Forgiveness is the subject of a new book by moral theologian Fr. Thomas Berg and clinical psychologist Dr. Timothy Lock, who both serve on the faculty of St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, NY. The book is called Choosing Forgiveness: Unleash the Power of God’s Grace, and they recently gave an interview to The Pillar aboutContinue reading “Forgiveness & Healing”
Author Archives: stceceliastgabriel
Fish on Fridays
By now, it is a well-known story. In the early 1960s, a man named Lou Groen noticed a dramatic decline in business on Fridays at his McDonald’s restaurant in Cincinnati. He realized that this was due to the city’s large Catholic population – and Catholics did not eat meat on Fridays. So, Groen approached RayContinue reading “Fish on Fridays”
Sleeping St. Joseph
I was recently at the home of some friends and during dinner they were telling me about a particular challenge they were facing as a family. They told me that they were asking for the intercession of “sleeping St. Joseph.” They must have noticed the confused look on my face, because they said with surprise:Continue reading “Sleeping St. Joseph”
Learning from Alvaro & George
When I was 25, I lived for four months in Madrid as a guest of a large Spanish family of 8 children, most of whom were grown and living on their own. I was introduced to the family by a friend who briefed me about them as he drove me to their home. In theContinue reading “Learning from Alvaro & George”
Lenten Disciplines
Lent 2022 kicks off this Wednesday, when together we will begin another 40-day pilgrimage to Easter. It’s about this time every year that we start giving some thought to what our Lenten discipline will be, that is, what we plan to give up for Lent. Traditionally, Catholics are called upon to do three things duringContinue reading “Lenten Disciplines”
The Memory of St. Polycarp
Years ago, prior to entering seminary, I worked in an office where, during their lunch break, a group of my co-workers would gather in the break room and watch their favorite soap opera. The show was sufficiently ridiculous to be entertaining, so occasionally I’d join them. My favorite storyline was about a character who awokeContinue reading “The Memory of St. Polycarp”
Comprehending Brianna’s Choice
In this month’s edition of the Fairfield County Catholic (Jan 2022), there is a beautiful article about a young woman named Brianna Farens who grew up in Shelton, and is a graduate of St. Joseph High School (2010) and Providence College (2014). She had always thought about pursuing a career in medicine, like her father,Continue reading “Comprehending Brianna’s Choice”
St. Josephine Bakhita
In 1877, a seven-year-old member of the Daju tribe in Sudan was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Her kidnappers sold her to people who treated slaves brutally, including frequent severe beatings which almost killed her. One of her owners subjected her to an excruciating process of decorative cutting, which left her chest, abdomen, and rightContinue reading “St. Josephine Bakhita”
Spooky Music and Smoke
One of the kids in the parish recently asked me about the “spooky” music in the Mass. After asking him a few questions I realized that he was referring to the music that we hear after the entrance hymn, when the priest has arrived to the sanctuary and before he makes the Sign of theContinue reading “Spooky Music and Smoke”
St. Francis De Sales
This Monday (1/24) is the feast day of St. Francis De Sales, the Bishop of Geneva from 1602-1622. Born of a noble family, St. Francis was groomed by his father from a young age for service as an imperial magistrate. He experienced a profound conversion at the age of 19, however, which set his life on a different path. It was around that time thatContinue reading “St. Francis De Sales”
