When King Ahab and his diabolical wife Jezebel finally passed on, the kingdom of Israel fell under the rule of the unfortunate King Ahaziah who one day fell through the lattice of his roof terrace at … more

The Diocesan Office for Religious sponsors a day of recollection for the congregations of sisters and brothers who staff the schools, nursing facilities, and parish ministries in the Diocese of … more

The festivities of the Christmas holiday and the solemnities of Holy Week might at first glance seem to have nothing in common. Christmas is all wreaths and lights and sleigh bells and presents and … more

No one can blame Sts. Peter, James and John for wanting to prolong the Transfiguration experience. In his exhilaration, St. Peter blurts out, “Lord, how good it is that we are here. more

Wisely does the church’s Lenten liturgy follow last week’s narrative of Christ’s temptations with an account of Jesus’ Transfiguration. Last week worshippers at Mass witnessed Jesus’ triple victory as he struggled to express in human terms the meaning of his divine sonship. more

The grim statistics shared in the Rhode Island Catholic a few weeks back as well as commentary on the state of religion in the northeastern United States in the recent past is certainly cause for … more

My cousin Gail tells me that I am just like my mother: I never say "no.” And when I look back over my 45 years of priesthood I have been privileged to say "yes" many times - sometimes for a benefit and sometimes for a bother. In the back of my mind, I always felt a certain call to the priesthood. more

Chuckie probably never missed Mass in his entire life. As a child and even as a teenager he served Mass regularly at his parish Church. Then as a young adult he was only too happy to assist with the … more

The promise of Advent, the joy of Christmas and the enthusiasm of Epiphany have yielded to what the church’s liturgy labels rather blandly Ordinary Time or, in some other languages, Numbered Time. more

Uniquely among the Evangelists, St. John does not report the hallowed words of consecration that are so familiar to Catholics both from the Scriptures and from the Mass. more

“Hello, Father Kiley? This is Peter Gilmore. My aunt said that I should call you about being a God-parent for my cousin Patrick’s baby. more

The repudiation of Christopher Columbus as discoverer of America and his vilification as conqueror, exploiter and slave owner have become regular autumn events on some campuses and in certain cities. more

The spiritual life of the Christian is often depicted as a search for God. “Seek always His face,” the Psalmist advises. Jeremiah concurs with these words, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” His fellow prophet Isaiah certainly agrees, “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” Jesus himself speaks on the need to search for God, “Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you.” And, even more pointedly, Jesus instructs, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things will be added to you.” more

Two biographies of women religious caught my eye as I waited to offer Mass recently at St. Charles Borromeo Church, my home parish in Woonsocket. Both histories narrate a religious sister’s … more

A child with severe physical challenges was found on the steps of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris sometime during the Middle Ages. The passers-by who noticed him were quite taken-aback by the little … more

The prophet David was the first king to rule over all twelve tribes of Israel centered around the city of Jerusalem. But the unity enforced by King David did not endure very long. After the death of David’s son Solomon, David’s grandson Rehoboam enforced a very severe regime. Eventually, ten of the northern Israelite tribes separated from this tyrannical king and chose for themselves Jeroboam, from the tribe of Ephraim, as their king, establishing a new kingdom which they called Israel. The other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, remained with the dictatorial Rehoboam and formed the Judean kingdom. more

When a Catholic presents him or herself to the priest for the sacrament of reconciliation, the penitent usually requests, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” Now, when the admitted … more

In his instruction “Laudato Si,’ On the Care for Our Common Home,” Pope Francis warns his readers that the empirical sciences alone cannot explain the whole of reality. He reminds mankind that, … more

Our spiritual mother’s role is historically unique Mary of Nazareth is rightly recalled and uniquely honored as both virgin and mother. more

The 27 books of the New Testament were written over a span of perhaps 60 years and they were written over an area of perhaps half the Mediterranean world. St. Paul’s earliest epistles were written possibly around 45 A.D.; the final works of St. John came into circulation maybe in 100 A.D. The various letters and books could have been written in Jerusalem, Syria, Turkey, Greece or Rome. Given this varied background, the centrality of St. Peter in the minds of all the New Testament authors is compelling. more