Dear Brothers and Sisters, The season of Advent is, though short, of extreme importance in the liturgical and spiritual life of the Catholic Church. Our public worship during the Mass turns our attention to the closeness of our Savior. The Messiah, promised to God’s chosen people, is very near! As the Church directs our minds and hearts to this good news, each Catholic is invited to a personal time of preparation. The Lord Jesus comes for all people collectively, as well as for each of us individually. Thus, when we see the shepherds visit Jesus in the manger, we hear…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters, A popular reading often chosen for funerals comes from the third chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes. “To everything there is a season…” Here we find sacred Scripture reminding us that the full breadth of (virtuous) human experiences has a proper time and place. There is a time to mourn, to laugh, to dance, to gather stones, to love. We often read this during the funeral Mass because it reminds us that we will not always be in mourning, but the fact that we are grieving now is, in itself, right and good. While the funeral…read more

Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ, Approaching the Bible can be a daunting task. Some readers experience apprehension about their ability to understand what is contained therein, while others struggle to see how texts from thousands of years ago have any relevance to our present day. If only we understood the truth about the Bible! The Scriptures contain for us an incredible story (or history) through which God wishes to speak to His beloved people. Let’s start at the beginning. In Genesis we read the story of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the population of the world…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Over the years, I have been asked more times than I can count about what heaven will be like. My first answer is always that until I get there and see it for myself, I’m not entirely sure. But I always follow up by talking about what we hear from Scripture, and then what the Church and the great theologians and saints described as the beatific vision. The Bible makes clear that in heaven, the hosts of angels surround God’s throne night and day, offering an unceasing chorus of praise. It is from the book of…read more