Hold Fast to the Saints
Dear Brothers and Sisters, We had the great fortune last week to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints on a Sunday and so it gave us time to reflect on where we are going in life. The tomb of St. Peter can be seen today in Rome several stories beneath the altar of St. Peter’s…
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Can You Drink of the Cup I Will Drink?
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Sister Marianne Cope was born in Germany in 1838 and immigrated to the Syracuse, NY area with her family the next year. At the age of twenty-four she entered the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis at Syracuse, New York. Later on as Superior General of her congregation, Mother Marianne willingly…
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How to Enter the Kingdom of Heaven
Dear Brothers and Sisters, God appeared to Solomon in a dream shortly after he was anointed King of Israel just before his father David died. God said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘Give me a heart to understand how to govern your people, and how to discern good from…
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Marriage and Family Life is a Calling
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Recovering from the trip of Pope Francis we have a chance to reflect a bit more on some of the things he said about the family, especially since it relates so much to our readings this week which are about the Great Sacrament of Marriage. The Pope said at the Family…
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These Are Prophetic Times
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Surely we have seen a prophet in our midst with Pope Francis last week. How blessed we are to have prophetic figures leading our Church over the last fifty years or more: Pope Benedict, Saint John Paul II, Blessed Paul VI and Saint John XXIII. It has not always been this…
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Can That Kind of Faith Save Him?
Dear Brothers and Sisters: My father was diagnosed with cancer in 1993 on the 4th of July weekend and by the end of October he was dead. It was a beautiful death in many ways, surrounded by his wife and five sons; it was a supernatural moment for all of us. During this time I remember…
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St. Joe’s Parish Family Day – This Sunday 1 to 5 PM
Our second annual Parish Family Day will take place this beautiful Sunday from 1 to 5 PM. It will include hot dogs, hamburgers, salads, popcorn, desserts, drinks, DJ, face painting, games, tattoos and much more for the family. Join us if you are in the area. Everything is free and come be our guest. Lower…
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Ephphatha, Be Open
Dear Brothers and Sisters: We heard last week from the Letter of St. James, ‘Be doers of the Word, not just listeners, otherwise you are deluding yourselves. Humbly welcome the Word of God for it can save your souls.’ What beautiful and strong words does St. James have for us these past few weeks. The…
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Be a Doer of the Word of God
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Junípero Serra will be canonized a saint by Pope Francis in Washington, DC during the Pontiff’s trip to the US in a few weeks. In the Capitol Building there is a hall filled with greater than life size statues of the pioneers who established the United States of America and one…
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Christ is Present in Christian Marriage
The third part of this series on the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist will center on Christian marriage as St. Paul speaks of in his letter to the Ephesians. In a true Christian marriage Jesus Christ is present: to the couple and to everyone close to them. It is a great mystery how…
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