Leadership Advice from St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Prompted by some other recent reading, I just finished reading Five Books on Consideration Advice to a Pope written by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (translated by John D. Anderson and Elizabeth T. Kennan. Athens, OH: Cistercian Publications. 1976, Third Printing 2004). St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote this work as a series, offering guidance to Pope …

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Divine Mercy Sunday, Year C – Homily

Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Second of Easter), Year CActs 5:12-16Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 (1) Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19John 20:19-31April 24, 2022 It is not always easy to follow God.  We see this with the prophets in the Old Testament.  For example, in 1 Kings 19, Elijah flees and hides in a cave when Jezebel, the …

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Easter Sunday Morning, Year C – Homily

Easter Sunday, Year CActs of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 (24)Colossians 3:1-4John 20:1-9April 17, 2022 Early, “while it was still dark,” Mary of Magdala came to the tomb on the first day of the week. Whose tomb?  Why is she going there while it was still dark? To begin to understand this, we …

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Easter Vigil, Year C – Homily

Easter Vigil, Year CGenesis 1:1-2:2Genesis 22:1-18Exodus 14:15-15:1Isaiah 55:1-11Romans 6:3-11Luke 24:1-12April 16, 2022 “In the beginning…the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss.” From the formless, God created order.  From the darkness, God brought light, not just light as physical light.  God also brought “light” in bringing order and meaning to the earth. …

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Some Thoughts for Holy Thursday

Today is Holy Thursday. At the Last Supper Jesus instituted both the Eucharist and the Priesthood. He instituted the Eucharist as He celebrated the Passover, taking that and transforming it into the Eucharist. The Passover was set by God (see the first reading for Mass tonight) to be celebrated with the sacrifice of a lamb …

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Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year C – Homily

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year CLuke 19:28-40 Isaiah 50:4-7Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 (28)Philippians 2:6-11Luke 22:14-23:56April 10, 2022 Our Passion narrative today begins, “When the hour came, Jesus took his place.”  What hour?  What was his place?  It is the hour for his Passion.  The place?  The place is where God …

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Video – Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World Part III

I completed my series, Finding Peace and Healing in a Troubled World, with Part III last night. The slides and video are now available online at www.renewaloffaith.org/healing3. If you watch video in the next few days, you can complete an online evaluation at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdbvrN3TSImjEc5270S0sYQ8LaU2VeUCxTuGcgKBeFE84X-Wg/viewform?usp=sf_link At this point in time I do not have any more …

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The Ministry of Priests

I recently read a new book, Priests in Love with God and Eager to Witness to the Gospel by Archbishop Emeritus Alfred Hughes (San Francisco: Ignatius Press. 2021). He wrote the book with seminarians in mind but also for reflection by priests and bishops. It is important for priests like myself to occasionally reflect on …

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