by Father Anthony F. Raso The prophet Jeremiah was certainly an interesting man, which makes him an interesting prophet. Having accepted the call of God to be His spokesman, he had no illusions about how difficult this assignment would be. He knows, and says so beautifully in today’s first reading, that there will be plenty […]
Sunday Scriptures
True Dignity of Participation
by Father James Rodriguez I AM SOMEWHAT embarrassed to admit it, but one morning, when I was a seminarian, I fell asleep at Mass. Having been in school most of my life, I had grown used to being ‘part of the audience,’ which, at the time, meant passively sitting there and enduring lectures. To my […]
With New Names, A New Song
by Father James Rodriguez IN THE 548 baptisms I have been privileged to perform over the last five years, there is an aspect of the baptismal liturgy that always startles me – the very beginning. It does not begin the way most of our other prayers and rites do but rather, after a welcome from […]
Baptismal Gifts Grow with Trust
by Father James Rodriguez IN SPANISH, THERE is a unique feature that, in modern English, is implicit: the formal “you.” In English, whether addressing a king or a servant, the same word, “you,” is used. In Spanish, however, when addressing an elder or someone in authority, the informal “tu” that you would use with a […]
Saved and Changed by the Light
by Father James Rodriguez If you are reading this, then reports of the world’s end two weeks ago were more than slightly exaggerated. Dec. 21, 2012 proved to be just another day, albeit a rainy one, and the so-called “Mayan prophecy” of the end of time, another false prophecy. Or was it? Today’s feast signifies […]
Belonging to the Sacred
by Msgr. Joseph Calise I must be getting older since I find myself saying, “When I was growing up,” more and more frequently. Nonetheless, when I was growing up, television was very different than it is today. Some might say things were more naïve like Ricky and Lucy sleeping in single beds in I Love […]
One Life Changed History Forever
by Msgr. Joseph Calise As we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent on the liturgical calendar, the more worldly calendar is telling me that it is also the day before the day before Christmas. Gratefully, my Christmas chores are done – gifts are bought and wrapped, schedules are set and cards are in the mail. […]
Being Faithful? Ok. But Joyful?
by Msgr. Joseph Calise My closet and dresser are filled with clothes that I will probably never wear. Some were gifts and have a purely sentimental value to me. Others might (just might) fit again one day, and you never know if the rest will ever come back into style. Even though I do not […]
Proclaim the Faith at Any Cost
by Msgr. Joseph Calise Anyone who has ever seen Director Sidney Lumet’s movie version of the play, Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose, probably shares my admiration for how skillfully he directed the turning moment when Lee J. Cobb threatens to kill Henry Fonda. They were fellow jurors on a murder case which Cobb presumed […]
We Prepare for What Is Known
by Msgr. Joseph Calise If you were to ask most people in my age group who they considered to be the greatest mystery writer of all time, no doubt most of us would answer, “Alfred Hitchcock.” We would be able to support our answer with such movies as Psycho, North by Northwest, The Birds, or […]
