I am not old enough to remember the Latin Mass. Before Vatican II, was the Mass always in Latin? For many centuries, the Mass was in Latin, but prior to the eighth century, it was not. In the early church, the Eucharist was celebrated in the context of Jewish rituals and prayers, so obviously...
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My neighbor’s five-year-old child was very sick and in danger of death. Would the priest have given the child the sacrament of the sick? Dealing with a child’s illness is a very difficult time for parents and families. Rarely do they think ahead to the possibility of death, so sacramental ministry often happens in...
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Having entered the flu season our bishop, along with many other leaders in the church have asked to consider a few of the ritual practices of our liturgy; specifically the issue of exchanging the sign of peace, and sharing from the common cup. Let me begin my remarks by stating clearly that it is...
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Wisdom 7:7-11;  Hebrews 4:12-13;  Mark 10:17-30 (cf. also CCC par. 2052 ff.) Having entered the flu season our bishop, along with many other leaders in the church have asked to consider a few of the ritual practices of our liturgy; specifically the issue of exchanging the sign of peace, and sharing from the common...
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As we proclaim the Letter to the Ephesians on the next seven Sundays, how will the letter be helpful for our faith journey? The Letter to the Ephesians has been traditionally attributed to St. Paul. Many Scripture scholars now conclude that a disciple of Paul composed this letter sometime towards the end of the...
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