“So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.” To a worldly mentality, this verse from the Act of the Apostles is pure nonsense.  How can someone rejoice because he was found worthy to suffer dishonor?  A worldly mentality would be interested if the verse read, “so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to receive honor for... Read more

At the last supper Jesus fervently prayed for his apostles and all those who would come to believe in Him through their preaching.  He prayed that they may be one, as He and the Father are one. Living in the South, all we have to do is drive down any road for five minutes to realize that the disciples of Christ today are not united.  We quickly observe a variety of churches along the road.  What a scandal, that the... Read more

  Last year I celebrated Easter Mass at a state prison.  Usually about eight to ten men attended Mass when I’d go, but for Easter about thirty-five came. I became skeptical at first: why so many?  Did they come just to get a free rosary to hang around their necks?  Did they come to get out of the heat of their cells into the cool air conditioning of the multipurpose room where Mass was held?  Maybe they actually wanted to... Read more

    I stood silently at the edge of the square of San Lorenzo waiting, occasionally sitting on the concrete curb to give my aching legs a deserved rest.  The night was warm but not enough to make me sweat.  I was restless, yet I anticipated the wait was certainly worth enduring.  With my legs stretched out into the street, I fixed my tired and hazy eyes on the closed wooden doors of the small church on the opposite side... Read more

  Click  here for English “¿Que has visto de camino, María, en la mañana?  A mi Señor glorioso, la tumba abandonada, los ángeles testigos, sudarios y mortaja.”  Esta pregunta hecha a María Magdalena en un himno del siglo XI nos permite participar en el gozo de aquella escogida para ser el primer testigo de la tumba vacía. Recordamos con asombro que la Magdalena encontró ángeles, sudarios y mortaja en la tumba, pero no halló a Jesús porque él estaba vivo... Read more

En español presione aqui “Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the way?  I saw the tomb of the living Christ, and the glory of His rising, the angelic witnesses, the shroud and his clothes.” This question posed to Mary Magdalene in an eleventh century hymn allows us to enter into the joy experienced by the one chosen to be the first witness of the empty tomb on Easter morning.  We recall in awe that Mary found in the... Read more

Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered. Judas his betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So the band of soldiers, the tribune, and the Jewish guards seized Jesus, bound him, and brought him to Annas first. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that... 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. They were freed by the blood of the lamb they sacrificed and whose blood they sprinkled on their doorposts. 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.... Read more

Pope Francis has decided to remain at the Casa Santa Marta rather than moving into the Papal Apartments where past Popes have lived.  The Pope did move from the room assigned to him when he arrived for the conclave to a VIP room at the Casa Santa Marta.  Federico Lombardi explained that the room is larger and gives the Pope the possibility to more easily receive visitors and guests.  Francis will still use the Papal Apartments in the Apostolic Palace... Read more

On a day like today in 1980, Archbishop Romero of San Salvador was celebrating Mass at the chapel of the hospital where he lived.  After preaching, the archbishop moved towards the center of the sanctuary to prepare the altar, he no longer allowed others to help him at the altar for fear of his future murderer accidentally shooting the wrong person.  From the back seat of a car that had parked at the door of the church while the driver pretended to check... Read more