Blog - October 2020 RSS Feed

Happy Halloween. It’s the eve of All Saints Day and it’s especially important because today is the beatification of Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. He was a humble parish priest who loved the immigrants in his parish.

Happy Friday! I have an exciting weekend ahead. Tomorrow I head up to Hartford, CT for the beatification of Father Michael McGivney, a parish priest and founder of the Knights of Columbus. What is the beatification​ process and what does it mean?

Today is the feast of Saint Jude, the Apostle. Here is one theory about how he became the patron saint of impossible causes.

On today’s Conversation with Cardinal Dolan show, Father Dave Dwyer and I discussed the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and that even her opponents respect her judicial expertise.

​A week from today is Election Day. I will give you some advice. First of all, it’s really a moral obligation to vote, so go out and vote. Second, let a well-formed conscience guide you. Be familiar with God’s Word and the teachings of the Church.

Today we hear a beautiful Gospel. In the middle of this campaign season, we’re used to candidates dodging questions. Not Jesus. When He was asked what the greatest commandment was, He responded simply and clearly — it is to love God and love our neighbor.

Saint Paul uses the term the “inner-self” in this morning’s reading. That, of course, is the soul. As we celebrate the feast of Pope Saint John Paul II, we not only think of the impact he had out in the world, but his teachings on grace, mercy, and the interior life.

Today we celebrate the feast of Pope Saint John Paul II. It comes on the day he was installed to the Chair of Peter in 1978. Those of us who were blessed to live through his 27-year pontificate remember him and thank God for the gift that he was to the Church.

I had the funeral of Whitey Ford, one of the greatest New York Yankees pitchers, last week. As we watch the World Series this week, I reflect on his eulogy. ​When Whitey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, he said the best Hall of Fame was Heaven and that he hoped to get there.

On today’s Conversation with Cardinal Dolan show, I talked about the Brooklyn Diocese’s recent lawsuit regarding Covid-19 and the fight to reopen churches across Queens and Brooklyn. Although they didn’t win, I think Bishop DiMarzio was successful in winning the court of public opinion.

“May the Cross of Christ live in our hearts.” It’s a beautiful, simple prayer. I say it today because it’s the prayer of Saint Paul of the Cross — the founder of the Passionist Fathers and Sisters whose feast we celebrate today.

Today’s the feast of the North American Martyrs, French Jesuits who evangelized North American in the 17 th century, including in New York. Although they were viciously persecuted, they did not give up their drive to bring Jesus to people.

This week I had the funeral Mass for New York Yankee Whitey Ford. Baseball is very comparable to the journey of life with our faith. Baseball’s goal is to get to home plate. In our faith, our sacred responsibility is to get to our true and eternal home with God in Heaven.

There is a litany of prayer I say every morning that I’d like you to join me in saying. I think of it today on the feast of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque to whom Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart to. We should put all our trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Do you remember when we celebrated the feast of Saint Therese, the Little Flower? Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus, also known as Saint Teresa the Great? She went through a lot of setbacks in her life, but loved Jesus with her whole heart and soul.

Since the re-opening of our churches last Summer, I’ve made it a point to visit, unannounced, various parishes, in order to celebrate Mass and spend some time with parishioners. At each visit, I am not allowed to enter the church until my temperature is taken; ushers are there to distribute facemasks to anyone who has left theirs at home.

On today’s Conversation with Cardinal Dolan show, I talked about the Columbus Day Mass. We didn’t have the parade this year, but we celebrated the Mass to ground us in faith– which is what it’s all about.

​While it’s not the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, today is the anniversary of the last day of her apparitions. That day she called us back to the Gospel and invited us to a conversion of heart. While there may be tough times ahead in our world, we can always turn to Jesus.

​Sunday is central to our Catholic faith. For many, Monday just means back to work. I like to think of Monday as the day we put Sunday into practice. When our routines kick in, that’s when we should live our faith and Gospel values.