Perspective
Do we really believe in the Real Presence?
When Pope Francis recently said that every time we receive Communion, it should be like our first time, it reminded me of a friend’s story. He had left his then-youngest […]
Columns Archive
Perspective
Getting beyond Darwin
Bishop Robert Barron and others working hard to evangelize the “Nones” — young adults without religious conviction — tell us that a major obstacle to a None embracing Christianity is […]
The Sunday Gospel
The Lord wants to welcome all to His eternal kingdom
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 13:22-30 The Book of Isaiah provides the first reading for this weekend. Isaiah is a fascinating book of Scripture. It covers a long period […]
The Sunday Gospel
Resist the pressure to turn away from Christ
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 12:49-53 The Book of Jeremiah is the source of the first reading for this weekend. Jeremiah is regarded as one of the more important […]
Perspective
Marriage: When expectations yield to love
This summer marks the special occasions of David’s and my 40th anniversary and the marriage of our older son Ryan to Sarah, our new daughter. In one of the pre-wedding […]
Perspective
Living in largo: in praise of a slower pace
There is an art and a science to slow living. This summer I’m trying to learn both. In music you can measure it. The tempo called “largo” – Italian for […]
Perspective
Random thoughts and caveats
One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is how it’s well known that preschool-age children who go to day care centers have more respiratory illnesses than those children […]
The Sunday Gospel
Acting faithfully now is our preparation for eternal life
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 12:35-40 The Book of Wisdom is the source of the first reading for this weekend. Always standing high in any ancient Jewish perception of […]
The Sunday Gospel
Grow rich in what matters to God
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 12:13-21 The first reading this weekend is from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The first verse states that the book is the work of Qoheleth, […]
A more human society
A threat to civil rights
I want to talk about the “Equality Act” (H.R. 5) approved by the House of Representatives this spring. But first a disclaimer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reaffirms that […]
Perspective
Finding God in all things
There is, to be sure, a stress within the Biblical tradition that God is radically other: “Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.” […]
Perspective
Summer at the lake
Chemists and economists speak of equilibrium conditions, where the concentrations of reactants and products, or supply and demand, are in balance. If you have a bottle of soda water with […]