stceceliastgabriel

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”

Thy Kingdom Come

posted 7/23/20 This third petition of the Lord’s Prayer is an expression of longing that God the Father’s reign extend over all things. It’s a curious petition, considering we profess faith in God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent. That means His reign must already extend over all of His creation. Yet, it is obvious that things are not as they should be. You don’t have to beContinue reading “Thy Kingdom Come”

Hallowed Be Thy Name

posted 7/21/20 Familiarity and awe, in tight conjunction, are the mark of Christian prayer. – Fr. Simeon Leiva-Merikakis In this second petition from the Lord’s Prayer, Christ Jesus instructs us to say: “Hallowed be thy name.” It is the expression of a wish that the name of God be treated with reverence, as something holy. It is inContinue reading “Hallowed Be Thy Name”

Good Teacher

posted 7/18/20 Robert P. George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, where he has taught since 1985. The grandson of immigrants who worked in the coal mines of West Virginia, George is known as one of the nation’s leading conservative intellectuals. As a practicing Catholic who holds views considered “conservative” on many issues, George’s outspoken critiques of abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, pornography, large-scale government welfare programs, and human trafficking often putContinue reading “Good Teacher”