I found the architecture in this small street of Zamora, Spain very interesting due to its clash of styles.  The 12th century meets face to face (or wall to wall perhaps) with the 1960s. The Romanesque style (right side of the street) was dominant in Western Europe from the 10th to 12th centuries.  This architectural style is seen as a continuation of Roman architecture and some of its characterisitcs include thick walls, buttresses on the outside walls, rounded arches and... Read more

This is a very thought-provoking painting by the sixteenth century painter Ignacio de Ries at the Cathedral of Segovia, Spain titled Alegoria del Arbol de la Vida (Allegory of the Tree of Life). Below the tree on the right is Jesus and to the left Death.  Jesus is about to ring a bell and Death has already prepared a rope for a small devil to pull the almost-cut tree to its side.  People are enjoying a lively banquet on top... Read more

The almost finished interior of the Basilica and Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family (Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia in Spanish or Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia in Catalan) of Barcelona, Spain truly is a gift from God to all those who enter it.  The creativity and imagination of Antoni Gaudi are awe inspiring and they leave you speechless as you walk in a daze while visiting the basilica.  No wonder he is sometimes called God’s architect. The structure... Read more

When I first began seminary studies, the book I Believe in Love by Father Jean d’Elbee was recommended to me.  It seemed every  seminarian was reading it, so I decided to read it. I had of course heard of Saint Therese of Lisieux, but I knew very little about her.  This book was an amazing introduction to her life, her writings and her spirituality.  As a new seminarian, exited and eager to absorb everything faith-related, this book was perfect.  Even... Read more

[from my parish bulletin]   Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Even though the feast remembers all threearchangels, Saint Michael usually gets the spotlight.   This date is a special one for me because onSeptember 29th 2001, I told my family for the first time I wasconsidering the priesthood. I had beenpraying the prayer to Saint Michael for some time already, and withoutrealizing it, it was on his feast that I let the... Read more

G.K. Chesterton said that “tradition is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about.” I remembered this quote when reading an article written by a Spanish priest discussing the occasional reemergence of Latin and Greek prayers during Mass. The priest notes that many faithful have complained to him about this, they do not like to say Kyrie eleison instead of Lord have mercy. They... Read more

Last night I heard a beautiful parallel between Moses praying while Israel battled against Amalek and the Church.  We read in the book of Exodus, chapter 17, verses 11 and 12: “As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight, but when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.  Moses’ hands, however, grew tiered; so they took a rock and put it under him and he sat on... Read more

If there is a 20th century saint that has fueled the faith of a nation, it would have to be Saint Padre Pio.  Born in 1887 in the town of Pietrelcina in Italy, Padre Pio was a Capuchin Franciscan at the community of San Giovanni Rotondo in the region of Puglia. I visited San Giovanni Rotondo on a regular Saturday of 2006 and the shrine was packed with pilgrims, almost all of them Italian.  The pilgrimage site includes the Capuchin convent... Read more

Last night I watched the first two episodes of Catholicism, a recently completed 10-part series on Catholicism.  The cinematography is breathtaking.  Father Robert Barron’s presentation is clear and his arguments interesting.  The narration becomes slow at certain points, but one remains thoroughly engaged by the stunning video.  I found myself so drawn by the visual art of the series at some points that I unconsciously stopped listening to the narration and had to rewind the video! The first episode presents the radical... Read more

I always love reading the Gospel passage of the call of Saint Matthew, which is read every year for the feast of the Evangelist. As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to... Read more