This morning at the children’s Mass I asked the children why it’s easy to pull weeds while they help with yard work at home. A student answered the question quickly: weeds don’t have deep roots. I spoke about how weeds are easy to pull but a big oak tree with deep and strong roots will withstand almost anything. I then asked what is important if you’re building a tower with blocks. An older kid answered correctly, you need a strong... Read more

La Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (JMJ) fue un encuentro impresionante. Alguien la llamo las ‘Olimpiadas Católicas’ por su magnitud y alcance internacional. Aquí tienen algunas estadísticas oficiales del evento: dos millones de participantes, 93 países representados, 18,000 policías, 30,000 voluntarios, 14,000 sacerdotes, 800 obispos, 5,000 periodistas, un costo de 50 millones de dólares pagados por inscripciones de los participantes, patrocinadores y donaciones privadas, 200 millones de dólares inyectados en la economía española y una Misa de clausura con una... Read more

World Youth Day in Madrid was an impressive gathering. I heard it referred to as the “Catholic Olympics” due to its magnitude and international scope. Here are some official statistics from the event: two million participants, 93 countries represented, 18,000 police officers on duty, 30,000 volunteers, 14,000 priests, 800 bishops, 5,000 journalists, 50 million dollar cost paid by participant fees, corporate sponsors and private donations, an estimated 200 million dollars injected into the Spanish economy and a closing Mass with... Read more

Last Monday I celebrated Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady at Dooly State Prison in Unadilla. These guys only get to attend Mass once a month. Since last month I was not able to go, they hadn’t attended Mass for two months. We arrived a bit late and the men were already gathered, eagerly waiting for us. They had just finished setting up the table and chairs in the multi-purpose room for Mass. Their faces lit... Read more

Este fin de semana es la clausura de la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (JMJ) en Madrid donde más de un millón de jóvenes católicos se unieron al Papa Benedicto XVI para una semana de oración, catequesis y más que nada para celebrar su identidad católica. En el año 1984, el Papa Juan Pablo II declaró un año para la juventud del mundo. Esto resultó en la primera Jornada Mundial de Jóvenes en Roma ese mismo año. Ya que los... Read more

[from my parish bulletin] This weekend brings to a close the World Youth Day held in Madrid Spain where at least one million Catholic youth joined Pope Benedict XVI for a week of prayer, catechesis and mostly to celebrate their common Catholic identity. In 1984 Pope John Paul II declared a year for youth throughout the world. As a result, the first World Youth Day was organized as a diocesan celebration in Rome. After the youth’s positive response, a World... Read more

Saint Paul meditates on the greatness of God in today’s second reading from his letter to the Romans. “How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor?” From these words, it seems almost impossible for us to know God. How will we ever come to understand his inscrutable judgments and come to know his unsearchable ways? To add to this feeling of “otherness”, God said through... Read more

The Obama administration announced yesterday that it will do a case-by-case review of those illegal immigrants pending deportation, allowing those without a criminal record, those brought in the US as children and military veterans to stay in the US and possibly apply for work permits. As you can imagine, this has been welcomed with much joy by the Hispanic community. It is a step towards recognizing the difference between immigrants who are here to work honestly and those who are... Read more

Saint Stephen of Hungary was crowned king of the Magyars on Christmas day of the year 1000. A convert to Christianity himself, Saint Stephen worked tirelessly to expand the practice of Christianity throughout his kingdom. He became known for his great charity and concern for the poor and ill. The relic of Stephen’s right hand is kept at the Basilica of Saint Stephen in Budapest (basilica pictured below). Even though this last picture is blurry, it made me laugh uncontrollably... Read more

Siempre escuchamos que el Antiguo Testamento católico tiene más libros que el protestante. ¿Porque? La respuesta es simple y se encuentra en la historia. En tiempos de Jesús habían al menos dos versiones del Antiguo Testamento, uno en hebreo usado en Palestina y otro en griego usado por judíos a través del Imperio Romano. Los cristianos desde un principio usaron la versión en griego, incluyendo San Pablo quien lo cita en sus cartas. Esta versión, conocida como la Septuaginta, tenia... Read more