Monthly Archives: June 2010

Update on the First Permanent Deacon in the United States

A few days ago, Deacon Greg Kandra posted on the death of Deacon Paul McArdle of the Brownsville, Texas diocese.  Deacon Paul died last week, and was described as the first permanent deacon ordained in the United States. This morning … Continue reading

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Memories of Papa Luciani – Part 5

I as inconspicuously as possible turned to my right and made a fairly large loop around the Swiss Guard, the cameramen and various others who were standing to the right of the basilica. I was able to enter into the … Continue reading

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May He Rest in Peace

Deacon Greg Kandra has posted today that the first deacon ordained in the United States, Deacon Phil McArdle of the Brownsville, Texas diocese, died last Thursday, June 24. Let all of us deacons remember him in our prayers. Condolences can … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“To think of Jesus is like a breath of new life. His kindness fills one to the brim. His sweetness is in overflowing measure.” — St. Clare of Assisi

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Quote for the Day

“I speak to God in a familiar way, like a son to his father.  I speak in prayers and aspirations. I make known to him with childlike confidence everything that weighs on my soul.” — St. Conrad of Parzham, OFM … Continue reading

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Memories of Papa Luciani – Part 4

September 3, 1978 arrived. I went again to St. Peter’s and entered through the main doors. Back then, there was no visible security save a few Swiss Guards standing around.  Inside the basilica that day were tables set up with … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“Poverty means to stand with those who are left out of today’s society. That means the poor in a variety of senses: the homeless, the physically and sexually abused, the imprisoned, the unwed mothers, the illegal immigrants, the unemployed, the … Continue reading

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Memories of Papa Luciani – Part 3

The day for rehearsal came. The four of us Americans hustled on down to St. Peter’s and reported to the location to which we were instructed to present ourselves. Msgr. Noe took us out to the front of the basilica, … Continue reading

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Capital Punishment

I would like to direct you to a brother deacon’s blog, Catholicos Diaconos, for a thought provoking essay on capital punishment he posted attributed to George Orwell entitled, The Hanging. Deacon Scott Dodge is a deacon of the Diocese of Salt … Continue reading

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Papa Luciani on Christian Unity

I want to thank Lori Pieper for her translation of a pastoral letter Papa Luciani wrote back in 1964 when he was bishop of Vittorio Veneto. I have taken an excerpt from it below. For more, log on to: http://subcreators.com/blog/category/pope-john-paul-i … Continue reading

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Memories of Papa Luciani – Part 2

The day after Luciani’s election was a Sunday, so as was my custom, I hiked down to St. Peter’s for the noon Angelus and to hear the new pope speak.  I was standing in the crowd as he began that … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“Even when confronting sin and evil, our goal must be transformation through bringing and witnessing God’s love.” — Dan & Sarah Mulholland, SFO

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The Literal and the Spiritual Sense of Scripture

I have taken several courses in exegesis since the early 1970s, both on an undergraduate level and on what was the equivalent of graduate studies. There seems to be a tension for so many  between the “literal” sense and the … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“The more we come to know the heart of Christ, the more will our hearts be awake, beating with the rhythm of the Spirit.” — Josephine Rush, OSF

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Homily for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time

I have been asked to post my homily for this weekend. Here it is. The greater one loves, the greater will be the forgiveness. The greater the forgiveness, the freer one is to love. And perfect love drives out all … Continue reading

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