Fr Joseph EsperOne of my favorite saints is Catherine of Siena, who lived in 14th century Italy. The youngest of 25 children, she refused to marry, as her parents wished, and instead entered the Dominican Order. Catherine became known for her great holiness and...
Fr Dino VaninComparing the institution of the Eucharist in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) with the Gospel of John, what stands out right away, is that the institution of the Eucharist is missing in the Gospel of John. It has been replaced by the...
Deacon Kurt GodfrydIn the Gospel of Luke (5:1-11), Jesus turns to Simon Peter and says: “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” In reply, he speaks for himself and the other disciples: “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing...
The readings for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time are a hymn to the culture of life: even life with all the trials and pain, and limits, and hardships that our human frailty imposes on us. This is possible because Christ lives forever to make...
Over lunch, a brother deacon recounted the story of his nephew’s First Holy Communion. He noted that after a period of great anticipation, the day had finally arrived. With family having traveled from near and far, all had made their way to the...
Msgr Joseph PellegrinoEldad and Medad were not in the tent when the Spirit of God came upon the 70 in the Book of Numbers (11:25-29). Eldad and Medad weren’t there, but they still received the Spirit and began to prophesize. “Stop them,” Joshua told Moses, “Why?” asked...
In 1856 a boy named Matt was born to a poor family in Ireland, the second of 12 children. His father was a laborer with a fierce temper and a fondness for alcohol; his mother was a hardworking, saintly woman who tried to ensure her children grew up...
Let me try something different this time; we shall consider what the Church feeds us from the Table of God’s Word as a delicious and nourishing dish for us to enjoy for our physical and spiritual well-being. These are the ingredients: Let whoever is...
Throughout the Church’s history there have been many visionaries and mystics who have undergone intense spiritual experiences. One of the most amazing was a German woman named Therese Neumann, who lived in the 20th century. She had numerous visions...
What I would like to share with you is a very modest reflection on verse 31 of the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John: He gave them bread from heaven to eat. This whole chapter can be considered a most refined “homily: by Jesus Christ, the Risen...