“When it comes to making gravy, there are two kinds of people,” I said to my 10-year-old grandson this past Christmas. “Flour people and cornstarch people. We’re cornstarch people.” He nodded.
Guest Columnists
Ukraine: A Country at The Crossroads
When Ukraine celebrated Christmas two weeks ago, there were ample reasons for pessimism about that long-suffering country’s future.
Encountering Our Muslim Neighbors
A few months ago, I wrote a column about the word “they” and how it can be a dangerous word. Since then and after the tragedies in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., the point is driven home by the consequences when some segments of global societies label Muslims as “they.”
Dear Father: Pray the Black, Do the Red
In all the 16 documents of the Second Vatican Council, is there any prescription more regularly violated than General Norm 22.3 of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy? Which, in case you’ve forgotten, teaches that “no … person, not even a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.”
A Loving Gesture for Those Who Are Sick
A serious illness is stressful and exhausting for a patient and his or her loved ones, and it can also be a time of deep emotional sadness. The more we ease the burden of those who suffer and those who care for them, the more we are of help.
Late Bishop Imesch Was Like Family
Father Eugene Hemrick pays tribute to the late Bishop Joseph L. Imesch, of Joliet, Illinois — a man with the heart of a loving father, who was more concerned about his priests than the exalted title of bishop.
Looking Toward Nov. 8
TO REDEPLOY A phrase from President Gerald Ford, our “long national nightmare” – in this case, the semi-permanent presidential campaign – will be over in 11 months. Here are two suggestions for what Catholics in America might ponder before Nov. 8.
Kindness and Mercy In a Troubled World
It seems as if daily we witness violence, dissension and other social ailments. Father Eugene Hemrick asks how to keep this from overshadowing a hopeful new year.
Inspiration for New Year’s Resolutions
When you begin to think about the new adventures you’ll embark on during this New Year, try to make Jesus Christ the centerpiece.
Immersing Others in A Pool of Love
A wise priest once told me that mercy is where love meets suffering. That’s a pretty profound definition. I’ve pondered it often, even meditated on it, but I’m not sure I really understood it until I recently saw a letter from Calvary Hospital in the Bronx.