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April 2015

April 25, 2015

Homily for April 26, 2015: 4th Sunday of Easter

What does it take to be a good shepherd? I just got back from a...

April 12, 2015

Movement begins to have priest who died on the Titanic declared a saint

Some may remember the homily I preached three years ago, on the 100th anniversary of...

April 12, 2015

Movement begins to have priest who died on the Titanic declared a saint

Some may remember the homily I preached three years ago, on the 100th anniversary of...

April 05, 2015

Pope Francis: “To enter into the mystery means going beyond our own comfort zone…”

“To enter into the mystery means going beyond our own comfort zone, beyond the laziness...

April 05, 2015

Pope Francis: “To enter into the mystery means going beyond our own comfort zone…”

"To enter into the mystery means going beyond our own comfort zone, beyond the laziness...

April 03, 2015

Homily for April 3, 2015: Good Friday

When I was a child, I’d hear this account of Christ’s Passion and I’d keep...

April 03, 2015

Homily for April 3, 2015: Good Friday

When I was a child, I’d hear this account of Christ’s Passion and I’d keep...

April 02, 2015

On Christ’s Seven Last Words: “They offer one final sermon on a mount, a lasting message of forgiveness and mercy”

Friday night, my parish will have a performance of Thomas Dubois’ oratorio, “The Seven Last...

April 02, 2015

On Christ’s Seven Last Words: “They offer one final sermon on a mount, a lasting message of forgiveness and mercy”

Friday night, my parish will have a performance of Thomas Dubois' oratorio, "The Seven Last Words."...

April 01, 2015

Do this in remembrance of me: Homily for Holy Thursday

When I was growing up, like a lot of families, mine had one of those...

April 01, 2015

When I was growing up, like a lot of families, mine had one of those...

March 2015

March 28, 2015

“We need these palms as a reminder—and a challenge”

We need these palms as a reminder – and a challenge. They remind us that...

March 28, 2015

“We need these palms as a reminder—and a challenge”

We need these palms as a reminder – and a challenge. They remind us that...

March 14, 2015

Turning toward the light: Homily for 4th Sunday of Lent

About 20 years ago, the novelist William Styron took a courageous step, and described his...

February 2015

February 17, 2015

Homily for February 18, 2015: Ash Wednesday and the Coptic Martyrs

Every year, Ash Wednesday rolls around, and every year, this church swells with crowds of...

February 02, 2015

For Candlemas: “Let there be light”

View image | gettyimages.com From my homily for The Presentation of the Lord in 2014: ...

February 01, 2015

Homily for February 1, 2015: 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

11th century fresco of Christ performing exorcism in the synagogue in Capernaum via Wikipedia Several...

January 2015

January 24, 2015

Homily for January 25, 2015: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

El Capitan by Mike Murphy / Wikipedia People must have thought they were crazy. Seven...

January 17, 2015

Homily for January 18, 2015: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Photo: from Knights of Columbus This Sunday’s scripture has a very simple theme, surrounding the...

January 10, 2015

The “3 c’s” of Baptism: A Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

From the vault, part of my homily for this weekend, marking the Baptism of the...

January 03, 2015

Homily for January 4, 2015: The Epiphany of the Lord

Before we take down the lights, and sweep up the pine needles, and cash in...

December 2014

December 31, 2014

“The world is charged with the grandeur of God”: a homily for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

"The Madonna of Humility" (by Dominico di Bartolo, 1433 / Wikipedia) From the vault: my...

December 20, 2014

Homily for December 21, 2014: 4th Sunday of Advent

We hear it again and again this time of year: “I can’t believe it’s almost...

December 13, 2014

“Rejoice always!” A homily for Gaudete Sunday

I'm on the road this weekend and won't be preaching about this Sunday's readings. But...

December 07, 2014

WWMD: What Would Mary Do?

"The Annunciation" by James Tissot From the vault, my homily for the Solemnity of the...

December 06, 2014

Homily for December 7, 2014: 2nd Sunday of Advent

If you want to understand what Advent is about, it helps to know the story...

November 2014

November 30, 2014

Homily for November 30, 2014: 1st Sunday of Advent

Fittingly, as we begin Advent, my wife and I spent much of the last few...

November 22, 2014

Homily for November 23, 2014: Solemnity of Christ the King

I’ve been reading some of the obits about the director Mike Nichols over the last...

November 15, 2014

Homily for November 16, 2014: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

"The Samaritan" by Eric Fischl The gospel this Sunday is familiar to a lot of...

November 08, 2014

Homily for November 9, 2014: Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

This is one of the more unusual feasts on the Church calendar. It is one...