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Holy Week begins with an ironic scene. An itinerant preacher from the countryside is placed on a donkey, lauded with palm branches and hosana-ed by the crowd as their conquering king. The … more
One of my favorite segments of poetry is the fourth stanza of “Easter,” by George Herbert, a 17th-century English writer who put profound ideas into the simplest language. Both Emily … more
Once a month, I meet a friend for breakfast. We’ve only known each other a few years, but there was an immediate bond that has deepened with time. We talk about news, sports, families, but … more
It’s Lent. Forty days of dedication to prayer, penance, almsgiving and fasting in the name of the Lord. Not fasting like medical fasting before a scan or surgery. Not trendy intermittent … more
When I was a kid, Lent was the time for talk about sin. Perhaps it was in their teaching contract, but the good nuns invariably told us, in their own veiled words, about the seven … more
I caught the news before bed — a 7.8 earthquake rocked parts of Tukey and Syria. Headlines are filled with once-frightening words of epic storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis. What … more
It was another silly question popping up in a wandering conversation. “What superpower would you like to have?” Avoiding the selfish fun things like invisibility or telepathy, it … more
It was a greedy, aggressive cancer. Not content to feast on his lungs, it metastasized, seeking total conquest of his body.  It seemed to win. We had his funeral yesterday: a royal … more
The new year — with the season of giving still fresh in our memories — is an opportune time to reflect on the gifts God has generously given and continues to give us. Yet, I hear and … more
As many as 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. As few as 8% keep them. (Most of these are skinny, self-driven perfectionists.) The past two years, the most popular (and … more
On Dec. 24, 1914, small Christmas trees and lanterns appeared on the parapets of the muddy Ger-man trenches of the western front. In the darkness, voices of scared and homesick young men joined in … more
I pray that this Christmas season is a time of peace and joy for you, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior — when the light of God’s grace shone brightly on the human family. As St. … more
It is an Advent story, though I didn’t realize it at the time. At first, I thought it was just about a man who had every reason to wonder what God was thinking. He was a Black man, born … more
Thanksgiving is a busy day. Hours in the kitchen preparing those favorite foods. Travel to make it home for that big meal, or multiple meals for many. There’s setting tables, doing … more
The day began with heavy clouds lingering after the night’s rain. I had a text from a friend whose husband has just begun hospice. She would let us know when they completed their visit, and … more
In honor of National Vocation Awareness Week (Nov. 6-12), the following priests submitted reflections on recognizing and answering their call to Holy Orders. The series was featured throughout … more
“What is the purpose of belief if even God can’t put the world back the way you worshipped it?” This is the question a character in Shubangi Swarup’s novel Latitudes of … more
CLICK HERE to read a related article. CLICK HERE to read this article in Spanish. I believe every Catholic in our diocese deserves to belong to a thriving parish — and we are beginning … more
Considero que todos los católicos de nuestra diócesis merecen pertenecer a una parroquia floreciente, y estamos comenzando un nuevo esfuerzo para que eso sea posible. El 18 de … more
It was early when I came downstairs. Just before I reached for the switch, something across the room caught my eye. There was a single patch of light. At first, I thought it was a message alert on … more
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