Last Saturday we welcomed several speakers to give presentations on making end-of-life decisions. One spoke of the importance of having an Advanced Medical Directive and designating a Health Care Representative who has authority to make medical decisions on behalf of an incapacitated patient. Another talked about what’s involved in purchasing a cemetery plot and theContinue reading “Planning for the End “
Category Archives: Liturgy
A Little Bit of Latin
The opportunity to study as a seminarian in Rome was a life-changing experience for me. One of the things that most impressed me was being in a huge lecture hall with Catholic men and women from all over the world. All of us were together, studying our shared Catholic faith, and it opened my eyesContinue reading “A Little Bit of Latin “
Palmolive
In the year 1898, the B.J. Johnson Corporation unveiled its latest product – a light-green, floating bar of soap called Palmolive. By the turn of the century, it was the world’s best-selling bath soap. Made from an alleged mixture of palm, olive, and coconut oils cultivated in southern Spain, it was marketed as the luxuriousContinue reading “Palmolive “
The Color Purple
This past week we transitioned from the liturgical season of Ordinary Time to this current season of Lent. Just as the buds on trees reveal the transition from winter to spring, the warm weather and lush greenery signify the summer, the bright foliage announces the arrival of autumn, and the barren appearance of the worldContinue reading “The Color Purple “
Ite, Missa Est
There’s a famous story about St. Philip Neri (1515-1595) in which he noticed that there was a man in his congregation who had the habit of leaving Mass immediately after receiving Communion. St. Philip eventually decided that he needed to address it, so he instructed two of his altar servers to follow the man outContinue reading “Ite, Missa Est “
Altars
The most important object in every Catholic church is the altar. An altar is a table-like structure upon which is offered a sacrifice to God. In the worship rituals of the Old Testament, a sacrifice of an animal or grains would be offered to the Lord on the altar. The sacrifice would then be burned,Continue reading “Altars “
Bending the Knee
When I was a seminarian, I had a summer assignment at a parish where the pastor gave me the task of training the altar servers. I was very pleased when a pretty decent number of kids showed up to the training session. The first thing we practiced was processing down the aisle at the beginningContinue reading “Bending the Knee “
Singing and Parking
On Singing: “He who sings prays twice.” This is a phrase attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo, the patron saint of our Diocese. He is saying that when we sing our prayers, we adorn the words we speak to the Lord with a beauty that comes from our hearts’ love for Him. It is likeContinue reading “Singing and Parking “
Gift Exchange
“O, marvelous exchange! Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin. We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.” This is the Antiphon that opens the liturgical celebration of the Solemnity of Mary (Jan 1). It expresses a central claim of orthodox Christianity: thatContinue reading “Gift Exchange “
On the Calendar
In the kitchens of my sisters’ homes a guest will notice a large calendar hanging on a prominent space on the wall. Except, it’s not just a calendar. In their homes it is referred to as THE calendar. According to them, the calendar is what keeps their homes from falling into complete and utter chaos. Continue reading “On the Calendar “
