stceceliastgabriel

St. Nicholas

The Feast of St. Nicholas is tomorrow, December 6. Because it falls on a Sunday this year, we will not be celebrating his feast day at Mass. Nevertheless, since St. Nicholas is a fascinating character, so I thought it a good opportunity to share a few thoughts about him with you in this space. St. Nicholas was born in a port cityContinue reading “St. Nicholas”

St. Francis Xavier

After St. Paul, the greatest of all Christian missionaries was St. Francis Xavier, whose feast day we celebrate today. He was one of the original members of the Society of Jesus, and his passion for bringing the Gospel to the people of Asia was enflamed through the influence of his spiritual mentor, St. Ignatius ofContinue reading “St. Francis Xavier”

Liturgy, part 4

When we think of the word “sacrifice,” we might think of it as a form of delayed gratification, where we deprive ourselves of something we want now for the sake of enjoying a better thing later on. We might also think of the sacrifices that parents make for their children, or that members of the military make for the protection of our country. ButContinue reading “Liturgy, part 4”

1st Sunday of Advent

Please click the following link to watch our parish Mass for the 1st Sunday of Advent on our parish YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/msA7W8xLh_k posted 11/29/20

Advent

A priest friend of mine recently shared with me an excerpt of a meditation on Advent by Br. Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourette, who is a Benedictine monk living in a monastery near Millbrook, NY. Br. Victor-Antoine works on the monastery’s farm and is in charge of cooking for the community, which fosters in him a deep reverence for the differentContinue reading “Advent”

The Gift of Gratitude

Thanksgiving reminds me of my grandmother, Elizabeth. When we were little, our family used to make the trek down from Trumbull to Staten Island where she lived, braving both the BQE and the Verrazano Bridge – which is not for the faint of heart even on the best of days. My grandmother was one of seven children born to the Fallon family in County Longford,Continue reading “The Gift of Gratitude”

Solemnity of Christ the King

To watch the video of our parish Mass for the Solemnity of Christ the King please go to our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/7Xcw8p1-RcM posted 11/22/20

Giving Thanks in 2020

Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with tradition. Besides 5k Turkey Trots and football games, the most important tradition is to sit at a table with family and friends and share with each other a meal, at which everyone speaks about what they’re grateful for. This year, many are likely to say they’re grateful that it’s almost 2021. The “annus horribilis”Continue reading “Giving Thanks in 2020”

Tough Love

The Book of Revelation is filled with dramatic images of great battles between angels and demons, the Lamb of God and the terrible dragon that vainly tries to destroy the Woman who appears in the sky, “clothed with the sun.” Usually identified with an account of the end of the world, the Book of Revelation is really more than that. It unveilsContinue reading “Tough Love”

Mass of the 33rd Sunday

Please click the following link to access the 10am parish Mass at St. Gabriel Church for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: https://youtu.be/eFldX4KUx_M