Second Sunday of Lent “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door,” said Bilbo. “You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might… Continue reading →

Ash Wednesday We enter the holy season of Lent today with the familiar ritual of getting ashes traced on our foreheads to mark our humble recognition that we are dust and unto dust… Continue reading →

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Growing up with six siblings, three younger and three older, I can admit I did not have the same relationship with all of them. Although close family and… Continue reading →

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time When we live and work in close quarters, we are bound to rub elbows with other people. Usually during the cold and flu season, the literal sort of… Continue reading →

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sometime back, before DNA testing became widely available, a college classmate of mine decided to explore and document his family tree. An innocent exercise, one might think. But… Continue reading →

Presentation of the Lord When I conducted baptism prep some years back, I would begin with a question. “Why do you want your child baptized?” At first I would get blank uncomprehending stares.… Continue reading →

Opening Mass of the Richmond Bicentennial On 11 July 1820, Pope Pius VII chose Fr. Patrick Kelly, president of St. John’s College in Birchfield, County Kilkenny, Ireland to be bishop of the newly… Continue reading →

Epiphany of the Lord I have met people who, upon learning I am a priest, want to talk about God. “Where do I find God? Why are terrible things happening to me? What… Continue reading →

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph A major highlight of the Christmas season is that people will sometimes make a genuine and intentional effort to get together with those they love, whether… Continue reading →

Nativity of the Lord A child is just a small human that typically attracts attention and curiosity, even fascination, primarily from other small humans like it, but eventually from everyone big and small.… Continue reading →