Blog Archives

Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Sheridan See Milestones

4/30/2021

I was ordained a deacon on June 5, 1999 by Archbishop (now Cardinal) Rigali at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis, Missouri. Auxiliary Bishops Sheridan and Braxton were present as well.

Four days ago Cardinal Rigali celebrated sixty (60) years as a priest. (I saw it on Twitter so it must be true.) He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with Bishop Stika who is originally from St. Louis. Bishop Stika is the one who posted the milestone anniversary to his page.

This morning, Bishop Sheridan's retirement was accepted by the pope and his replacement in Colorado Springs, Colorado was formally announced.

As I look at the photo above, I realize that twenty-two years has brought much change. All three of the bishops in the photo are now retired. Three of my deacon classmates are deceased. The rest of us are older, and hopefully, wiser.

Congratulations to Cardinal Rigali on sixty years as a priest.

Congratulations to Bishop Sheridan on your retirement. Thank you for your many years of service as a priest and as a bishop.

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Happy Friday!

4/30/2021

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It was a warm morning, compared to a lot of mornings recently, and the sun was shining brightly. I was about a mile away from the house on my way to work when I glanced toward the mountains. The freshly tilled soil, the small lake, and the snow-capped mountains glistening in the background captured my attention. I pulled to the side of the road and absorbed the scene for a few moments. Wow! The handiwork of God never ceases to amaze me.

Here are just a few reflection questions for your pondering on this Friday.

1. How much time will you devote today to giving God thanks and praise?
2. What is one specific thing you will do today to serve someone else?
3. Specifically, describe how your prayer life has grown in the last three years. If it has not grown, why not? What needs to change?
4. What has God recently placed on your heart? Is there a tug that won't seem to go away? How will you respond?

We are still in the Easter season. I hope you are still celebrating! Blessings and peace!

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Good Shepherd Sunday

4/25/2021

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The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The simple message of today's Gospel reminds each one of us that we are loved beyond measure.

It has been a full weekend. Our parish celebrated the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation yesterday. I participated in the 9:00 am Mass. It is always exciting to see the excitement of the children on these big days. I was then scheduled for two Masses this morning along with a couple of other commitments.

We decided to take a ride yesterday afternoon to go see Horsetooth Reservoir. We had not been there for a few years and we thought a short scenic drive would be nice. After passing the reservoir I made a left turn and went through Masonville, Colorado. We had never been there. At one point, I am looking across a field and trying to determine if I am really seeing what I think I am seeing.

The photo above is just one section of the elk population that was present on this field. Unfortunately, there was no road to get a closer view.

The road we were driving on ended up bringing us into Loveland, Colorado. I asked my wife and son if they wanted to go back home or drive to Estes Park. We typically don't start on a road trip in the late afternoon hours, but we figured there was still a lot of daylight in front of us. We decided to head to Estes. It was a good decision. We saw elk in numerous places right along Highway 34 as we headed through the Big Thompson Canyon. We also saw a few mountain goats right along the roadway as well.

As we entered Estes Park, we were greeted with stampeding horses which had just escaped from the stable along the roadway. These horses were saddled and ready for the next group of riders going on a trail ride, but they suddenly rushed out into the street. Thankfully, I was able to stop the car and the horses also stopped when they reached our car.

The rest of the drive was a little less eventful. We stopped at the Stanley Hotel, but we did not go into any of the buildings. If the shows on television which describe the haunted happenings at the hotel are accurate, I didn't feel a need to press our luck after the encounter with the horses.

I hope your weekend allowed you to experience some down time. I am grateful for the few hours we had to enjoy the beauty of God's creation in Fort Collins (at Horsetooth Reservoir), Masonville, Loveland, and Estes Park.

Please remember, you are loved! Any time you start to doubt that, read the Good Shepherd discourse in John's Gospel. Blessings to each of you as we continue our Easter celebration!

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Thank You For Listening

4/17/2021

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While I have had the privilege of being on the radio a few times in the past, this was my first appearance longer than twenty minutes. It was definitely a different feeling being on the air for an hour. I have a new appreciation for radio personalities that host talk shows daily for multiple hours.

I want to say thank you to those who called in while I was on the air yesterday and made a pledge. I am grateful for your support of this important ministry. Furthermore, I have received texts, emails, and messages on social media from others who were listening. Some of the messages have come from people I have never met, but my personal story resonated with their own experience. Let's face it, we all carry a cross or two throughout our lives. Suffering impacts all of us.

It was an honor to be one of the 53 guests on the air this week. Thank you to everyone who made this pledge drive successful.

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The Octave of Easter--Divine Mercy Sunday

4/12/2021

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We celebrated the end of the Octave of Easter yesterday (also known as Divine Mercy Sunday for the last 21 years). Is your relationship with Jesus Christ in the forefront of your mind at all times, or is Jesus an afterthought placed in parentheses?

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My First Appearance On The Catholic Radio Network

4/5/2021

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Happy Easter Monday! I hope you had a terrific Holy Week and Sacred Triduum. We celebrate Easter for fifty days, but we celebrate it solemnly for these eight days. The Octave of Easter and Christmas reminds us of the importance of these great feasts. One day is not enough. We must celebrate vigorously for eight days.

I am scheduled to preach this weekend at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton on Saturday evening the 10th at 5:00 PM and on Sunday morning the 11th at 8:00 AM. It is always a privilege to preach at the celebration of the Eucharist, but I am especially looking forward to preaching on Divine Mercy Sunday which closes out the Octave of Easter.

As noted in the shameless plug in the advertisement above, I will be on the radio on Friday, the 16th. I invite you to tune it if you are able.

I am also working on preparations to lead a retreat in May. That will be the first retreat I have given since COVID shut everything down a year ago. I am really looking forward to getting back into the swing of some of these things.

Have a blessed week!

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St. Francis by the Sea--Thank You For The Memories

4/4/2021

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It seems like it has been a decade ago, but it was only two years ago that I gathered in Rincon, Georgia with this group of men from St. Francis by the Sea Catholic Church. We left the bustling area of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and crossed the border into a secluded setting in Georgia. It was a wonderful experience to be surrounded by these men of faith.

Happy Easter to all of the parishioners of St. Francis by the Sea!

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He Is Risen! Happy Easter!

4/4/2021

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These views from St. Malo seem quite appropriate for Easter Sunday!

I hope you are experiencing the joy of the risen Lord in your heart.

We celebrate for fifty days.

Be transformed by the grace of God.

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Walking In The Footsteps Of St. Pope John Paul II

4/3/2021

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I recently visited St. Malo. It had probably been close to ten years since I had been there. The setting is simply stunning.

It was my privilege to lead a couple of retreats on this beautiful campus many years ago before the main lodge burned down. Thankfully, the chapel remains.

Pope John Paul II visited St. Malo during his trip to Denver in 1993. The pope was in Denver for World Youth Day. This event attracted approximately 750,000 participants from 72 countries. The impact is still being felt by the local community even though 28 years have elapsed since then.

The quietness and solitude I experienced on my recent visit to St. Malo draws me more deeply into my experience of Holy Saturday.

The church remains barren (until people begin working feverishly preparing the sacred space for the Great Easter Vigil). The tabernacle door remains open so that we can visibly see the emptiness inside. We recall the time our Lord spent in the grave before rising from the dead. Even though we know how the story goes, the liturgical rubrics are very effective at bringing us into this moment of salvation history.

My dear readers, the world needs to know Jesus. How will you share the Good News of Salvation with the people in your circle of influence?

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How Did You Prepare For Holy Week & The Triduum?

4/2/2021

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The last two seasons of Lent have been difficult. Losing our ability to gather and worship because of COVID-19 has been devastating. People who have been struggling with anxiety and depression over the last year especially come to my mind. I truly hope that Holy Week and the Triduum bring you consolation and peace.

I knew that I needed a little extra something to prepare for Holy Week and the Triduum. The Sacrament of Penance on the Saturday before Palm Sunday was a good start. A visit to St. Walburga Abbey in Virginia Dale, Colorado also seemed like a good idea. I have attended many retreats there, and I have been the presenter of a few retreats there as well. The abbey is a place of immense solitude and blessing. I had not been there for three years (since we left Cheyenne), and I wasn't sure it would be open due to COVID restrictions. My wife and I thought we would visit the chapel and, of course, the gift shop.

As we expected, the doors were locked. My wife and I began to walk back to the car and we heard someone yell, "Can I help you?" I turned around to see one of the sisters standing at the door. As I turned around she said, "Deacon, is that you?" (Being 6'8" tall makes a person memorable, even if nothing else does.) Although the gift shop was closed, we were welcomed to come in and visit the chapel. The Benedictine hospitality continues to be lived out well.

Did you prepare for Holy Week any differently this year?

How will this Holy Thursday ritual be lived out in your life?

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