Pilgrim Priest

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross • Anti-venom comes from animals who were poisoned but survived. Jesus drank the poison of our sins and it killed him. But he rose from the dead and now his b…

Ordinary Time, 23rd Sunday (C) We think we are free, but many of us are slaves. We are burdened by the needs and worries of the flesh. The book of Wisdom says, "For the corruptible body burdens the s…

Ordinary Time, 22nd Sunday (C) Jesus goes to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the guests at the banquet are observing them carefully. Jesus is also watching them. He offers some …

Ordinary Time, 21st Sunday (C) Tent-camping is the best kind of vacation, because when you come home, your ordinary life feels like a luxury vacation! Fr. Michael is a very disciplined camper. He tau…

Ordinary Time, 20th Sunday (C) Leadership isn't cool. People lead badly when they start trying to look good. Jesus wasn't worried about being cool. Jeremiah wasn't worried about being cool. When we a…

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mass during the Day) • Mary was assumed into heaven at the end of her earthly life. There have been many incorruptibles through history that ar…

Ordinary Time, 19th Sunday (C) Today we hear a witness from one of our Diocesan seminarians. He helps us see that faith is not a made-up fairy-tale. When we see the world through the eyes of faith, W…

Ordinary Time, 18th Sunday (C) What's in God's wallet? Certainly not cash, credit cards, receipts, or insurance cards. The only thing in God's wallet is photos of his kids. Lots and lots of photos, b…

Ordinary Time, 15th Sunday (C) I was away on a Steubenville youth conference. I had the privilege of listening to Bishop Barron preach on how Jesus is like the Good Samaritan. My favorite part of the…

Ordinary Time, 14th Sunday (C) The Jews think that Jerusalem is invincible because they are the Chosen People and they have the Temple. But they fail to obey God and He allows Babylon to destroy the …

June 30, 2025 • Today I celebrate the eighteenth anniversary of my ordination as a Catholic priest. Babies born the year I was ordained a priest are now graduating from high school! I have a few thou…

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (C) We cannot have deep, meaningful relationships with other people unless we are willing to be vulnerable with them. When we know our own wort…

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (C) The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. There are not three gods, but one God. We call this mystery, "The Holy Trinity".

Human beings are …

Pentecost Sunday (C) We are made for communion. We are called to communion. But you can't force anyone into communion. God respects our free will so much that if we say "No" to him, he won't override…

Ascension of the Lord • We know that the earth is a giant sphere suspended in outer space. The ancient people thought of the world like a snow globe. Jesus is ascending to the highest point of the un…

Easter, 6th Sunday (C) The First Reading is from the Sixth Sunday and the Second Reading and the Gospel are taken from the Seventh Sunday.

God's deepest desire is to be in communion with us. We can fi…

Easter, 5th Sunday (C) Our parish exists for one reason: Communion. Through Baptism we are "dipped" into God's love for us. When we receive Holy Communion, God enters us. So we are in God and God is …

Easter, 4th Sunday (C) Even from the very beginning, children need a felt sense of safety and security in order to thrive. Physically speaking, we live in a very secure country. And yet, we seem to b…

Easter, 3rd Sunday (C) This Gospel is one of my personal favorites. It was given to me on a Teens Encounter Christ retreat in 2004. John chapter 20 ends with these words:

Thomas answered him, “My Lord…

Easter, 2nd Sunday (Divine Mercy) Happy Doubting Thomas Sunday! The early church fathers saw Sunday as the first day of the New Creation. Christians rest on Sunday as a preparation for the eternal Su…