The Handmaid of the Lord ‘eagerly, happily, willfully assumed her role in God’s plan of salvation’ By Deacon Bob Hunt “Mary is the Mother of all the members of the Savior, because by her charity she has cooperated in the birth of the faithful in the Church. Mary is the …
A closer look at Eucharistic Prayer III
Liturgical prayer—the words of the Mass—can enrich and inform our personal prayers By Father Randy Stice Last month I introduced the Eucharistic Prayer (EP), “the center and high point” of the Mass. The current liturgy has 13 Eucharistic Prayers. EP I (Roman Canon) was the only Eucharistic Prayer for many …
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He may be no saint but thinks like one
A recent acquaintance commits to a two-year sponsorship of a Ukrainian family By George Valadie Joe’s no saint, said so himself. Though I myself have never met one to compare. But I’m thinking he thinks like one might think. To be honest, I don’t really know Joe all that well, …
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Remembering Monsignor Pat Connor
A former student recalls his high school principal as being ‘one of the good guys’ By George Valadie We first met many years ago. “Hello, Father, it’s nice to meet you.” “Well, thank you, it’s nice to meet y’all, too. I really appreciate you inviting me. This is nice.” “Let …
A catechesis on the Eucharistic Prayers
Their theological and spiritual riches are ‘the heart and summit of the celebration’ of Mass By Father Randy Stice The center and high point” of the Mass is the Eucharistic Prayer, “the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification.” 1 Pope Benedict XVI describes it as action “in the highest sense of …
Priest and victim
By keeping a daily Holy Hour, we best learn our priestly identity and how to be a ‘living sacrifice’ By Bishop Emeritus Richard F. Stika “Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” — Matthew 26:40 Keep watch.” As I reflect upon my time here in the diocese, …
Offering a July reflection on U.S. history
Lincoln’s words that ‘we shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth’ ring true today By Deacon Bob Hunt July is the month we celebrate American independence, so it’s worth reflecting on our history. One thing I can say about studying history is that it offers …
So it begins: searching for a new used car
Driving disasters aside, a couple must learn to compromise and see other viewpoints By George Valadie WANTED – Retired husband in search of pretty cool used car. Seeking relatively low miles, a radio that can pick up the Braves at night, one of those adaptor things so I can listen …
Our memories can be a happy privilege
Especially when we recall to mind that God is present in every moment of our lives By Deacon Bob Hunt There are moments that inspire reflection on those matters of life that matter most. Sometimes these moments are of the unhappy variety, but there are happy moments, too. I had …
Summarizing Christ’s eucharistic presence
There are four key aspects of it; ultimately, His presence in the Eucharist can only be discerned by faith By Father Randy Stice The transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is both miracle and mystery, something that we can never fully comprehend. But …
The extraordinary in the ordinary
God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven begins in the heart as a little house of Nazareth By Bishop Richard F. Stika “There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of …
‘The new covenant in my blood’
What did Christ mean by those words, and why does the covenant require His blood? By Father Randy Stice When Jesus gave the chalice to his disciples at the Last Supper, he told them, “This chalice is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25). This raises several questions. …
