By now you’ve probably noticed that the stores are stocked with Christmas items – cards, decorations, trees and gifts – a sure sign that Halloween is just around the corner! Of course the Halloween stuff has been on the counters since Labor Day so we should be well-prepared for our annual foray into the nether world. more

The American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “A person will worship something, have no doubt about that.” Emerson’s quote points to the human need for worship and religion. In … more

By the time you read this I will have celebrated what is euphemistically called a “milestone birthday,” a nice name for a dreadful event. Turning 60 is bad enough; doing so on April Fools Day is especially cruel. more

To this day the Passover meal among Jews remains a family festival. The Pasch, unlike the other great feasts of Judaism — Pentecost, the Day of Atonement — Passover was a day to remain at home. more

And so it begins – the Year of Evangelization in the Diocese of Providence. It is, I’m convinced, one of most important programs in the recent history of the Diocese. It’s an initiative filled with enormous potential, but one that requires all of us working together with personal dedication, enthusiasm and joy. more

When we pray Christianity’s most important single prayer – The Our Father — do we really attempt to understand and meditate upon the challenge of its words — especially “thy kingdom … more

A novel that has been popular for decades and that was made into a movie in the 1950s is The Diary of a Country Priest, by the pious French author, George Bernanos. The novel’s grim mood is … more

The universal love of God for his creatures and especially for mankind is undeniable. Clearly, in the words of St. Paul, “God desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of his truth.” more

When it comes to the harsh difficulties many Native Americans face every day, the saying “out of sight, out mind” hits home. more

On the second Sunday after Christmas, in a small inner city church, an elderly woman and a young man brought up the end of the Communion line. The young man was having difficulty walking. It was … more