During my second year of seminary I met a religious sister at the liturgical office of Rome.  She was the secretary of Monsignor Marco Frisina, director of the office.  I had gone there with a letter from Bishop Boland to request a relic of Saint Francis de Sales for Mount de Sales High School in Macon.  Chatting with the sister, I realized she lived in the neighborhood by the seminary, an area with many elderly people and troubled youths (picture... Read more

For the first time in twenty-one years Saint Joseph along with Saint Teresa of Avila were represented at the annual Hispanic Festival sponsored by the Hispanic-American Cultural Association (ACHA). Por primera vez en veintiún años las parroquias Saint Joseph y Santa Teresa de Avila estuvieron representadas en el Festival Hispano patrocinado por la Asociación Cultural Hispanoamericana (ACHA). Parishioners donated an incredible amount of food to be sold at the festival.  Others gave hours of their time to set up, sell... Read more

On October 7th, 1571, the Holy League which was an alliance of the Papal State, Venice, Spain and Genoa, decisively defeated the Turkish fleet at the Battle of Lepanto at the Gulf of Corinth.  John of Austria, the illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V of Spain, commanded the impressive fleet of galleys. Pope Pius V promoted the Holy League for fear of the aggressive advance of the Turkish army deeper into Europe and their attempt to control the Mediterranean Sea.... Read more

[Homily for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C] In the reading today the prophet Habakkuk is discouraged.  He is despairing and losing his faith.  Things are not unfolding as expected so he complains to God.  He implores God in the midst of a terrible situation, full of violence, strife and oppression. God doesn’t do as Habakkuk asks, getting rid of the violence and strife.  Though these continue, the words of God greatly encourage the prophet, reminding him to... Read more

  Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, Puebla, Mexico (17th century) En espanol On October 1963 in the midst of the Second Vatican Council, the New York Times ran the headline, “Council Votes to Downgrade Mary.”  The truth was far from it, yet unfortunately most people received news about the council through the lenses of the media.  The Council had not voted to downgrade Mary, but had voted to insert its writings on Mary into the document on the... Read more

  Capilla de Stra. Sra. del Rosario, Puebla, Mexico (siglo 17) Click here for English En octubre de 1963 durante pleno Concilio Vaticano II, el New York Times publicó el titular, “Concilio vota degradar a María.” Los hechos no demuestran esto, pero lamentablemente muchos recibieron información acerca del Concilio solo a través de los medios de comunicación. El Concilio no había votado para degradar a María, más bien había elegido insertar el tema de la Virgen María en el documento... Read more

[Homily for the 26th Sunday for Ordinary Time C] On a day like today twelve years ago, I drove home from college with one single purpose in my mind: to tell my family I was considering the priesthood.  The night before I had talked to my sister on the phone and she was going home for the weekend too.  The timing was right.  I told my sister I had something to tell everyone. I arrived home and my parents had... Read more

A four hour drive south of Rome, Italy is a beautiful town called Monte Sant’Angelo overlooking the Adriatic Sea.  Its quiet streets and white, rugged houses on the slopes of Monte Gargano make it a stunningly picturesque town. The unassuming town houses one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in Western Europe.  Tradition has it that Saint Michael appeared to the Bishop of Gargano in the fifth century and consecrated a cave in the outskirts of town. Over the years a... Read more

What is the proper term to describe someone from Central and South America? Depending on how the word “Hispanic” is interpreted, it is either improperly used or artificial.  The ancient Latin name for Spain is Hispania.  Technically and historically speaking something Hispanic or someone Hispanic comes from Hispania, meaning from Spain and not from Central or South America.  It may be argued therefore that the term Hispanic is improperly used to describe someone who does not hail from Spain.  Hispanic... Read more

On a day like today 203 years ago, early in the morning, Father Miguel Hidalgo rang the bell of his parish in Dolores, Mexico calling the people to Mass.  That same morning at his parish Hidalgo pronounced Mexican independence in what has come to be known as “El Grito de Dolores” or “The Cry of Dolores.”   Confessional used by Hidalgo in Dolores (Castillo de Chapultepec)   Vestments used by Hidalgo (Castillo de Chapultepec) The exact content of “El Grito” which declared... Read more