Posts

Homily for Easter Sunday, 2013

Image
Fr. Michael J. Woolley The Lord is Risen, Alleluia! This is the Church’s message to our troubled world tonight (this Day) and for the next 50 days: He is truly Risen! He is Risen, despite the treacherous greed of Judas which stripped Him of all He had, He is Risen, despite the cowardice of His Apostles who in the hour of darkness found themselves powerless to aid Him, He is Risen, despite the blindness of His own people who preferred the sham Barabbas to the true Messiah, He is truly Risen, in spite of the excessive beating the Romans gave Him, He is truly Risen, in spite of the four sharp nails that were driven into His Sacred Flesh, He is truly Risen, in spite of the death He truly underwent as a man, in spite of the three days His cold and lifeless Body spent in the tomb. No, not greed, nor cowardice, nor rejection, nor beating, nor crucifixion, nor death itself could overcome Jesus Christ. He has overcome them all, He has trampled them underHis pierced Feet. The T

Homily for Easter, 2013

Image
He is Truly Risen Fr. Rene Butler Have you ever noticed how repetitious the Psalms sometimes are? For example, Psalm 117 is only two verses long and the first verse says the same thing twice, in different words: "Praise the LORD, all you nations! Give glory, all you peoples!" Here is another example from Psalm 27: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?" This same kind of repetition occurs often in the Prophets. The reason is simple: this is poetry, and one of the most important aspects of poetry in any language is the imaginative use of language to say the same things in many different ways. Here are some examples from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: "She doth teach the torches to burn bright!","What light from yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Shakespeare gives Romeo numerous opportunities to say, "Ain't s

Catholic bishops lead prayer march to Supreme Court as justices weigh gay marriage

The U.S. Conference of Bishops will lead thousands of people in prayer today as they march toward the Supreme Court to promote marriage as a union between a man and a woman. They are congregating in Washington as the justices hear arguments on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that effectively banned same-sex marriage in the state. Tomorrow, the court will hear arguments on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibits gay married couples from getting the federal benefits that heterosexual couples can obtain. For more go here .

Beautiful: Pope Francis stops to kiss and bless disabled man before inaugural Mass

Image
The incredible moment when Pope Francis left his Popemobile to bless a disabled man before his Inaugural Mass

Easter Prayer

Image
Heavenly Father, You lifted your dear Son from the grave and made Him a beacon of hope for all mortals. By overcoming sin and death and hell, may He take us by the hand and lead us into the land of bliss and glory where we shall enjoy forever the company of the whole heavenly host. May we trust with all our hearts in His glorious wounds by which He ransomed us for everlasting life. Blessed be the name of Jesus, now and forever.   Amen.

A blessed Solemnity of St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, to all.

Today's Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that by Saint Joseph's intercession you Church may constantly watch over the unfolding of the mysteries of salvation, whose beginnings you entrusted to his faithful care. And in this day and age when the free exercise of our faith is under attack in our land, the intercessions of good St. Joseph, protector of Mary and Jesus, patron of the Church, is especially needed.

Pope Francis' Coat of Arms

Image