Blog - March 2016 RSS Feed

Here is my Homily from Easter Sunday. Alleluia!

“Keep watch with me!” One of the more poignant requests of Jesus, made to His apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane after what would be His “Last Supper” with them that first Holy Thursday. Jesus desired the company of His friends as He anticipated His Passion during what we call His “Agony in the Garden.” Even the Son of God, true man as well, wanted friends around Him as He began that hour of severe trial and suffering.

My homily from Palm Sunday, 3/21/16, is available for listening here and below.

Why do the Irish so enjoy parades? True, everybody loves a parade, and we’re blessed to have an abundance of them here in New York City, but nothing seems to rival the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This year alone I was invited to eleven of them just in the archdiocese alone, and another dozen from around the country!

One of my favorite memories of baseball is about the pitching legend Sandy Koufax. This cherished recollection about one of the game’s greatest pitchers did not occur on the mound, however, it came in 1965, when Sandy informed the manager of the Dodgers that he would not be able to pitch on the Jewish high holyday, Yom Kippur .

This past weekend started off rather sadly, but Jesus came through on Laetare – – rejoice! – – Sunday. Let me tell you about it. On Friday I heard the shattering news flash about the execution by fanatics of four brave Missionaries of Charity, the order of sisters founded by soon-to-be saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta, at their home for abandoned elderly sick people (hardly any of them Christian) in Yemen.

“No one know how long this war will go on. We rely on our heavenly Father, and He provides all our needs. Thank you, sisters, for your valuable prayers and concern for us and for this suffering country.

The news that four members of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order founded by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, were among 16 people killed today by gunmen at a retirement home in Yemen, is deeply troubling and sad.

Did you happen to read the chilling story over the weekend, about Bao Guohua and his wife, Xing, who were sentenced to fourteen years in prison in China? The crime this couple committed? They opposed the order of the Chinese government to remove crosses from the Christian Church where he, Reverend Bao, serves as pastor.