by Fr. Jim Chern
Words can often dance with different meanings depending on how we say them. Take the phrase "Wait till your father gets home." Growing up, those words from Mom could foretell either impending doom or upcoming…
There's a ritual my friend's grandparents practiced every New Year's Eve. At midnight, they'd open the front door in their house to "let the old year out." When he told me this, I laughed and…
The other day, I joked in my Christmas homily about adding Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" to my personal banned list. This sparked an amusing conversation with friends about our least…
Merry Christmas! There's something particularly special about saying those words here, in this sacred space, on this holy day. While the world outside swirls with tinsel and commerce, here we encounter something authentic — a…
The great Catholic author, G.K. Chesterton once made this remarkable observation about children and God that I first heard when my nieces were much younger – an idea that has resonated with me ever since.…
Thanks to the pastor of my home parish when I was in High School, Fr. Marcone, I've had a devotion to St. Joseph now for over 30 years. So I'm always excited when the lectionary…
The shocking assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan on December 4th has gripped our nations attention. The details of this tragedy continue to distrub us: a 50-year-old father of two, gunned down…
Have you ever noticed how the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated each December 8th, sometimes creates a bit of confusion? With Christmas approaching and today's Gospel reading about the angel Gabriel visiting Mary, we…
Picture this: A vast sea parts before your eyes, walls of water suspended in mid-air, a path of dry land stretching toward freedom. Now imagine experiencing this scene not through computer-generated effects, but through the…
This past October, as my family and I gathered to mark the tenth anniversary of my Father's death, I was struck by the unpredictable nature of grief. Those who have experienced loss can relate to…