BLOG: Deacon-structing
Listening to all the readings at Mass about the end of times at this time of the year makes you wonder if we should be proclaiming them as “the Good News!” Recently while visiting my parents I found a book titled, “The Final Hour.” It’s about all the end-time prophecies. I have to be honest, ...read more
So far in part 1, we looked at questions people have regarding fasting and abstinence, in part 2 we looked at suffering and in part 3 we looked at what Scripture has to tell us about why Jesus had to suffer.  I think when people think of Lent, that’s what they think about: fasting, abstinence ...read more
Deacon-struct the meaning of Scripture during the Season of Lent with Deacon Pedro. ...read more
Now that in part 1 we’ve taken care of questions regarding fasting and abstinence, let’s focus on the meaning of Lent. We all know that Lent is the 40 days leading us to Easter. But what really is Lent?  Why are penance and suffering associated with Lent? What is the value of suffering? Let me tell ...read more
So far, in part 1 and part 2  we’ve looked at sin and why we need the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There are two Sacraments that can be received every day: The Eucharist and Reconciliation. The Church doesn’t say we have to go to Confession all the time but the Catechism of the Catholic Church says ...read more
Last week, we began looking at sin and the difference between venial and mortal sin. Even though we`ve all been cleansed from Original Sin at Baptism, we are all still wounded by Original Sin. Because of this, we still suffer the effects of Original Sin, which is why we have a tendency to sin. This tendency ...read more
The whole week between the Feast of the Epiphany and the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord we heard readings from the First Letter of St. John and on the Saturday I heard something that I had never heard before: “If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should ...read more
Last week I said that everyone gets called. But sometimes we don’t recognize it, because we’re distracted or ‘cause we’re not expecting it. But the call comes and looking at Scripture helps us recognize the Call when it comes. First you have an encounter with Christ; an encounter with the Divine; then comes a calling. And ...read more
For the last couple of weeks we’ve been talking about Vocations. We’ve looked at what it means to be called and how to discern that call. We also looked at the Church’s four Vocations: Ordained Life, Religious Life, Single Life and Married Life. Last week we concluded by seeing some of the more complex teachings ...read more
Recently I heard a talk by Julie and Greg Alexander of The Alexander House which helps parishes strengthen their marriage ministry or to help build a foundation to create one. Greg says that the turning point for their marriage when it was in crisis was a priest who asked them to consider God’s plan for ...read more