In 1998, the Congregation for Catholic Education and Congregation for the Clergy issued a joint declaration regarding the Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons. The document mandates that candidates for the Permanent Diaconate receive...
While in church one day, St. Anthony of the Desert (251-356 A.D.) heard a proclamation from the Gospel of Matthew (19:21) that spoke directly to his heart: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor.” For twenty-year...
One of my fondest memories from my college days at Holy Cross was the annual spring intramurals. While there were a variety of events, the tug-of-war had the greatest impact on my memory. The contest pitted the most brawny and surliest behemoths of...
How do I get there from here? That question used to be part of every car trip to an unfamiliar place, at least when the wife got her way and the husband asked for directions. About twenty years ago, a newly married couple from the parish invited me...
Collecting loose change isn’t always a good thing; in fact, one college professor recognized it as a sign that he was getting overly tired or depressed. If he found a lot of change in parking lots or while walking on campus, that made him realize he...
During the remainder of this month, the liturgy focuses our attention on the end times. In the Gospel (Luke 20:27-38) for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus encounters those who like to test and trap him with outlandish examples of “what...
Do you ever stop to think about what you’re doing as the years go by? Are you simply letting them add on? Or, do you view these years as fresh opportunities in your ongoing maturing process? As you grow older, do you focus on growing or older...
St. Paul put his love of Christ into a plan of action for his own life when he said: “…I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ…” (Philippians 3:12) He...
