stceceliastgabriel

St Matthew

posted 9/19/20 This Monday, 9/21, is the Feast of St. Matthew the Apostle. St. Matthew is not just one of the 12 Apostles, he also the author of one of the Gospels, and he includes his own conversion story in his account of the life of Christ. We know that before encountering Christ, St. Matthew worked as a tax collector for the Roman Empire. Since it wasContinue reading “St Matthew”

Holy Matrimony

posted 9/17/20 The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is one of the most remarkable places in the world. The current church dates back to the 11th century, and is built on the ruins of one that dates back to the 4th century. Within this church are the sites of Our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection. I remember the first time I wentContinue reading “Holy Matrimony”

Holy Orders

posted 9/15/20 What is a priest? A priest is one who offers sacrifices on behalf of a group as an act of worship to God. As long as human beings have roamed the earth, there have been priests. We see them in the most ancient days of the Old Testament. Adam was a priest, as were the PatriarchsContinue reading “Holy Orders”

Embracing the Holy Cross

posted 9/12/20 The Cross is the most distinctive sign of Christianity. This is because, as we say to Our Lord during the Stations of the Cross devotion, “by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.” I remember the beautiful bronze Stations of the Cross that we had in seminary. The first station, of course, depicts Pilate’s condemnation of Jesus. There wasContinue reading “Embracing the Holy Cross”

Anointing of the Sick

posted 9/10/20 The other day I was perusing my bookshelf and rediscovered a book that I hadn’t picked up in a while. It’s called The Faith Explained by Fr. Leo Trese, a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and a best-selling author who died in 1970 at the age of 68. Leafing through it, I was reminded how well Fr. TreseContinue reading “Anointing of the Sick”

Confession

posted 9/8/20 If you ever visit a seminary you will find that they are places where there is much laughter. I really enjoyed the comradery I found among my classmates, which was healthy and joyful. While most of our formation sessions involved moments of levity and laughter, there was one particular experience that I remember we took with absolute seriousness, and that wasContinue reading “Confession”

Litany of Humility

posted 9/5/20 Rafael Merry del Val was a very influential figure in the Catholic Church in the beginning of the 20th Century. Born into a family of Spanish nobility in 1865, he spent much of his childhood in England before moving to Rome to study for the priesthood, to which he was ordained in 1888. From there he began serving in theContinue reading “Litany of Humility”

The Most Blessed Sacrament

posted 9/3/20 We have come to the third “Sacrament of Initiation,” which is the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist. While Baptism is the first Sacrament and the doorway to the supernatural life of grace, the Eucharist is the greatest of the Sacraments. Indeed, the Second Vatican Council refers to the Eucharist “the source and summit of the Christian life…. For inContinue reading “The Most Blessed Sacrament”

Why Confirmation?

posted 9/1/20 What is the sacrament of Confirmation? What does it do? When Bishop Curtis confirmed me many years ago, I don’t think I would have been able to give a good answer to those questions. I knew Confirmation had something to do with the Holy Spirit. Even better, it meant you got presents AND you didn’t have to go to religiousContinue reading “Why Confirmation?”

Brain Heart World

posted 8/29/20 Recently, I watched a 3-part documentary series called Brain, Heart, World. It was produced by an organization called “Fight the New Drug,” which describes itself on its website as: a non-religious and non-legislative organization that exists to provide individuals the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding pornography by raising awareness on its harmful effectsContinue reading “Brain Heart World”