Category Archives: Virtues

Deacon Bob’s Homily for Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday April 6/7, 2024 Acts 4:32-35; 1 John 5:1-6; John 20:19-31 When I was growing up in the fifties and sixties, almost every Catholic home prominently displayed a painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a crucifix … Continue reading

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Deacon Bob’s Homily for the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Here is my homily for this weekend. God bless you all! 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10; 1Thes 2:7b-9,13; Matt 23:1-12 November 4/5, 2023 Both our first reading and Gospel today are all about humility and … Continue reading

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Deacon Bob’s Homily for Transfiguration Sunday, Cycle A

Transfiguration Sunday, Cycle A August 5/6, 2023 Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Matthew 17:1-9 What glory there is in our hope! Hope will bring us to future glory. Our hope is in the cross of Christ. In today’s Gospel, … Continue reading

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Fr. Frank Pavone, Archbishop Dolan, Final Report on Women Religious: My thoughts

I seldom post on current hot issues that have to do with specific persons. The last time I did, I got zillions of comments most which left me regretting the catalzying post at the time. Today, if you have been perusing … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“Be kindly disposed toward the poor, the wretched and afflicted; help them as much as you can and console them.” — St. Louis IX, SFO

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Chastity Wonderfully Conveyed

I ran across this YouTube video of a young couple speaking to a high school about chastity. From what I saw, no one has ever presented this with such clarity and in a manner so convincing. http://youtu.be/o34t3tdWrFo  

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The Shrewdness of Subtle Pride

I occurred to me today, in a conversation I had with a man, how shrewd and subtle pride can be. I suppose you might shrug your shoulders and mutter, “So what’s new?” indicating that such an occurrence is well within … Continue reading

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God’s Joy

What was the take home point, do you think, of the readings given us at Mass this Sunday? How did you receive them? As you recall, our first reading from the Old Testament was an account of Moses and God … Continue reading

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Seeing God clearly, or through foggy lens?

This past week I was asked on two occasions to give the homily at daily Mass. I used the opportunity to reflect on the effect sin has on our ability to see the presence of God in daily life. The … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“… Apart from this body, outside this unity of the Church in Christ, outside this Church… faith loses its ‘measure’; it no longer finds its equilibrium, the space needed to sustain itself.” — Pope Francis, Lumen Fidei, #22

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Quote for the Day from Lumen Fidei, Francis’ First Encylical

Pope Francis’ first encyclical, Lumen Fidei, was released today and can be downloaded and read from the website of the Holy See (www.vatican.va). I am pouring over it this morning during an hour’s unexpected patient cancellation. On page 16 there is a … Continue reading

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Pope Francis’ First Encyclical and the Completion of Luciani’s Catechesis

Pope Francis’ first encyclical, entitled Lumen Fidei, (The Light of Faith) will be released this Friday, 11 o’clock in the morning Rome time. There will be an English translation immediately available, so we excitedly anticipate its contents. I don’t know much about … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“…There are usually two virtues to observe: justice and charity. But charity is the soul of justice. We must love our neighbour, the Lord recommended it so much. I always recommend not only great acts of charity, but little ones.” … Continue reading

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Quote for the Day

“We must live according to what we think, otherwise we end up thinking according to how we live” — Paul Bourget, in  Le demon du midi (How true this is, dear readers! So many in our world today relegate right … Continue reading

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What About the Joy?

One of my readers put the question to me in my last posting about diaconal suffering, “Is there not joy?” Joy is one of those human experiences that often gets confused with pleasure. Somehow in the minds of many, you … Continue reading

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