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December 2025

December 19, 2025

An Empty Chapel, A Human Church, A Patient God

I went back to the chapel at the old hospital, to ask for mercy. Sometimes...

December 14, 2025

Gaude, Gaude, Emmanuel

It snowed again. It snowed until the roads were indistinguishable from the curbs and...

December 03, 2025

The Light in Darkness, Outside the Gate

I went to Mass on the first Sunday of Advent. That is something I can...

December 18, 2024

A Good Advent

I think it's been a good Advent. There's little to write about my life just...

December 11, 2024

To Prepare the Way of the Lord

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke: In the fifteenth year of the...

December 16, 2023

Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel

It was all going beautifully, until it wasn't. When has that ever not been the...

December 14, 2023

A Season of Comfort and Joy

The car will only drive one mile. Jimmy said the fastest thing will be...

December 11, 2023

To Light Another Candle

I had a hard time on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. We...

December 03, 2023

What I Say to You, I Say to All

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew: Jesus said to his disciples: “Be...

November 2023

November 28, 2023

A Festival, A Troll, and a Sign of Contradiction

On Friday night, we saw the fireworks. The City of Steubenville put off the...

November 18, 2023

A Penitential Season

The season of Advent is coming. There was a package of purple and pink Advent...

December 2022

December 01, 2022

The Mystery of the Red Advent Box

I took Adrienne to Sunday Mass, just like always. I don't like to go to...

December 12, 2021

That Unquenchable Fire

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke: The crowds asked John the...

November 2021

November 24, 2021

A Tree to Save the World

Truth be told, the anxiety is still bad. I've struggled with anxiety my entire life....

November 29, 2020

An Advent Invitation

Hello Friends, Just a couple of notes from Steel Magnificat as we begin Advent...

November 28, 2020

Freedom, Virtue and Responsibility: Notes for a Challenging Holiday

This week we celebrated Thanksgiving, the unofficial start to the secular holiday season. I already...

November 21, 2020

An Urgent Work of Mercy for Christ the King Sunday

Hey folks, I have a wonderful opportunity to perform a huge work of mercy...

November 16, 2020

No, Christmas is Not Canceled

The War on Christmas seems to get earlier every year. It seems that today, a...

December 2019

December 11, 2019

Where do You Turn When You Turn to God?

I have felt without a home lately. I still long to go to an Eastern...

December 07, 2019

Eighteen Suggestions for the Rest of Advent

On Friday, I suggested that we all need to be converted, and start living in...

December 05, 2019

The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of Addition

Yesterday, I delivered the last of the presents from the First Annual Parish Giving Tree...

October 2019

October 29, 2019

Arroyo, John Legend and the Grinch who Stole Halloween

It's two days til Halloween, which I have frequently opined is one of...

December 2018

December 18, 2018

O Radix Jesse

The O Antiphon for December 19th: O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum...

December 09, 2018

A Season of Darkness and Joy

We ended up walking home from Mass, on the vigil of the Immaculate Conception. There...

December 01, 2018

Your Redemption is at Hand

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke: Jesus said to his disciples: “There...

November 2018

November 30, 2018

What are you Doing for Advent?

The glorious season of advent is almost here! What are you going to do...

December 2017

December 07, 2017

Meet the Advent-o-Saurs!

I don't know exactly whose idea it was to come up with an Adventosaurus. My friend...

December 02, 2017

Welcome to Advent!

Hello, Latin Catholics! Come on in, pull up a chair, help yourself to something...

January 2017

January 01, 2017

When Does A Good Catholic Take Down the Christmas Tree?

It started on December 26th, as it always does. There was good-natured controversy all over...

December 2016

December 04, 2016

Here Come Santa Wars: On the True Race Of Santa Claus

It's Christmas! Okay, okay, it's still Advent for three more weeks. But it's December, and...