This is the time of year when the Church wants us to think about angels. September 29 is the Feast of the Archangels and October 2 is the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Angels are our fellow creatures, whom God created before the dawn of time. But they are a very different kind of creatureContinue reading “All About Angels “
Category Archives: Saints
Monsieur Vincent
In 1948, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film went to Monsieur Vincent, which tells the remarkable story of St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660). He grew up in a peasant family, studied theology at a university where fistfights among students were common, and was ordained a priest at 19. Five years later he was kidnappedContinue reading “Monsieur Vincent “
A Good Doctor
Next weekend, at the 11:15 Mass at St. Cecilia’s, we will be welcoming the St. Robert Bellarmine Apostolate for Individuals with Down Syndrome to worship with us. This is an apostolate that gives prayerful support to individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and caregivers. They will host a lunch reception in the parish hall immediatelyContinue reading “A Good Doctor “
Bonfire
Next Saturday (6/22), immediately following our 5:30 vigil Mass, we will have our 2nd annual Parish Bonfire, in observance of the vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Because the actual date of the vigil (6/23) falls on a Sunday evening, we are celebrating it a day earlier. This means we will beContinue reading “Bonfire “
Encouragement
There’s a passage from the first chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy in which the ancient Israelites are encamped close to the border of the land promised to them by God. Moses tells them that the Lord wants them to go in and take possession of it. But the people are unsure. So, they sendContinue reading “Encouragement “
A Clearing in the Woods
St. Boniface (feast day 6/5) was an 8th century English monk who left his homeland to evangelize the region we now call Germany. There, he reformed the weak, ignorant, and immoral clergy who were notoriously disobedient to Church authority. His efforts led to the spread of Christianity before his martyrdom in 755 A.D. He isContinue reading “A Clearing in the Woods “
Restorative Images
Interesting things are happening in France. Adult baptisms are up 30%. There is unprecedented interest in the annual pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres. The reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral will be finished in time for Christmas. All this surprisingly good news was reported by The Pillar in the context of an interview of 27-year-old FrenchmanContinue reading “Restorative Images “
Confident Abandonment
During this season of Lent, we take up the three disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. As concepts, fasting and almsgiving seem less appealing than prayer, but are relatively easy to do. Prayer, on the other hand, is something most people would like to do, but find difficult. For Lent, I’ve been re-reading a bookContinue reading “Confident Abandonment “
February 14
February 14 is St. Valentine’s Day. But not this year. This year it’s Ash Wednesday, the annual kickoff of the 40-day season of Lent. So, instead of chocolates and candy hearts, romantic dinners by candlelight, or champagne and caviar, this Wednesday we will be observing a fast, which includes abstaining from meat, and wearing ashesContinue reading “February 14 “
St. Paul Mikki
In 1596, less than 50 years after St. Francis Xavier brought Christianity to Japan, the emperor Toyotomi ordered all Christian missionaries arrested. He did not like what he saw as the growing European influence in his empire, and worried that western powers would seek to rule Japan as they did the Philippines. Among those arrestedContinue reading “St. Paul Mikki “
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 