While in seminary in Rome, I would pass daily by the church where Saint Philip Neri is buried since it was on my way to the university. Most days I walked past Chiesa Nova, but when it rained, I looked at it through the window of the bus, and during the cooler months, I rode past it on my bicycle. In that very same Church five hundred years ago, the faithful gathered to hear Saint Philip preach. Known as the... Read more
During my first few years as a priest, I would travel about one hour twice per month to Macon State Prison to hear confessions and celebrate Mass. This was a high security prison between Montezuma and Americus, Georgia, and many of the inmates were young “lifers” who knew they would die in prison. I would get 15 faithful for Mass on a good evening, and about half of them were Catholic. Some would come simply because the common room where... Read more
Some time ago during a conference, the speaker shared with us words of Pope John Paul II, that the elderly are the “guardians of shared memory.” In a world where many of the elderly are cast aside and lose their sense of purpose, their vocation is to share their wisdom, advice, and guidance with the younger generation. The elderly are able to discover God’s providence and mercy as they reminisce and help the younger generation to do the same. In... Read more
While in the Seminary, right before classes began, we started the year with a silent retreat. From Sunday evening to Friday morning, we were in absolute silence. There would be talks, sometimes during meals a spiritual text would be read out loud, there was daily Mass, and a chance to speak with a spiritual director. I would go on walks on the property, and sometimes if the gate to the retreat center was open, I’d go into the forest nearby... Read more
Jesús caminó por las orillas del mar de Galilea e invitó a jóvenes pescadores a seguirlo. Se acercó a la mesa de recaudadores de impuestos y llamó a Mateo para que fuera su discípulo. Jesús vio a Zaqueo trepado en una higuera y se invitó él mismo a cenar a la casa de Zaqueo. Se encontró con una mujer samaritana en el pozo del pueblo durante la hora más calurosa del día y por medio de una larga conversación, le... Read more
Imagine God creating the universe. Darkness, a void, with the Spirit of God hovering over nothingness. Out of that darkness, He spoke the universe into existence… it was not by chance, it was not random, but rather full of meaning and with precise order. “Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,” wrote Saint Paul to the Ephesians. These words of Saint Paul are magnificent. ... Read more
On the first day of school, I oftentimes opened my brand-new math textbook to the very last chapter. I enjoyed the thrill of looking at unfamiliar and seemingly extremely difficult math problems that posed questions I did not comprehend, and used figures I could not grasp. As the year drew to a close, it was extremely rewarding to study the last chapter and understand its lessons. After many months of study under a competent teacher, and learning one lesson at... Read more
Nine years ago, also on the 14th Sunday of Ordinary time, I began a new parish assignment at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Augusta. I was excited because after many years of college and seminary, I was going to live at home… just twenty minutes from my mother. As I prepared for my first Sunday homily back home, where I would be preaching to many people who knew me ever since I was a child, I got a strong dose... Read more
Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee and invited young fishermen to follow him. He went to the tax collector’s booth and called Matthew to be a disciple. Jesus noticed Zaccheaus perched on a sycamore tree and invited himself to Zaccheaus’ house for dinner. He met the Samaritan woman at the well during the hottest hour of the day and through an extended conversation, changed the woman’s life. A quick survey of the Gospels rapidly illustrates that Jesus... Read more
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Pope Francis, Traditionis Custodes, and the Latin Mass
I finally had a chance to read carefully the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes issued by Pope Francis on the use of the Roman Liturgy prior to the reform of 1970. There have been very strong responses from those Catholics who enjoy the Extraordinary Form of the liturgy according to the allowances made by Pope Benedict almost twelve years ago. Here are my thoughts on the Motu Proprio. The purpose of the document is abundantly clear: ecclesial communion. It is important... Read more