stceceliastgabriel

Cardinals

Next Saturday, September 30, Pope Francis will install 21 new members of the College of Cardinals. A Cardinal of the Church is a senior member of the Catholic clergy whose most important responsibility is to elect a new pope when the reigning pontiff dies or resigns. Most Cardinals are bishops, though not all. Popes occasionallyContinue reading “Cardinals “

Blessed Family

In the early morning of March 24, 1944, Nazi police arrived at the farm of Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma in the small town of Markowa, Poland. An informant had notified the police that the Ulmas were hiding Jews in their home, a crime punishable by death. A search of their home revealed eight members ofContinue reading “Blessed Family “

Boilers

The common house mouse has a lifespan of about 1 year. A pigeon can live for 5 years. A Grizzly Bear will live up to 15 years, which is 5 years less than the average Polar Bear, demonstrating the significant health benefits of cold plunges. The American Alligator and the American Bald Eagle live forContinue reading “Boilers “

Keeping Time

While January 1 marks the beginning of the calendar year, and July 1 is the beginning of the fiscal year, and the first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year, Labor Day marks the end of summer and the beginning of another school year. I imagine that for most parents these daysContinue reading “Keeping Time “

Fr. Coley Palmer, R.I.P.

On August 14, Fr. Michael “Coley” Palmer passed away at the age of 86. Fr. Palmer was born in Stamford in 1934 and was baptized at St. John’s Church on Atlantic St. When he was still a boy, his family moved to Springdale where they became members of St. Cecilia Parish when the church wasContinue reading “Fr. Coley Palmer, R.I.P. “

Living Together

A few months ago, the Institute for Family Studies published “How Moving in Together Makes It Harder to Know if He’s the One,” an article by Scott Stanley and Galena Rhoades, research professors at the University of Denver. The authors note that more than 75% of couples live together before marriage. While a couple’s decisionContinue reading “Living Together “

Conversion

“A personal encounter with the real mystery of a personal God is at the heart of every conversion,” writes Fr. Donald Haggarty in his book Conversion. Years ago, as a deacon, I was responsible for a Bible study at a local parish, and we usually had about 5-6 people attend each week. About four monthsContinue reading “Conversion “

WYD

Papal biographer George Weigel tells a story about meeting with Pope John Paul II in December 2004. The pope was quite ill with the Parkinson’s Disease that would claim his life just a few months later, but he was still alert and happy to share a meal with his friend, who presented him with aContinue reading “WYD “

Two Standards

July 31 is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Spanish soldier who pursued worldly glory above all things until he had a conversion while convalescing after a terrible leg injury incurred on the field of battle in 1521. Ignatius had a vivid imagination, which he used to meditate on sacred scriptures, placingContinue reading “Two Standards “

Grandparents’ Day

Ever since the 1970s, the first Sunday after Labor Day every year is designated National Grandparents’ Day. But we Catholics have been celebrating Grandparents’ day since at least the 6th century, with our observance of the feast day of Sts. Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparentsContinue reading “Grandparents’ Day “