Author Archives: stceceliastgabriel

Struggling with Sadness

posted 8/15/20 In the gospel this coming Monday we hear about a rich young man who approaches Jesus, asking Him: “what good must I do to gain eternal life?”  Our Lord instructs the young man to keep the commandments.  When the young man tells Christ that he already observes them, He responds: “If you wish to be perfect, go,Continue reading “Struggling with Sadness”

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Missionary

posted 8/13/20 Tomorrow (8/14) is the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe.  Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan priest who is best known for volunteering to die in place of another prisoner at Auschwitz in August, 1941.  He was canonized a saint in 1982 by Pope John Paul II, who declared him a “martyr of charity” for offering his lifeContinue reading “St. Maximilian Kolbe, Missionary”

Sick of Coronavirus

posted 8/8/20 I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of sick of Coronavirus.  And when I say sick, I don’t mean I have Coronavirus, but that I’m tired of it.  I hate how it has forced us to live.  I dislike wearing masks and social distancing.  The plexiglass barriers at every cash register, the closed storefronts.  In darker momentsContinue reading “Sick of Coronavirus”

Lead Us Not into Temptation

posted 8/6/20 In the first installment of The Lord of the Rings, there is a scene in which Frodo Baggins, who has been entrusted with the task of bearing the Ring of Power to Mount Doom in order to destroy it, has a conversation with the powerful Elven Queen Galadriel (non-fans, please bear with me).  The burden ofContinue reading “Lead Us Not into Temptation”

Forgive Us Our Trespasses

posted 8/4/20 In my last assignment there was a women’s group in the parish that would host a brunch each year to which they would invite a speaker.  One year they invited a woman named Jennifer Hubbard.  Jennifer is from Newtown, CT and in December 2014 her daughter Catherine Violet was murdered along with 19 other children and 6 staffContinue reading “Forgive Us Our Trespasses”

Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy

posted 8/1/20 It was on March 16, 2020 that Bishop Caggiano, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, issued the decree that temporarily suspended all public celebration of Masses in the presence of the lay faithful throughout the Diocese of Bridgeport.  Thankfully, the suspension ended on May 21st, and it has been great to see people beginning to return toContinue reading “Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy”

Thy Daily Bread

posted 7/30/20 There’s a reality television show on cable called Hoarders, which depicts the struggles of people who suffer with Compulsive Hoarding Disorder, which leads them to pack their homes with things such as newspapers, cans, books, and clothes.  Their compulsion makes their living situation unhealthy and unsafe and causes great distress to their families.  The show brings psychologists and counselors to speak with people who are dealing with theContinue reading “Thy Daily Bread”

Thy Will Be Done

posted 7/28/20 The fourth petition in the Lord’s Prayer is: “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  What is heaven like?  Popular culture often depicts it as a dreadfully boring place filled with clouds and angels quietly playing harps.  When we think of heaven, we know it to be the place where God’s will is always done and always done perfectly. Those popularContinue reading “Thy Will Be Done”

The Pilgrimage of St. James

posted 7/25/20 Going on pilgrimage is an ancient Christian practice.  There are old texts from Bishops encouraging the practice of pilgrimage among the faithful going back to the 4th century.  Pilgrimages are not vacations, but physical journeys that manifest the spiritual journeys of those who desire to encounter God in the places where He has made His presence known in a particular way.  The mostContinue reading “The Pilgrimage of St. James”