stceceliastgabriel

Truly Present

A young woman I know is reading a book by Bishop Robert Barron entitled: This is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival. She has found the book helpful, but she noticed that Barron often describes the Eucharist as “the body, blood, soul, and divinity” of Jesus, and wondered what that was all about. WeContinue reading “Truly Present “

The God of Bethesda

Central Park is one of the great landmarks of Manhattan. In a recent article published in the journal First Things, John Byron Kuhner gives a virtual tour of the park that culminates with a description of a terrace, at the center of which “is a large circular pool, whence rises an elaborate fountain, of theContinue reading “The God of Bethesda”

Alma Mater

This weekend I will be away from the parish, attending my college class reunion. Twenty-five years ago, I graduated from the University of Dallas (UD), a small Catholic university located in Irving, TX. It was an unlikely choice for an 18-year-old from Connecticut, but I had a cousin studying there whom I visited as aContinue reading “Alma Mater “

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 “