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Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

November 2019

November 25, 2019

We gather together: an interfaith Thanksgiving service in Queens

Our community celebrated the holiday a little early Sunday, with our annual interfaith Thanksgiving service....

November 03, 2019

Noticing those others miss: Homily for November 3, 2019, 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

As we celebrate Mass this evening, we mark the end of our observance of All...

October 2019

October 22, 2019

Brooklyn is in the house: a change at the top at CNEWA

I'm getting a new boss. The announcement: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, Chair...

October 06, 2019

‘Serve one another’: my parish’s stewardship video

We screened this video at all the Masses this weekend at my parish. Kudos to...

September 2019

September 29, 2019

Visiting a parish blessed by a saint in Pennsylvania

Saturday, I found myself in scenic Hamburg, Pennsylvania, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains,...

August 2019

August 21, 2019

When a monk dies: ‘Life is a grand, sacred narrative’

My friend Father James Stephen Behrens, OCSO — known to many as "Jeff" — entered...

August 17, 2019

‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels’: Remembering James Stephen Behrens

My heart broke when I heard this news today: Father James Stephen Behrens, OCSO, a...

June 2019

June 18, 2019

Catholic Journalist on the Job

As I type, I'm enjoying the view from the Delta terminal at JFK — white...

June 10, 2019

Come, Holy Ghost: Pentecost in Queens

I thought I'd share a few pictures from yesterday, when my parish celebrated Pentecost by...

June 05, 2019

Giving Jesus the Cold Shoulder: When Casual Catholics Take ‘Casual’ to a New Level

The heated debate about bare shoulders during Mass reminded me of this post from a...

May 2019

May 26, 2019

My Prayer for Memorial Day

Sunday morning, I had the privilege of offering the invocation at the local American Legion...

April 2019

April 22, 2019

Easter Is Not What It Was: What I Saw This Sunday

Well, yes, the church was packed. It started that way on Thursday and continued all...

April 14, 2019

Enter the Sanctuary Singing: My Palm Sunday in Queens

It was a busy and eventful Palm Sunday in Queens — and it started yesterday,...

April 08, 2019

‘A Busy Person’s Guide to Prayer’ is Now Available on Kindle

Over the last few weeks, a lot of folks have asked me about this, so...

March 2019

March 31, 2019

This is Why Deacons, Like Boy Scouts, Should Be Prepared

That's something I often tell guys in homiletics class: always be ready to preach, whether...

March 20, 2019

It’s Here: ‘The Busy Person’s Guide to Prayer’

Want to kickstart your Lent? Boost your prayer life? Support your local blogging deacon? I'm...

November 2018

November 20, 2018

Different faiths gathered to pray together. And someone said: ‘Yuck’

I was more than a little surprised to read that one-word reaction to a Facebook...

November 05, 2018

‘The Living Gospel’ goes into a second printing

I'm delighted to share this little news about my little book: "The Living Gospel: Daily...

July 2018

July 25, 2018

Signs of NOLA

As I sit in the Delta Sky Club and wait for our flight home, I...

July 21, 2018

See you in New Orleans!

I'm about to head out the door for the 2018 National Diaconal Congress in New...

April 2018

April 15, 2018

Thank you, Bridgeport!

I spent a wonderful day Saturday with some of the deacons of Bridgeport, Connecticut and...

April 07, 2018

Thank you, Boston!

I had a wonderful two days up in Boston, where I was privileged to give...

April 01, 2018

‘This is the night…’

Kudos to my friend Maria Ribar who, from her perch in the choir loft, captured...

March 2018

March 16, 2018

Visiting Boston? Stop by and say hello

Department of Shameless Plugs: If you find yourself in the Boston area on Friday, April...

October 2015

October 13, 2015

A letter from the Vatican…

Well, here’s something you don’t get every day. It arrived by email last week from...

October 13, 2015

A letter from the Vatican…

Well, here's something you don't get every day. It arrived by email last week from...

October 12, 2015

This week’s ear worm: “Lead Me, Lord…”

This one is so deeply ingrained into my brain, I was even singing it this...

October 12, 2015

This week’s ear worm: “Lead Me, Lord…”

This one is so deeply ingrained into my brain, I was even singing it this...

October 09, 2015

Hello, Altoona!

I'll soon be on the road again: This weekend, once again CNEWA will be hitting the...

October 09, 2015

Hello, Altoona!

I’ll soon be on the road again: This weekend, once again CNEWA will be hitting the...