Here we stand in the last few moments of the Church year, and already Christmas seems well under way all around us. While I do lament us starting too early, as in right after Halloween, here after Thanksgiving as Advent is about to turn upon us, is this too early too? Well, if I had... Continue Reading →
Learning Spanish
So this post is off my norm. I have decided I have to learn Spanish. For many years, my parish's hispanic community has been served by a fabulous deacon, Jesus, who sadly had to move due to work. He has been gone almost a year now, and I have suddenly realized over the last few... Continue Reading →
Yet another post about the commercialization of Christmas
I went to the mall with my daughter the weekend after Halloween. Not only were they already putting up Christmas decorations, banners, trees, ornaments the size of my house, (and not a picture of Jesus to be seen...), but there was already the Christmas mood music playing in the background. Now look, I'm mad about... Continue Reading →
Offering our sickness to the Lord
The Lord is so good to me, he let me get sick. Not just a little sick, but knock me on my butt, I can't remember what day it is, sick. Okay, maybe it wasn't THAT bad, but I'm a man, and that means when I get sick I'm like a little baby. I'm the... Continue Reading →
Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
It seems silly to have a feast day for a building. I don't care how important the building is, a feast day? Would we celebrate the day the White House, Big Ben, or the Eiffel Tower was built? What exactly is the "Lateran Basilica", and why should anyone care? Every time this feast day comes... Continue Reading →
The little things prepare you for the big things
Life is sacramental in nature. It is holy from start to finish, because everything we do, and everything that surrounds us is meant to lead us to God. We often see this in the big and important moments, and once in a while, it seems the light from heaven peeks through. The typical cliche sunset... Continue Reading →
The mission of DeaconDance.com
I promised you an update on what I am doing here, where I think all of this is going. I think it's only fair I tell you who have followed me through these last few years what is happening here, and the whats and whys of all of this change. It all started one year... Continue Reading →
All Souls Day – a trip to the cemetery
On my homepage, I have a picture of an event I put on every year, a trip to our local cemetery for young people. It's a rather simple affair, we go to the chapel and pray the Office for the Dead together. Then I have students bring forward pictures of those whom have passed away... Continue Reading →
When did Halloween become so dark?
I was driving to Mass this week, and I drove by a house that had decorated for Halloween. These folks went all out, there were cobwebs everywhere, tombstones, the whole nine yards, but what really got me was their main decoration in the middle of their yard. It was this huge ghoulish figure surrounded by... Continue Reading →
A short prayer to the Holy Spirit will change your life forever
One of my favorite prayers in the world is a short and simple one. The trouble is, it is also a very dangerous one if you want to live a quiet, well ordered life. It has a tendency to mess up all of your plans, and make you feel like you are a cat chasing... Continue Reading →