The Feast of St. Nicholas is tomorrow, December 6. Because it falls on a Sunday this year, we will not be celebrating his feast day at Mass. Nevertheless, since St. Nicholas is a fascinating character, so I thought it a good opportunity to share a few thoughts about him with you in this space. St. Nicholas was born in a port cityContinue reading “St. Nicholas”
Category Archives: Saints
St. Francis Xavier
After St. Paul, the greatest of all Christian missionaries was St. Francis Xavier, whose feast day we celebrate today. He was one of the original members of the Society of Jesus, and his passion for bringing the Gospel to the people of Asia was enflamed through the influence of his spiritual mentor, St. Ignatius ofContinue reading “St. Francis Xavier”
Bl. Jerzy Popieluszko
Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko was a priest who was active in the Solidarity movement in Poland in the early 1980s. He became well-known throughout Poland when his homilies, which were strongly critical of the communist state, were widely broadcast on the radio. Because he encouraged people to resist the oppressive regime, and to actively protest against it, state officials tried to intimidate him to be silent, but were unsuccessful. Continue reading “Bl. Jerzy Popieluszko”
A Motherly Heart
I remember reading a biography of St. Maximilian Kolbe in which those who knew him during his life described him as having a “motherly heart.” It sounded like a strange way to describe him, but, based on their accounts, to be in the presence of Kolbe was to be consoled, such that, whatever burdens you were carrying around within you were lifted away – even the terrible burdenContinue reading “A Motherly Heart”
St. John Paul II
Pope John Paul II was the Bishop of Rome for 27 dramatic years. Elected to the Chair of St. Peter in 1978 at the age of 58, he served the Church as the Holy Pontiff until his death in 2005. During a post-Conciliar period that coincided with dramatic cultural upheaval, Pope John Paul II was given the reins of a Church that was suffering through a crisis of confidenceContinue reading “St. John Paul II”
Consumed and Sustained
A friend of mine, some years ago, tried to solve what was a terrible mosquito problem in his backyard by purchasing one of those bug-zapping lights. I’m sure you’re familiar with these things. They glow with a light that bugs find irresistible, to the point that they get so close to it that they are consumed by its blazing heat. Continue reading “Consumed and Sustained”
North American Martyrs
There is a tradition among the various national seminaries in Rome to play in a soccer tournament each year called the “Clericus Cup.” Almost every seminary fields a team, so you’ll have games in which the seminarians from the English College play the seminarians from the French College, or the seminarians who are studying atContinue reading “North American Martyrs”
Let Nothing Disturb You
Today is the feast day of St. Teresa of Jesus, who was a 16th century Carmelite nun from Avila, Spain. She was, by all accounts, brilliant and charming, as well as physically beautiful. She entered the Carmelite monastery at the age of 20. At that time, the monastic life was very lax. There were always people comingContinue reading “Let Nothing Disturb You”
Martha & Mary
Years ago, when I was going through my period of vocational discernment, there were times in which I felt overwhelmed by the question of what God wanted me to do with my life. I knew there was the possibility that He was offering me the priesthood, but I struggled to accept that and to risk the possibility that the priesthoodContinue reading “Martha & Mary”
St. Therese
Today (10/1) is the feast day of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. St. Therese grew up in Normandy, France and entered the Carmelite Monastery in Lisieux at the age of 15, where she joined two of her older sisters who had entered the community before her (her younger sister would eventually join them there too). St. Therese was canonizedContinue reading “St. Therese”
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 