Thursday, April 22, 2010 By Michael Daley Even to the most casual observer, it’s been easy to see that the church has been taking it pretty hard on the chin lately. Most of the blows, sadly, have been self-inflicted. It’s like I keep hearing the deafening echo in my ears of …

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 By Father Timothy Schehr Fourth Sunday of Easter: Acts 13:14, 43-52; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:27-30 Here’s a good Bible question to think about: What image for God is so popular we find it in the Bible from beginning to end? The answer: God as Shepherd. The second …

Thursday, April 15, 2010 By Father Earl Fernandes April 16, 2005, marked Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s 78th birthday. He had a small gathering at the Holy Office to celebrate. He told his colleagues that he intended to stay for a short while to help the new pope and then to retire …

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 By Father Timothy Schehr Third Sunday of Easter: Acts 5:27-41; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19 In last Sunday’s Gospel Thomas the Apostle experienced firsthand the forgiveness of the Risen Lord. In this Sunday’s Gospel it is Peter’s turn to experience forgiveness from the Risen Lord. The last …

Thursday, April 8, 2010By Jeanne Hunt Anyone who has ever purchased school photographs or cable-television services understands the difference between the bare minimum and all the bells and whistles. It seems to me that faith formation has the same criteria: We can choose the bare-bones model or engage ourselves in …

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 By Father Timothy Schehr Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 5:12-16; Revelation 1:9-19; John 20:19-31 By this time our Easter baskets are probably near empty. And we probably do not hear quite so many Alleluia’s and trumpet sounds on the air waves. But in our Sunday liturgies …

Thursday, April 1, 2010 By Father Kyle Schnippel This week is a study of contradictions. We begin the week we call “holy” by welcoming Christ triumphantly into Jerusalem. Just a few short moments later, we proclaim the story of His Passion from one of the synoptic Gospels. Holy Thursday begins the …

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 By Father Timothy Schehr Easter Sunday: Acts 10:34-43; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; John 20:1-9 Happy Easter! This is the greeting we will hear from so many this Sunday. People want us to enjoy our day with family and friends. But the readings for this …

Thursday, March 25, 2010 By Michael Daley Borrowing a phrase from presidential politics, when asked “Why do I stay in the church?” my reply is, “It’s the imagination, stupid.” Since my birth, in ways both conscious and unconscious, the church has provided me with numerous images, metaphors, and stories. Priest, …

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 By Sister Betty J. Lillie, S.C. Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion: Procession Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 The perimeters of our Lukan readings for this Palm Sunday include important events for our Holy Week reflections. There is the …