I am a procrastinator. I don’t try to be, I actually work quite hard to be proactive, but sometimes my lazy nature just kicks in, and before I know it, a deadline approaches, and I am caught unprepared. So, I was to be ordained in a few weeks, and I had not yet bought any... Continue Reading →
A Life of Meaning – Homily (A-OT-5)
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a bushel basket. It is put on a lamp stand where it gives light to the whole house. Just so, your light should shine before others. I think Jesus has this one all wrong. You see, I don’t really want to be a light, I... Continue Reading →
The Incarnation – Homily (A-Ad-4)
One thing I was taught in my homiletics courses was “Good homilists borrow, great homilists steal.” I can’t tell you how true this is. There are so many great saints, theologians and thinkers who have gone before us, that we would be crazy not to use their wisdom, even their words. This homily is a... Continue Reading →
Thanksgiving Kingdom – Homily (C-OT-Christ the King)
This homily was my first real challenge, as I wanted to marry the ideas of Thanksgiving with the feast of Christ the King. How well did I do? I love cranberry sauce. I don’t want to offend anyone here, I am sure many of you make great cranberry sauce, but I am partial to the... Continue Reading →
Parish Receptions – Among So Many Friends
I love my parish. No, you don’t understand, I love my parish. These people are the best friends I have. I don’t really have many friends outside of the Church, and my parish holds most of these people. I’m the guy who loves to hang out at RCIA and Catechism classes just to be around. I’m a... Continue Reading →
My First Homily!
My pastor scheduled me to preach my very first weekend as a deacon, to go along with a celebration of my ordination. I worked on my first homily all summer long. I really wanted to get it all right, I wanted to start off good. It was a finely crafted work of art. I then... Continue Reading →
Ordination! Two Impressions…
Satan tried to bring me down. I know it was him, I felt it. I was in the hotel room getting ready, and I had a brand new alb my beloved priest had bought for me. It was beautiful: Long, White, Clean, Crisp, …just beautiful. I had never worn it, and it was wrinkled. We... Continue Reading →
Rite of Candidacy
Or is it the Rite of Confusion? The main problem we had was not the Rite itself, that is pretty straightforward. The Rite of Candidacy is simply the Church calling you forward as a candidate for Holy Orders. It would seem to be so simple, right? Alas, no! The problem is not what the Rite... Continue Reading →
Rite of Acolyte – A Visual Change
I hate to start off boring, but this will make no sense if you don’t know what an acolyte is, or what an acolyte does. As such, let me give you a quick run down.The Rite of Institution to Acolyte is usually held in the cathedral with the bishop. This is not to be confused with... Continue Reading →
Ordination Date Has Been Set!
Years have gone by. Five and a half of them. Children and grandchildren have been born, parents and grandparents have passed on. This formation process has been full of up and downs, and classes that will never end. Except that the classes HAVE ended. I have reached the end of this road, and beyond it... Continue Reading →