May 15, 2011 By Jeanne Hunt When I was in high school, I worked as a catechist for children with Down Syndrome. My special charge was Kenny, a very shy 12-year-old boy. In May, Sister Mary Celestine told us to prepare the children for May crowning. We were to help …

May 6, 2011 By Father Kyle Schnippel Every year, the Center for the Applied Research and the Apostolate releases the results of a survey of all the men to be ordained to the priesthood for the coming year.  (It can be found online at www.usccb.org/vocations.)  For those who work in …

May 8, 2011 By Terrance Callan Third Sunday of Easter: Acts 2:14, 22-33; 1 Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35. We often have difficulty understanding a new or unexpected experience. We recognize that something has happened to us, but we do not know exactly what it is. It is only when we …

April 30, 2011 By Terrance Callan Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31.

April 21, 2011 By Father Timothy Schehr Easter Sunday: Acts 10:34-43; Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; John 20:1-9. As we make our way to our parishes this Sunday morning we will probably notice signs of life. For weeks now the earth has been taking on more color; the sounds …

April 21, 2011 By Michael Daley Visiting my brother in North Carolina, my niece came out of a farmer’s market carrying some calypso beans. She generously offered them to her relatives, and we were struck by the various black and white patterns (very similar to yin and yang) on them.

April 13, 2011 By Father Timothy Schehr Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion: Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14 –27:66.

April 13, 2011 By Father Earl Fernandes Each year the church calls us to remember the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus in ritual, music and readings. We have all grown up with the long reading of the Passion of Christ from the Gospels, the carrying of the palm in …

April 6, 2011 By Jeanne Hunt There is a raging controversy in the church. No, it’s not about capital punishment, married priests or euthanasia. It is a topic much closer to my heart: It seems there are two liturgical camps with regard to the Easter fire. The Easter fire is …

April 10, 2011 By Father Timothy Schehr Fifth Sunday of Lent: Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45.