Spiritual week 1
It occurred to me at Mass yesterday that, while I have a specific work-out/diet plan ready for me, I have [...]
Official recognition for ‘mission from God’
Of all the reports to come from the Vatican in recent weeks, this one, made in its newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, [...]
Valerie Bertinelli influenced me: Part 2
Remember that time months ago that I made that promise about keeping you all updated on my exercise progress? Well, [...]
Colorful Gospel for June 10, 2010
Click on the photo for a printable PDF! Based on the Gospel of Luke 7:36–8:3Jesus looked at the woman with [...]
Beware the stench
How awful is the movie “Get Him to the Greek,” which opens in theaters this weekend? I know I [...]
Colorful Gospel for June 3, 2010
Based on the Gospel of Luke 9:11b - 17 Out and about. Jesus didn’t stay in his hometown of Nazareth [...]
“To move in or not to move in … that is the question”
Since Matt has moved into my soon-to-be-home, we’ve been having quite a time decorating, buying furniture and just making it [...]
Colorful Gospel for May 27, 2010
Based on the Gospel of John 16: 12-15 God’s love for us – totally awesome and unconditional! This Sunday we [...]
Trinity proves how awesome is our God
During one of my years studying Sacred Theology in Toronto, I worked in one of the local parishes. Since I was not yet a priest I usually wound up assisting at many of the Masses celebrated on any given Sunday. This is typical work for a seminarian and is generally enjoyed as a part of “internship” for the priesthood. As it turned out I was on deck for Trinity Sunday.
One of the priests, also a professor at one of the local universities, celebrated the early Mass and the last Mass of the day. For the early Mass his homily lasted about 35 minutes and resembled a college lecture. After the Mass, the pastor had a conversation with Father and asked him to use the intervening time between the Masses to bring his homily down to earth and cut the time at least in half. So off he went.
The next Mass found one of the local associates celebrating. He got to the pulpit after the proclamation of the Gospel and rapidly said: “Today is the feast of the Holy Trinity. St. Augustine didn’t understand it, St. Ambrose didn’t understand it; and I don’t understand it. It’s a mystery. We gotta believe it!” Then he began the Creed.
Father professor returned for the last Mass and went through his entire homily as at the earlier Mass – only faster. It was dizzyingly amazing! Needless to say, I don’t think the congregation walked away with too many tangible insights into the Blessed Trinity that day.
Mother, daughter cook up book of family treasures
With daughter Sherry Willems looking over her shoulder, Marianne Gavel holds a copy of the cookbook she compiled for her grandchildren. The book contains many treasured family recipes that reflect her Polish heritage. (Catholic Herald photo by Allen Fredrickson)
“I can’t believe this is really me,” the 93-year-old member of St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Kenosha, said smiling, “I was so young back then.”
Picking up Gavel’s cookbook, is not simply a shoebox full of cookery prescriptions, but a piece of history and a story of love between a mother and daughter.
Last January, Gavel moved to an assisted living facility for four months. After she broke a bone in her neck in a fall, she was unable to walk and relocated to St. Joseph’s Home for the Aged in Kenosha. For a woman who was proud of her independence, the move left her depressed and angry.