One of the most memorable experiences of my time as chaplain to college students happened about seven years ago — in one of the most rugged, forgotten corners of Appalachia, Kentucky. Ten students from Montclair…
ARE ALL WELCOME?
When I started seminary 27 years ago, one (of many things) to get acclimated to, rather quickly was the wide variety of opinions on, of all things, Church music. Being an amateur piano player and…
SEEKING CHRIST IN THE EXTREMES
Every so often, someone will ask the question: what’s the hardest part of being a priest? From their reactions, they seem to have certain expectations of what they think the answer will be: Is it…
“THE LORD SEES THE HEART” Funeral Homily for…
In the first reading today, (1 Samuel 16: 1-13 ) we heard one of the chapters from the Old Testament recounting the story of King David - the same guy who took that giant Goliath…
OUT OF MANY – ONE (Trinity Sunday)
The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity... every homilist’s favorite Sunday. Not to be dismissive of it. Particularly because it is one of the most central dogmas of being Christian and it is yet another way…
HELP ME FIND MY WAY – Pentecost Sunday
When you think of the Holy Spirit - what comes to mind? Maybe you have different images from these scriptures and can remember making artwork in Catholic School or CCD - of a dove, flames…
WHY PRAYERS MATTER
Tuesday night, some friends from Missouri reached out to share some sad news. A 23-year-old friend of theirs, who was a paramedic, after finishing her shift around 2 am went for an early morning workout…
ON RECEIVING COMMUNION
With the viral pandemic, shutdowns, and all the insanity that is still hard to believe has occurred over the last two years, on that list of things to get used to has been “live-streaming” Mass. …
WHAT IS LOVE?
I first received the book Chicken Soup for the Soul - back in 1995 as a gift when I was graduating college and preparing to enter the seminary. The book of inspirational short stories that…









