Este domingo nos unimos a la Iglesia universal para recibir a Jesús quien baja por el Monte de los Olivos a Jerusalén para celebrar la Pascua Judía.  Con palmas alzadas y cantando, “Hosanna al Hijo de David,” vamos alegres al encuentro de nuestro Salvador quien viene sentado sobre un burro. Los burros no son contados entre las creaturas más hermosas de Dios.  Ciertamente ser llamado un burro no es un halago.  Aun así, un pobre y humilde burro se convirtió... Read more

I remember a political cartoon published in the Augusta Chronicle during John Paul II’s visit to Cuba in 1998.  It depicted Fidel Castro and the devil.  The devil, visibly upset, yelled at an ashamed Castro, “Invitastes a quien???”  Translation: “Who did you invite???” There has been much talk about Pope Benedict’s apostolic visit to the island nation of Cuba.  Some criticize the Pope’s presence as condoning Castro’s regime, yet the Pope has used his presence among the Cuban people as... Read more

With the Pope’s very recent visit to Guanajuato, Mexico, The Economist ran a great article on religion in that country.  As the map above reveals, the Catholic Church has lost its stronghold in southern Mexico even though it remains one of the world’s greatest Catholic nations with 112 million faithful. Many areas of Mexico have been claimed by other Christian denominations, especially regions where the Catholic Church and the state have had little presence.  Mexico has been transformed from a... Read more

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. Modern day Nazareth    “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found... Read more

I enjoyed reading this article by a Columbia School of Journalism student who recently visited the North American College in Rome, my alma mater.  She describes the school well and gives great insight into the unique education a seminary provides. My application to seminary school by Neha Prakash I’m not a Catholic.  I’m not a Christian.  I’m not a man.  But after our class tour of Pontifical North American College, a seminarian school in Rome, I’ve decided to join the... Read more

My economics professor in college would take your phone if it rang during class and answered it himself.  He would then tell the caller you were busy in class so to please call at another time.  It only happened once towards the beginning of the semester.  Everyone learned their lesson. When cell phones ring during Mass I get annoyed.  The annoyance becomes worse when seconds later you hear the same ring tone. Below is a funny take on this annoying... Read more

Una vez escuché a un sacerdote llamar al Salmo 137 el salmo del inmigrante.  “Junto a los ríos de Babilonia nos sentábamos a llorar de nostalgia… pero ¿cómo podríamos cantar un himno al Señor en tierra extraña?  ¡Que la mano derecha se me seque, si de ti, Jerusalén, yo me olvidara!  ¡Que se me pegue al paladar la lengua, Jerusalén, si no te recordara! El pueblo judío vivió una separación de su tierra por setenta años cuando el gran imperio... Read more

  I once heard a homilist refer to Psalm 137, which will be proclaimed this weekend at Mass, as the immigrant’s psalm: “by the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion… How could we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither. May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not.” The Jewish people experienced separation from their homeland for about... Read more

Following our meditations on the baptismal promises we will renew on Easter, today we reach the third question:  Do you reject Satan, the author and prince of sin? In this promise we reject Satan by name.  Satan, a living being who is the author and prince of all sin.  Knowing that the primary effect of sin is death, something so terrible and undesirable, I can’t begin to imagine how terrible its author, its source, must be. This living being we... Read more

One day out of the year the Olivetan Oblates of Mary open the doors of their monastery at Tor de’Specchi in the heart of Rome.  This monastery is the only remaining house of the institute founded by Santa Francesca Romana (Saint Frances of Rome) in 1425.  The beautiful and peaceful grounds of the monastery provide a sharp contrast to the busy Via del Teatro Marcello. Tor de’Specchi Monastery Santa Francesca was born into a Roman aristocratic family at a time... Read more