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After a ceremony in one of our parishes, I went to the social hall to meet people, moving table to table to do so. Some of the folks very respectfully stood up to greet me, a gesture sincerely …
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2/13/20
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May the God of peace make you perfectly holy, and may you entirely, spirit, soul and body, be reserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and …
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2/6/20
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February 2nd marks a beautiful Feast Day in the Catholic Church, the Presentation of the Lord. When Mary and Joseph, in fulfillment of the law, presented Jesus in the Temple, it was a very special …
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1/30/20
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It seems that lots of people avoid having their picture taken, in either formal or informal settings. They’ll do almost anything to avoid posing, even with family and friends – feign …
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1/23/20
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A couple times a year I visit the ACI, our state prison. I always welcome the opportunity to do so, although the visits are as emotionally challenging as they are spiritually rewarding.During one of …
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1/16/20
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It’s a routine we go through every year as one year ends and another begins – the discarding of old calendars and the display of the new. I suppose it’s a little different for the …
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1/9/20
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Pope Francis has often spoken out against the use of superstitious, magical remedies to guide our lives. For example, in one of his addresses, he pointed to the example of St. Peter whose faith in …
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12/19/19
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Advent is such a special season, a beautiful, grace-filled time in which the Church prepares for the Coming of the Lord — both at the end of time and in the present Christmas Season. And one of the …
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12/12/19
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I don’t listen to classical music all the time, but sometimes I do, and while driving home recently I heard on the radio a Bach cantata that was inspired by the biblical account of Mary’s …
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12/5/19
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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. (Eph 1: 3)These words of St. Paul to the Ephesians encourage us, too, to be …
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11/28/19
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Two recent experiences illustrate the power of words.
The first. While walking through the church after a Funeral Mass a lady stopped me to ask: “Bishop, are you feeling okay?” “Yep, I’m …
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11/21/19
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Q. Who made you? A. God made me.
Q. Why did God make you? A. God made me to know him, love him and serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next.
Many readers will …
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11/14/19
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You’ve probably heard about the fitness regimen that challenges you to walk 10,000 steps each and every day. The practice is the key to better health and a long life, the experts …
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11/7/19
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In the fall, we celebrate the harvest of the summer season, but we also begin moving toward that season of dying. The plants give up their abundant life. The days grow shorter, and it is a time of …
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10/31/19
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My little dog Annie is a great companion and a constant source of joy. And she’s always very happy to see me. When I return home from the office or from running some errands, she’s always at the …
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10/24/19
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While watching TV these days I’m often bemused by some of the ads for new medical treatments intended to treat a variety of conditions and illnesses. While describing the benefits of these wonder …
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10/17/19
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A relatively new phrase making the rounds these days is “forever home.” It refers to a new permanent home that is provided for a pet, usually a cat or dog, which has been rescued from a shelter …
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10/10/19
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St. Teresa of Avila, whose feast day is October 15, was a Spanish nun who lived from 1515 to 1582. She is a truly heroic figure in the history of the Church, a famous mystic known for her personal …
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10/3/19
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Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us. (St. Alphonsus Liguori)One of the …
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9/26/19
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Mrs. Catherine Cooper was my great-great-grandmother on my father’s side. She lived from 1810 to 1901 spending all of her life in and around the little town of Loretto in the Allegheny Mountains of …
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9/19/19
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