posted 6/25/20 When I was a kid, I liked to read the copy of The Children’s Bible, which was first published by Golden Press in the 1960s. Even before I learned to read, the pictures depicting the Bible stories fascinated me, especially those of the Old Testament. In my mind I can still see the picture of the animals entering Noah’s Ark asContinue reading “Images of God”
Author Archives: stceceliastgabriel
The Narrow Gate
posted 6/23/20 The first reading for today’s Mass is from the Second Book of Kings (2 Kings 19:9-36). It is an account of the siege of Jerusalem that took place about 700 years before the birth of Christ. The ruler of the Assyrian Empire, King Sennacherib, had already conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel and sent 10 of the Israelite tribesContinue reading “The Narrow Gate”
Immaculate Heart of Mary
posted 6/20/20 Today we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There are two references in the Gospel of St. Luke to the heart of Our Lady. The first is the account of the shepherds who visited the place where the newborn Christ was in response to the message they had received from the angels aboutContinue reading “Immaculate Heart of Mary”
Sacred Heart of Jesus
posted 6/19/20 On a hill overlooking the city of Paris is the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is a modern structure, whose construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914. Because of the outbreak of the First World War, it was not consecrated until 1917. Probably the most remarkable thing aboutContinue reading “Sacred Heart of Jesus”
Blessed are You
posted 6/18/20 I had a music teacher in high school named Mr. Guzzi who had regular gigs playing piano in a jazz band. During one class one day, he told the story about the trumpeter in his band, who was obsessed with Louis Armstrong. More than anything, he wanted to play the trumpet like Armstrong. So, Mr. Guzzi said,Continue reading “Blessed are You”
Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness
posted 6/17/20 Blessed Franz Jagerstatter was born in Austria in 1907. As a young man, his Catholic faith wasn’t very important to him, but he later had a profound conversion through the influence of his deeply devout wife. He developed a love for scripture, the stories of the saints, and the Mass. When Hitler annexed Austria in 1938, the vast majority of Austrians were in favor of it. But Jagerstatter wasContinue reading “Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness”
The Peacemakers
posted 6/16/20 In a world where there are so many differing points of view, what makes for peace? It’s a crucial question because peace is important to Our Lord and His mission. He is, after all, the Prince of Peace who teaches us: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Fr. Simeon Leiva-Merikakis writesContinue reading “The Peacemakers”
The Clean of Heart
posted 6/15/20 There was a book that came out in 2006 by Mark Kurlansky, entitled: The Big Oyster: History on a Half-Shell, that chronicled the history of the oyster beds that used to proliferate in New York Harbor. “Before the 20th Century, when people thought of New York, they thought of oysters.” The mollusks wereContinue reading “The Clean of Heart”
Welcome Home
posted 6/13/20 It’s with great happiness that we welcome parishioners back to celebrate the Mass in church this weekend. For now, we will be celebrating our parish Masses at the church of St. Cecilia, but soon enough we will return to celebrating Mass together at the church of St. Gabriel as well. These past several monthsContinue reading “Welcome Home”
The Merciful
posted 6/12/20 On September 6, 2018 a 26-year-old man named Botham Jean was shot and killed in his Dallas apartment by his neighbor, Amber Guyger. Guyger, an off-duty member of the Dallas Police Department, claimed that she entered Jean’s apartment thinking it was her own, and that she mistook Jean for a burglar. Initially charged only with manslaughter, Guyger was later charged and convicted of murder for a crime that had racial overtones, with theContinue reading “The Merciful”
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 