Do you remember what your parents would say to you when you questioned why you had to do something? Their answer was swift and lethal: “Because I said so.” Somehow, we knew that response ended all arguments and pleas on our part. Our parents made it clear that there would …

The late Dennis Dible, an editor of considerable ability and a fine Catholic gentleman, used to tell a story about how a reporter ran into a newsroom from covering a fire. Flushed and fueled with excitement and adrenaline – covering a fire can do that to you – the reporter …

Summer is here! As every parent knows, we are entering one of the busiest times of year. Summer is the season of athletic seasons and arts camps, of tutoring and travel. The school year, with its early morning wakeups, homework, and extra-curricular activities, has been replaced by a regimented schedule …

“Leap and there will be a net.” This little message has resonated in my heart since I first heard it. It is as if the Holy Spirit wants it known that we should be taking risks if we really believe what we profess. Discipleship is no place for people who …

Dear Father: I keep hearing that Pope Francis changed Church teaching on homosexuality with his question, “Who am I to judge?” Is that true? Dear Reader: Pope Francis did not change church teaching [cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church (2357-2359].

The life of a vocation director seems to be straight out of the Parable of the Sower that Jesus tells in Matthew 13. Having held this position for eight years, only this year am I finally able to witness men whom I first worked with to discern the seminary and …

Pope Francis…a thief? When I first heard it mentioned, I smiled faintly in disbelief. If anyone knows not to break the seventh commandment — You Shall Not Steal — it’s this guy. Yet, come to find out, it is true. The pope’s a thief.

Dear Father: Recently, I have observed a parishioner receiving the Eucharist by dipping the Sacred Host into the Precious Blood and then consuming it. I have always been under the impression that this is not permissible. Can someone receive Communion this way? Dear Reader:  Thank you for your question. You …

When last I left this column, I was still trying to recover from a break-in at the parish rectory. While it was a moment for me to reflect on the vulnerability that Christ faced in both becoming Incarnate and facing the trials of Holy Week, another (much more welcome) scenario …

I just can’t get out of my mind a Bugs Bunny cartoon that depicts the night of the Academy Awards. Elmer Fudd stands at the podium about to announce the Oscar for “Outstanding Cartoon Character.” Bugs is sure he will win. As Elmer Fudd describes the amazing attributes of this …