Pesach I’m taking a few week’s off Deacon-strucing to share with you this little series I did last year with my friend Rabbi Aaron Flaznraich about the significance of Passover. I’m a firm believer that the more we understand the faith of our elder brothers and sisters, the more we will come to ...read more

I'm a firm believer that the more we understand the faith of our elder brothers and sisters, the more we will come to understand and deepen our own faith. I hope that this series brings you closer to the beautiful mystery of Easter. ...read more

I wonder why in English we don’t refer to Easter as “Passover”. I suspect that for the first Christians, “Passover” is what it was all about. ...read more

Another beautiful Liturgy that takes place during Holy Week is one that is not attended by most lay people, but nevertheless has its importance and place during Holy Week. It is the Chrism Mass. ...read more

“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” I have heard and read the story of Lazarus so many times and this year, this one line has impacted me as if it’s ...read more

Last week we looked at the RCIA program: the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. We saw that this process is pretty standard throughout the universal Church. We also saw that (in previous posts, part 1 and part 2) how the program of receiving people (mainly adults) into the Church is ramped up during Lent. ...read more

Sometimes, because it’s Lent we may overlook some feasts or solemnities that fall during the season. It’s hard to ignore the Feast of St. Patrick, but how many really pay attention to the Solemnity of St. Joseph? ...read more

So far we’ve looked a little bit about why Lent has a baptismal character and we’ve looked at a particular component of the Catechumenate, the Rite of Election. Before we go on, let me explain a bit more why it’s important to keep Baptism at the centre of our Lent. It’s not j ust that ...read more

Last week, we spoke about how Lent doesn’t just have a penitential character, but also a baptismal character. I hope that if you didn’t already know the date of your baptism, you went to find out. We should all know the date of our baptism. Part of the reason that Lent has a baptismal character ...read more

When you think of Lent, what do you think of? Do you think of feasting or fasting? Do you think of partying or penance? How many of you, when you think of Lent, think of Baptism? Surely the Catechumens, those preparing for Baptism at Easter, who do their final preparations during Lent are thinking of ...read more