We don’t hear much about Purgatory today. Some people interpret that to mean that the Catholic Church doesn’t believe in Purgatory anymore. That is not true. The Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses Purgatory in paragraphs 1030-1032. It speaks of the need for purification. Let me use the following story to explain the need for purification (I …
This morning I joined our parish school children for morning prayers. Today was ‘wear your favorite team’s shirt day.” There certainly were a variety of shirts. Even the principal had his “team” shirt on. Of course, they were all sports teams. Before joining the children for prayers, I stopped in the school office where the …
The last couple of days have been busy days for me; nothing unusual there. In these busy times I have been blessed with some moments of knowing that I was where I was supposed to be. Yesterday, I said Mass at the Homestead Nursing facility for 18 or 20 residents, a couple of staff, and …
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Why am I am priest? Is it worth it? Let me begin by assuring you I am happy as a priest. Sometimes it seems difficult but there are also moments of joy. For example, I think back a couple of weeks ago when I was doing the Sunday morning Mass and there was a Baptism …
Our NYS Catholic Conference of Bishops have just issued a statement, Our Cherished Right, Our Solemn Duty, reminding us of our duty to vote. Yes, we hold separation of church and state as an important principle. We, as Catholics, also firmly believe in the duty of each individual to stand up for what we believe in. …
Atour Presbyteral Council meeting today, we had a discussion on how to connect to young adults in our ministry. Each generation has its own way of looking at things. I ask you “What does the word church mean to you?” Do you think of the “building” where you attend Mass? Do you think of the …
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I wrote the following for the parish bulletin this weekend. On Monday, we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. His father was a very well-to-do merchant who wished his son would go into the family business. Everyone liked Francis because he was always happy. He sought glory by becoming a soldier. He was …
The title of this article is “Educating Our Children.” I was going to call it “Educating the Children” because, as a celibate priest, I do not have children of my own. But as I thought about it, I realized that I feel a sense of responsibility for “the” children. The Church declares that the parents …
This week I did something I have never done before. I went to New York City. OK, technically I might not have been in the city. I went to Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston. I flew into JFK airport and to me that is “the city.” People are always surprised when I tell them I …
Today I would like to share some thoughts about Mary and the Resurrection but it isn’t the Mary you might be thinking of. The Mary I am talking about is a friend of mine who just passed away. She was 90 years old. I first meet her a few months after I came back to …
