Escrito para The Southern Cross A principios de mes un grupo de obispos católicos liderados por el Cardenal Sean O’Malley de Boston celebraron una misa en la frontera entre México y los Estados Unidos en Nogales, Arizona.  Los asistentes estuvieron presentes en ambos lados de la valla fronteriza.  Fotografías de la distribución de la comunión muestran manos estiradas entre barras de acero para recibir la Eucaristía de un sacerdote en el lado americano de la frontera. Durante su homilía, el... Read more

A few years ago I asked this question to children at a grade school Mass right after reading this very same Gospel passage, the passage of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “What does this Gospel passage remind you of?” They looked at me puzzled.  I’m sure most of them had zoned out during the Gospel since the passage is longer than usual, so I reviewed the passage: Jesus first read and explained Scripture to these very sad and... Read more

Behold the Wood of the Cross on which Hung the Salvation of the World Come Let us Adore! Altar at Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem   Pilgrims kneel under the altar and touch the tip of Calvary Pictures are mine, all rights reserved. Read more

For generations throughout the centuries Jewish families have gathered to commemorate the night when God freed them from slavery under pharaoh in Egypt and led them into freedom. God ordered the Israelites to keep this memorial feast and they have kept it as we heard in the first reading, as a perpetual institution, eating unleavened bread and a roasted lamb. On a night like tonight, Jesus gathered his disciples to eat this Passover meal, to join in this ancient ritual,... Read more

Last week President Bill Clinton spoke in Greenville, South Carolina at the Peace Center downtown.  During his speech where he spoke on a variety of topics he said the following about my Alma Mater, Furman University, located just north of Greenville: “You could brand Furman if you will … as a place where problems are solved, potential is unleashed,” Clinton said. “People don’t care about politics. They care about the purpose of developing the human potential” in South Carolina and... Read more

When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” With my friend James reenacting the Gospel passage at the Mount of Olives, 2007 The Mount of Olives   The way to the house of the high priest from the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem   Original steps up the Kidron... Read more

The term “Cafeteria Catholic” was coined time ago to describe Catholics who pick and choose which Church teachings to espouse and which ones to reject.  I remember seeing a t-shirt when Pope Benedict XVI was elected that read “the cafeteria is now closed” with a large picture of Cardinal Ratzinger.  This meant no more picking and choosing from among Catholic teachings, it’s either all or nothing. The well-known American author and political activist George Weigel has always presented himself as... Read more

As Jesus approached Bethany, Martha went out to meet him with sad news, his friend Lazarus was dead.  Martha was upset, almost blaming Jesus for the death of Lazarus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  Jesus gently calms Martha with words of hope and continues on to Bethany.  He goes to the tomb, weeps and is perturbed.  He asks for the stone to be rolled away and after a brief prayer all he does... Read more

Click here for English Al acercarse Jesús a Betania, Marta salió a recibirlo con la triste noticia que su amigo Lázaro había muerto. Marta estaba perturbada, casi culpando a Dios por la muerte de Lázaro, “Señor, si hubieras estado aquí, mi hermano no habría muerto.” Jesús calma a Marta con palabras de esperanza y continúa camino a Betania.  Al llegar a la tumba de su amigo Jesús llora y pide que retiren la piedra de la entrada.  Después de una... Read more

Two days ago a group of Catholic bishops led by Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston celebrated a Mass at the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona.  Participants of the Mass were at both sides of the border fence. The bishops along with Cardinal O’Malley decried the indifference towards the suffering of migrants under the current U.S. immigration system and called for action on immigration reform.  They called upon Congress to end family separations and requested the administration to limit deportations.  They... Read more