For every priest, witnessing and blessing the marriage of a couple in the name of the Church is a special joy. Their standing before the altar signifies that Christ is present with them that day. Just as Jesus performed his first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana, he continues to be with couples every […] [Read more]
Archive for June, 2017
Jubilee Couples Show the Joy of Love
Friday, June 23rd, 2017“Blessed are the Peacemakers”
Wednesday, June 21st, 2017Last week we reflected on Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes and learned that by their contradiction to the ways of the world, they inherently call us to conversion – to turn to the way of the Lord and see with eyes of faith. In light of the scourge of war and other acts of violence […] [Read more]
Corpus Christi and Love for our Father
Sunday, June 18th, 2017The Church Universal lifts up for us today throughout the world the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, known in Latin as Corpus Christi. Here in the U.S., today it is also Father’s Day, and it is quite fitting that this feast of the Eucharist should be celebrated alongside this day in which […] [Read more]
2017 Ordination to the Priesthood
Saturday, June 17th, 2017Watch live from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as I ordain four men to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington. [Read more]
The Ordination of Our Newest Priests
Friday, June 16th, 2017One of the most joyful days of the year for our family of faith will unfold tomorrow at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as I ordain four new priests to serve Christ, his Church, and all they encounter. Three of these soon-to-be new priests are pioneer members of our Saint […] [Read more]
Finding the Happy Life in the Beatitudes
Tuesday, June 13th, 2017Occasionally at Sunday Mass, instead of reciting the Creed we renew our baptismal commitments, including renouncing the empty promises of those things that are not of God. This renunciation of worldly false promises, together with virtue and grace, is necessary to lead a life in the Spirit and have a truly happy and prosperous life. […] [Read more]
A Listening Church and Helping Young People in Vocational Discernment
Saturday, June 10th, 2017The Church of Washington rejoices today with the ordination of four men as transitional deacons. While they will now enter into their final year of seminary formation, their pathway to ordination did not begin with their entrance into the seminary. Their spiritual journey began with their first personal contact with Christ through the sacraments of […] [Read more]
Justice and Law
Wednesday, June 7th, 2017Every society in history has had some conception of justice and, on the personal level, even from an early age we have an intuitive sense of it. Like wisdom, temperance and fortitude, justice is a personal virtue, but it is also an obligation in our relations with God and others. As Pope Francis notes, “Justice […] [Read more]
The Upper Room at Pentecost and in Our Personal Lives
Sunday, June 4th, 2017The liturgy at Pentecost vividly takes us again into the Upper Room in Jerusalem. It was there that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with the Apostles, and where the Lord instituted the sacraments of the Eucharist and Holy Orders. The first reading at Mass for this solemnity tells how suddenly the Holy Spirit filled the […] [Read more]
Finding the Strength to Overcome Adversity and Live Well in Christ
Friday, June 2nd, 2017It is not uncommon for people to have the wisdom to know what is the right thing to do, and genuinely to want to be virtuous in order to lead a good and truly happy life, and yet they lack the will power to actually do the right and just thing, including fully living our […] [Read more]
