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Receiving from others can be difficult for us. We like to be the givers. To let others give to us is to acknowledge our need, our dependence, our limitations, and that does not always come easy. That reluctance to receive can carry over into our relationship with God. The heart of the good news is […]
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Being the son and grandson of church organists, music plays a very important role in my faith and theological viewpoints. When it comes to the cross, I could fill an entire book with hymns that reflect my feelings about the Holy Cross. You could probably hum the tunes to many of them, yet some others […]
Continue ReadingThe Rosary is simple, very simple. But it has the deep and wise simplicity for which we hunger, and in which we will find peace. The Rosary is something that we do, without thought, like breathing. Breathing is very important to us. We breathe all the time. Saying the Rosary, like breathing, is so simple. […]
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Recently I was challenged to not just write about prayer, but to live it. I have accepted that challenge. The fire that was lit under me has, for all intents and purposes, become a wildfire. My writing has become my clarion call to action in regard to social justice and commentary on the events of […]
Continue ReadingI was reading my Pentecost homily from 2012 today (Ironically Pentecost fell on the first anniversary of my ordination). I was amazed at how much has changed and how much has stayed the same in the intervening six years. As for changes, my writing and preaching style have, improved (I hope!). The message of hope […]
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On thinking about new beginnings, the historian in me came out and I was immediately drawn to the story of my own parish. In 2009, I began formation in the United Independent Catholic Church. I was appointed lay administrator for our ministry, SS Cyril and Methodius UICC was created. We began celebrating with simple prayer […]
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‘We set forth our petitions before God, not in order to make known to Him our needs and desires, but rather so that we ourselves may realize that in these things it is necessary to turn to God for help.’ – St. Thomas Aquinas I am really bothered by all of the “prayers” that are […]
Continue ReadingGrowing up in a liberal protestant church, I had no conception of transubstantiation or consubstantiation. The church that I grew up in used cubes of white bread for communion. As a child, I knew however that little cube of bread was something very special. Because it was on a silver plate in church, it somehow […]
Continue Reading“You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is fulfilling the law.” (Romans 13:10) I am troubled that this most simple command is so blatantly ignored in society today. Many people fail to take the time to even think about their neighbors; to truly care about the […]
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I never thought when I entered college as a Religion major in 1979, that 30 some years later I would be an Old Catholic priest. I did not grow up Catholic. I was a member of the United Church of Christ. My plan was to finish college, go on to seminary and become a UCC […]
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