When you pray, say:  Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray (Matthew 6:9)The fundamental pillars of a just society, we have learned, include the exercise of respect, free expression, charity, efforts to create opportunities for all, and the freedom to develop ourselves […]

Reflecting on the significant challenges that today’s society poses to marriages and how the stability of homes is increasingly threatened, we asked ourselves: What is required to build healthy marriages that last a lifetime?We concluded that the key lies in mutual commitment and perseverance.Commitment means setting aside individualism to form […]

The doors of the papal basilicas and those of all the cathedrals of the world will be opened during the Jubilee Year 2025 as a “special occasion to meditate on the great gift of divine mercy that always awaits us and on the importance of interior conversion, which is necessary […]

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, the kind where the world seems to slow down, and one can hear the whispers of their own heart. I found myself in the small, sunlit chapel of our parish, gazing at the serene statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There was something about […]

So often in life we come to various ‘crossroad’ situations that can raise our ‘blood pressure’ if not our anxiety and fears, and our response can too quickly become – something like: “How can God let this happen to me?” “What did I do to deserve this?” “Where is God in all of this?”For sure, […]

A promise is an act of will in which one commits to give something to or do something for someone. We make promises constantly, knowing that we do not intend or want to keep them. For example, when we say, “I promise I’ll be there in five minutes” – while […]

On Saturday May 24th, Cardinal Sean O’Malley ordained eleven men to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Boston. One of them is a dear friend of mine, as well as a brother in the seminary:  Giovanni Argote. When Giovanni entered the seminary, I was already at the end of my […]

I have never given a commencement address. It seems to me to be different than writing a homily. Sound bites are more important, but of course the focus is on the graduating class and their aspirations for a happy and successful future. As Catholic Christians we know that our purpose […]

At that time the disciples  approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1‑3)I […]

I was in my early thirties when I started feeling extremely intense anxiety about seemingly nothing even though my life was going well at the time. I had everything I needed to be happy – a fulfilling relationship, a great job, a supportive family, caring friends, and perfect health. Yet, […]