Homily 21st Sunday Ordinary Time 2016 – Make Straight Your Path I don’t usually write about my homilies, but what struck me this weekend, is still with me today. In the reading from Hebrews it says to make our path straight. I think I always though the challenge was to find the path and that itContinue reading “Homily 21st Sunday Ordinary Time 2016 – Make Straight Your Path”
Author Archives: Pat
Politics and Religion
Politics and Religion… Dare I go here… Politics and Religion, Wow, here I go. As we approach a strange time in the US political arena, I was thinking about the Gospel today about the Rich Man, His Camel and the Eye of the Needle. The part of the Gospel that really caught me today isContinue reading “Politics and Religion”
The Mass Part II
The Mass Part I left us at the readings in the Liturgy of the Word. I could write many pet peeve blogs about how we read/stumble through/proclaim the Word of God. We believe that Jesus is the Word made flesh. In the early days of our faith the Israelites believed that the word had so muchContinue reading “The Mass Part II”
Receiving communion Pet Peeves #3
One of the reasons that I don’t doubt the study that says over half of Catholics don’t believe in Eucharist and real presence like the Church teaches is how we receive communion. Every-time I think that I have seen it all, something new presents itself. Most recently at a funeral a gentleman wanted me to giveContinue reading “Receiving communion Pet Peeves #3”
The Mass Part 1
From questions I receive almost daily, I know that the Church has done a poor job educating the faithful about Eucharist and Liturgy. This series will focus primarily on the Mass. This will be in 4 parts. The first part being from the beginning to the Word. That is this blog. Next post will deal withContinue reading “The Mass Part 1”
Facing East? REALLY?
Ad orientem, or facing away from the people. When I first read facing East, I actually thought, “I already face East”… took a second for this image to appear in my mind Stunned and then figured I was dreaming. I figured I would just have my people turn around and we would all be covered. IContinue reading “Facing East? REALLY?”
Bow, Genuflect or both
Do I bow or Genuflect? We were always taught, bow to Altar and genuflect to Blessed Sacrament. Simple enough to write, but in reality… #49 of the General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM) says:
Like vs love
There is the old joke that God so loved the world that He didn’t send a committee. That being said, I think in reality the bigger gift is that he only commanded us to Love one another. Not easy, on its own, but a great deal easier to accomplish than to like everyone which isContinue reading “Like vs love”
Pro Life
This could surprise many of you, but I hate when pro-life groups ask me to speak. It almost never ends well. No one argues with the phrase that we support life from conception to natural death, until you bring up examples or issues that in my opinion dilute the message. Or when the truth isContinue reading “Pro Life”
Mercy
I am not sure we understand what mercy really is about and in this age of Google, I am not sure that we will ever get there. I waited weeks to publish the first time. After preaching on the feast of Sts Peter and Paul I needed to write this. I think the fact thatContinue reading “Mercy”