ceremony, the clothing, the décor, the menu for the banquet and all of the other social amenities that go with weddings. Any of the least details not going exactly as planned can result...
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This Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6:45-7:30 pm in the Nativity School library, Fr. Gary will speak to PARENTS on some of the fundamentals of personal safety for children. His focus will be on how to protect children and teens from exploitation, abduction, internet crime, drugs and school violence in an environment that emphasizes the dignity...
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