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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

August 2019

August 24, 2019

Keeping balance, living with grace: Homily for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have a mission priest at my parish this weekend, so I won't be preaching....

March 2019

March 19, 2019

St. Joseph, Saint for Our Age of Anxiety

From the vault: A couple years ago, I preached on St. Joseph during Advent and reflected...

October 2018

October 28, 2018

A prayer for Pittsburgh: Homily for October 28, 2018, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It happened exactly 53 years ago today. On October 28th 1965, St. Paul VI issued...

October 27, 2018

‘Here is a happy priest’: World Priest Day 2018

This weekend, we mark World Priest Day: WORLD PRIEST DAY (WPD) has been sponsored by the Worldwide...

October 08, 2018

Marriage, a living prayer: Homily for October 7, 2018, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The scriptures this Sunday focus on a subject that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: marriage....

September 2018

September 15, 2018

‘Believe in something’: Homily for September 16, 2018, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A couple weeks ago, Nike set out to sell some sneakers. The result ended up...

September 14, 2018

‘Love remains’: Homily for Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

From the vault, my thoughts on this feast from a few years ago... + If...

September 02, 2018

‘What is the Catholic Church? Just look around’: Homily for September 2, 2018, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last week, I found myself in a small Vietnamese restaurant in midtown Manhattan, sharing a...

August 2018

August 18, 2018

’A terrible week to be Catholic’: Homily for August 19, 2018, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thursday, I found myself in Maryland for a family funeral. One of the first people...

July 2018

July 28, 2018

‘I am Catholic’: Homily for July 29, 2018, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

My homily students know this piece of advice I always give them: even if you...

July 14, 2018

The faith of the huntsman: homily for the funeral of Gary Wenzel

Last Saturday morning, my brother-in-law, Gary Wenzel, died suddenly after suffering a heart attack. He...

July 08, 2018

‘This is the moment for us to be prophets’: Homily for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I'm not preaching this weekend, but found myself re-reading my homily for three years ago...

June 2018

June 23, 2018

We are better than this: Homily for June 24, 2018, Nativity of St. John the Baptist

This past week, as we’ve watched the news unfolding on our southern border, we’ve been...

June 02, 2018

In smallness there is greatness: Homily for June 3, 2018, Corpus Christi

Last week, the New York Times had an essay by a man who is not...

May 2018

May 10, 2018

Defying gravity: Homily for Ascension Thursday

From the vault, my homily for Ascension Thursday 2015: This glorious feast of the Ascension—one...

April 2018

April 13, 2018

Christ with us: Homily for 3rd Sunday of Easter

I'm not preaching this weekend, but here's something from the vault: my homily for this Sunday...

March 2018

March 30, 2018

Behold, the wood of the cross: Homily on the Seven Last Words

Without question, it is the most infamous public execution of all time. No death has...

March 28, 2018

Pass it on: Homily for Holy Thursday 2018

There are some events in history that prove to be pivot points. You look back...

March 24, 2018

He did it for us: Homily for Palm Sunday, March 25, 2018

We’ve been hearing it again and again the last several days: “I can’t believe it’s...

March 17, 2018

Seeing Jesus in Ohio: Homily for March 18, 2018, 5th Sunday of Lent

As most of you know, last week marked the one-month anniversary of the massacre at...

March 03, 2018

‘We are all the woman at the well. We thirst.’

From the vault, from one of my favorite homilies, about one of my favorite Gospels:...

January 2014

January 04, 2014

Homily for January 5, 2014: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

[Click here for readings.] For those who may be keeping track, this marks the 12th...

November 2013

November 30, 2013

“Cherpumple”: Homily for 1st Sunday of Advent

Here's one from the vault: my homily for this Sunday from 2010. +++ Anyone looking...

October 2013

October 12, 2013

Homily for October 13, 2013: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

[Click here for the readings] Centuries from now, when people are studying our civilization, one...

August 2013

August 14, 2013

Homily for the Vigil of the Assumption

[From the vault: here's my 2010 homily for the vigil of tomorrow's feast.] Years ago,...

August 10, 2013

Homily for August 11, 2013: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

[Click here for readings.] Years ago, a song asked the romantic question: “What are you...

July 2013

July 27, 2013

Homily for July 28, 2013: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

[Click here for readings.] When I was four or five years old, my mother took...

June 2013

June 15, 2013

Homily for June 16, 2013: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

[Click here for readings.] In the 1950s, one of the most popular shows on television...

June 08, 2013

Homily for June 9, 2013: 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

[Click here for readings] A few years ago I got an unexpected e-mail from a...

June 01, 2013

Homily for June 2, 2013: Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

[Click here for readings] Last week, my wife and I traveled to California. One of...