Almost every day on my way home, I drive past my future home.  Whenever I am in Savannah, as I drive from the chancery to the cathedral, I undoubtedly go by the Catholic cemetery.  On my way home, I go by my future home.  Driving daily past the cemetery serves the same purpose that skulls sitting on desks of medieval monks once served: a reminder that all things pass away and that we must be ready to greet death.  I... Read more

Several years ago when my nephew was six or seven years old, my family was facing a very challenging time due to illness, unexpected changes and financial uncertainty.  I had entered seminary that same year, so as a first year philosophy student, I was experiencing my own stressful transition which filled me with some anxiety.   While I was home during a break I drove to the store with my young nephew.  Before getting in the car, he had overheard... Read more

Hace algunos años, cuando mi sobrino tenía unos seis o siete años, mi familia pasaba momentos difíciles debido a una enfermedad, cambios inesperados e incertidumbre económica.  Ese mismo año había ingresado al seminario, así que como un nuevo estudiante de filosofía, estaba yo viviendo una transición algo estresante que me llenaba de ansiedad. Mientras en casa durante unas vacaciones, estaba en camino a la tienda con mi sobrinito. Antes de subir al carro, mi sobrino escuchó nuestra conversación entre adultos... Read more

Last night I attended a screening of the movie Spotlight, a movie about the investigative reporting which led to the uncovering of the sex abuse cover up in Boston thirteen years ago. The movie was painful to watch.  It vividly portrayed the unfathomable suffering of the sex abuse victims, the absolute failure of church leaders in dealing with and reporting predator priests, the outrage rightfully expressed by those uncovering the abuse, and finally the heartbreak of faithful believers whose faith... Read more

I have never had to beg for food.  Life has never placed me in the shoes of Bartimaeus, having to beg for my livelihood. Some here today at this Mass perhaps have had to beg for food or drink, I do not know.  Maybe some of you have experienced first-hand the plight of Bartimaeus. In my home country of Peru there are beggars everywhere: at church doors, at red lights, at markets, and parking lots.  The beggars are old men... Read more

  No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte el cielo que me tienes prometido, ni me mueve el infierno tan temido para dejar por eso de ofenderte. Tú me mueves, Señor, muéveme el verte clavado en una cruz y escarnecido, muéveme ver tu cuerpo tan herido, muévenme tus afrentas y tu muerte. Muéveme, en fin, tu amor, y en tal manera, que aunque no hubiera cielo, yo te amara, y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera. No me tienes que... Read more