Over the past week we have been doing much as a nation to commemorate the terrible events of September 11, 2001. Part of the ritual has been to share with each other our own experiences of that horrible day, which set so many things in motion and changed our world in so many ways. I was living in Spain at theContinue reading “Seeking Refuge”
Category Archives: Other
Holy Hour for Vocations
Several years ago, when I was the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Bridgeport, I came across a talk that Mother Teresa of Calcutta gave back in 1993. In it, she told the story of an old man that her sisters discovered and pulled out of a gutter. He was in very bad shape. They brought him toContinue reading “Holy Hour for Vocations”
Breaking the Spell
There was a very interesting opinion article in last Sunday’s New York Times (“How to Think Your Way Into Religious Belief” 8/15/21). It was written by Ross Douthat, who has had a column in the Op-Ed section of the Times since 2009, and has on occasion used that space to write about religion. Douthat is Catholic, and his writings demonstrate a broad interest in religious belief,Continue reading “Breaking the Spell”
Ordo
In the sacristy of every Catholic church there is a little book called an Ordo. Published annually by the Bishops of the United States, the Ordo provides all the information about the liturgy that one needs for every day of the year. It tells us what readings we’re supposed to read at Mass, what prayers we’re supposed toContinue reading “Ordo”
Return
Brandon Vogt is the Senior Content Editor at Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, an organization established by Bishop Robert Barron to provide tools of evangelization for Catholics. Recently, I listened to Vogt speak about his new book called Return: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church. The book was the fruit of Vogt’s many years of research on the sky-rocketing number of people who were raisedContinue reading “Return”
Building on What We’ve Received
I watch too much YouTube. More often than not, it’s a big waste of time. But sometimes you can come across something interesting there. I recently watched an interview of the film director Spike Lee. He was asked by the interviewer to put together a list of films that he would recommend to anyone interested in film. At one point, he expressedContinue reading “Building on What We’ve Received”
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi
During a recent conversation with a member of our parish, he told me that over the past few years he has come to a greater love and appreciation for the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. He attributed this awakening to his experience of reverence in the liturgy. In particular, he said that attending Eucharistic exposition and benediction,Continue reading “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi”
The Eucharist in The Times
There was a very interesting article in The New York Times two weeks ago in which journalists Elizabeth Dias and Ruth Graham reported on the Eucharist (“Beyond the Politics of Communion, an Ancient Holy Ritual”, 6/27/21). The impetus for the piece was the recent meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, at which the bishops discussedContinue reading “The Eucharist in The Times”
Finding a Quiet Place
In my mind, July is when summer really begins. The weather starts to get consistently hot, life for most people slows down, and if they’re lucky they can get away for a vacation. This week, I’ll be one of the lucky ones who gets some time away from the routine demands of ordinary life. Every year IContinue reading “Finding a Quiet Place”
New Mass Schedule
A wise priest once told me that there are certain decisions that a pastor must make, even at the risk of his own life. One of them is deciding to tinker with the parish Mass schedule. Last year, after the shutdowns, the unique circumstances required the adjustment of the liturgical schedule. If you recall, prior to the pandemic the Mass schedule was as follows: 4pm vigil (St. Gabriel), 5:30pm vigilContinue reading “New Mass Schedule”
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 