America is the land of dreams which can come true. How many have placed the dream of becoming its President before a young person as a real possibility. Now we can also place the dream of becoming the Pope to a citizen of this great nation. May we always respect our freedom as made in the image and likeness of God and our freedom to practice our faith in Him as a foundation of what we are all about in the United States.
An Extraordinary Time
The gift of the Eucharist is not a symbol or sign of Jesus Christ — it is the very presence of Jesus Christ Himself. This gift remains with us even after Mass is celebrated as the consecrated hosts are kept in the tabernacle of the church so that we may always come into the Real Presence of Christ.
In the One Christ, We Are One
The flaming heart is quite significant during this month of June, which is dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus took our human heart to Himself in order to bring us into the very heart of the life of God.
The Sacred Heart — Inflamed and Burning
The mercy of God, as revealed in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was also celebrated in a most vivid manner during the Easter season on Divine Mercy Sunday, the second Sunday of Easter. Devotion to Divine Mercy was promoted by St. Faustina Kowalska, a 20th-century Polish religious known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy.
Mary — the First and the Last
The month of May has come to its conclusion. May is dedicated in a special way to our Mother, Mary, who leads us to her Son so that we might know His joy in our lives. The Diocese of Palm Beach is especially blessed to have Mary as Queen of the Apostles for our patroness.
Pope Leo XIV — Viva il Papa!
The preceding weeks have been very exciting ones for the Church. The passing of a great pope and the election of a new one has focused the gaze of the entire world upon the Church. Many have been positively fascinated by the personalities involved as well as the process of a papal election.
Do Not Be Afraid — You are the Now of God
Message for Graduates from our Catholic Schools: You are also graduating at the time when the Church has a new Pope, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. Part of his first words in his new role were addressed to young people at his first Sunday appearance in Rome, which was also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. He expressed, “To young people I say, Do not be afraid! Accept the invitation of the Church and Christ the Lord!”
Compassionate Continuity
The apostles were all different. They were not supposed to be the same. But Jesus called them all to one mission... that is to serve the Lord as He has made you, just as He had each of the apostles. While the apostles remained as individuals, they were to be one in Christ.
Going My Way – All Aboard!
As I continued to grow in my desire to be a priest, I began to appreciate more and more the central role the priest had in the lives of people, especially in regard to the meaning of life. As other professions, such as a doctor, teacher, lawyer or many others, had a significant role in people’s lives, it was always the priest and only the priest who had the ultimate answer to speak about life...
The Pope of Surprises
Pope Francis was a man who accepted himself, with all of the surprises as God made him, to the very end. In his final visit to the prison on Holy Thursday, he spoke words to reporters he has spoken on other occasions, “I often ask the question why them and not me.” In an early interview, when asked the question of who was he, Pope Francis responded in all sincerity, “I am a sinner.”
The Resurrection — The Hope that Does Not Disappoint
We are in the Jubilee Year of Hope as initiated by Pope Francis with the theme of Pilgrims of Hope and the words of St. Paul from his letter to the Romans, “Hope does not disappoint” (5:5), as its foundation. Hope is a wide-ranging word which can imply different meanings in different contexts. It is both a noun and a verb which always anticipates something positive. It is associated with optimism, positive outlook, drive, enthusiasm and success. However, the hope which we are engaged with as pilgrims of hope has to do with all of these positive elements but transcends far beyond it.
Holy Week Does Not Disappoint
We have come to the most solemn week of the Church’s liturgical year, which is Holy Week, and during this Jubilee Year of Hope. As we move through Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum, we are almost overwhelmed by the deep meaning and beauty of the liturgical celebrations. The wealth of what we celebrate gives us much to reflect on, not only during Holy Week but during the entire season of Easter.
The Rains and Clouds of Southern Florida
The song “April showers bring May flowers” does not have the same meaning in southern Florida as it does in other parts of our country. Nevertheless, we are getting ready for our rainy season when late afternoon clouds and heavy showers are almost a daily occurrence. They have already begun to appear slowly, and they do remind us, as does the song, of the positive attributes of rain...
Mary — Our Hope Who Never Disappoints
While all of the saints speak to us of holiness from different backgrounds and stages of life, which inspires us in our own lives and circumstances, Mary stands as the apex of what holiness is all about. If we could speak of a hierarchy among the saints, Mary stands at the top of the list. St. Joseph points to this in a particular manner. His role is unique within the Church because he is the husband of Mary...
The Lent of Pope Francis
The first example that Pope Francis gives us is that of prayer. He often speaks of the priority of prayer and reminds us of how it is the most important thing in which we are engaged. Again, he continually asks personally for prayer for himself, as well as for us to pray for each other. He reminds us of the importance of taking time to be alone in the presence of God and to listen to God as he truly speaks to us during this time.
