There was a time when midnight Mass was a 5 a.m. liturgical celebration Midnight Mass hasn’t always been held at midnight. One of Pope Pius XII’s last great gifts to the Church was the beginning of the restoration of Easter Vigil (time of day and language). By the time the …
Marriage enrichment: Home for Christmas
The Holy Family serves as a wonderful example of how we share our children All of our children will be home for Christmas. We are very excited about that fact! And two of them will be bringing their spouses with them. Our son has been married for three years now …
Understanding the sacraments: Nourishing our relationship with God
Introducing the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy In my previous column I discussed the Synod on the Family’s emphasis on the importance of popular piety and family devotions. In that column I mentioned the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (DPPL), produced in 2001 by the Congregation …
It All Comes Clear Now
By Father Joseph Brando November, in these parts, is the time when trees reach their brightest glow. Then their leaves, by means of a parachuting parade of color in a gloriously choreographed leap, dance to the ground. When that display is completed, the people who lived, spring and summer, under …
He dwells among us: Love and mercy
The ‘Gospel of Life’ challenges us to show mercy even to those who denied it to others Thirty-six years ago, two of my uncles were senselessly and brutally gunned down during a robbery of their small urban grocery store. The gunman, a 16-year-old youth, was arrested six months later but …
Living the readings: The colors are changing
Christ wants us to be radiant in faith, hope, and love In our part of the country, the leaves change into a myriad of autumn colors. There are oranges and reds and browns blown by the capricious wind over the green grass opening groves up to the blue sky resulting …
Once upon a time: The warm, friendly confines of home
Campaign to build up Church in East Tennessee promises to be a blessing to all of us As a child I suffered from asthma — so much so that I sometimes had to sleep in a chair in an upright position for days, weeks, or months at a time. If …
Marriage enrichment: Focus on the family
Synod of Bishops preparing to deal with a world of challenges facing family life Families come in all shapes and sizes and every one of them has its own particular set of challenges. Luckily for us, Pope Francis understands the challenges of family life and has decided to see how …
Understanding the sacraments: Nurturing family devotions
Synod on the Family to address Church concerns, including safeguarding and promoting forms of popular piety On Oct. 5 the third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops begins its work on the “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.” In preparation for the synod, the …
Bishop urges thoughtful solution to border crisis
By Bishop Richard F. Stika Imagine being a parent of five children and living with the very real expectation and fear that one of them, or worse yet, all of them, could be the targets of a ruthless and violent gang that you have no power to stop. The circumstances …
Living the readings: Making it through rough times
Many lessons are learned about God’s abundant love August is known for its long hot days and sweaty boring nights that made kids wish school were back in session. Schools, in Tennessee at least, have accommodated this desire and have welcomed the children back ever earlier each year, making today’s …
Once upon a time: Road to heaven should be traveled with love
Incorporating Scripture into a trip, regardless of the distance, will deepen your spiritual journey About two millennia ago, a teenaged Jewish girl (shall we name her Miriam?) who lived in the northern third of the Holy Land (Galilee) got wind that her older cousin, Elizabeth, who lived in the hill …