Another tragic shooting has happened in our country. Yesterday (Friday, December 14, 2012) a man went into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut. Twenty children are dead along with six adults at the school (including the principal who working to help the children), the alleged shooter, and his mother. Any murder is a tragedy …
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Baruch 5:1-9 Philippians 1:4-6, 9-11 Luke 3:1-6 December 9, 2012 As we ended the last liturgical year and began our season of Advent our readings pointed to the End Times. We called to do so with hope of the glory of Heaven but we don’t always feel that …
Today (December 8th) we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This year it falls on Saturday but because it is our National Feast Day in the United States, it remains a Holy Day of Obligation. I serve as Pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca so it is also …
1st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Jeremiah 33:14-16 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2 Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 December 2, 2012 We hear Jeremiah speak the prophecy of God’s promise to raise up a “just shoot” for David. This is the prophecy of a new messiah, a great king for Israel. It is fulfilled in the First Coming …
After the Sunday morning Masses, I had the opportunity to join our two parish youth groups (Middle School & Senior High) for a joint session where they had the opportunity to ask me questions. I went in with no set text to talk about and there were no restrictions on the questions except that they …
Yesterday our parish office was closed to give our staff a long weekend with the Thanksgiving Holiday. I had no special plans when I stopped in the office for a little while to check my email. I had been thinking about going to the hospital to make some routine visits. I had reason to believe …
Today we celebrate a national holiday, Thanksgiving. It has been part of our history since before we were even a nation of our own. The pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts in 1620. They arrived in winter and faced great difficulties. Native American Indians came to their help and helped learn local farming. At the first harvest …
Another Sunday Homily 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Daniel 12:1-3 Hebrews 10:11-14, 18 Mark 13:24-32 November 18, 2012 The end of the year is just two weeks away. No, I’m haven’t flipped my lid. I know very well that the secular calendar year still has six weeks to go. I’m talking about the …
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B 1 Kings 17:10-16 Hebrews 9:24-26 Mark 12:38-44 November 11, 2012 Today we hear stories involving two different women who lived a few hundred years apart but have a common story. They are both widows. As widows they would have no status or property. They would have little and …
While we can always be mindful of those who have gone before us, November is considered a special time to pray for the dead. We begin the month on November 1st first with the celebration of All Saints’ Day. Anytime I speak of the saints I always like to begin with clearing up a misconception …
