BLOG: Advent and Christmas,Mary,Reflections
When life throws you the sourest of lemons, it is common to ask or sometimes demand for an answer to our “Why”? ...read more
About twenty years ago, I read some astonishing words from Pope John Paul II about the promise of the Rosary for advancing Christian unity: ...read more
“Blessed are you among women…” (Luke 1:42) How many times have we said those words? Thousands of times, maybe not even thinking about what we’re saying. ...read more
Praised be Jesus Christ! Brothers and Sisters, Family, Friends and Distinguished Guests, What a joy it is to be here with all of you and thank you for coming ...read more
“Obedience is a short cut to perfection. […] Nothing gives greater security to our actions, or more effectually cuts the snares the devil lays for us, than to follow another person’s will, rather than our own, in doing good.” – St. Philip Neri In celebrating the feast of St. Joseph this week, we remember a ...read more
A lovely, if often overlooked, element in preparation for the sacrament of marriage as a Catholic is the Rite of Betrothal offered by the Church. My fiancé and I were thrilled by the opportunity to participate in this rite in the midst of our engagement and wedding planning. If you are unfamiliar, the Rite of ...read more
For the last two weeks (part 1 and part 2) I’ve been trying to imagine what our world would be like had Jesus never been born. It’s easy to say that The Church would not exist or that we would have no Pope. There would be no priests, deacons, religious sisters or brothers, nor there ...read more
What is your reaction when you receive a gift from someone? Do you ever wish they had gotten you something else? Does it sometimes make you feel obligated to give them something in return?  How beautiful it is when a gift doesn’t make us feel disappointed or obligated but deeply grateful, wanting to give in ...read more
Last week I was imagining a world without Christmas. That would mean no Christmas music and no Christmas movies. But a world without Jesus would mean much more to our popular culture. One of my favourite Broadway musicals is Les Miz. I never read the novel, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and wasn’t crazy about ...read more
Read the full text of Pope Francis' homily for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 55th World Day of Peace on January 1, 2022. ...read more