My mom and dad lived in two "epochs" of the Church: pre-  and post-Vatican II. 

My parents raised us in that old Church tradition when Mass was in Latin and people brought their thick missals to follow the liturgy in English or Tagalog, and the priest faced th...

The first time I was away from home for a long time was when I left for the seminary only about three hours by bus away. I knew I would come home only once a year for a month's vacation and maybe a week at Christmas.

The first several months I felt very homesick. I even...

Once upon a time in a land not so far away lived a king who was also a top-rate city planner, architect, and engineer. The king's plans included developing many huge new cities with beautiful buildings, housing and other amenities for his rapidly expanding kingdom....

I do not know much about the family of Wendell Black except that at his advanced age he was taking care of an adult son whom he often brought to Church events, and that other family members lived with him. 

But I think that the little I know about him outside...

Today's feast of St. Thomas Aquinas reminds me of the time many decades ago when I bought the 5-volume Summa Theologiae which he wrote.  It was in Latin.

It was a basic textbook and resource book in our philosophy and theology classes in the seminary.

One can not but won...

Continued . . .

Grandpa:  So, Joey, when you receive Holy Communion

you are eating the Body of Jesus Who is the Lamb of God. Right?

Joey:  Yes, Grandpa, that is what the priest says when he raises the Host at Mass. He also says "The Body of Christ" when he gives Communio...

Today, Joey, my 8-year-old grandson, wanted to go to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, a 30-minute drive away. Following is part of our conversation in the car:

Grandpa: Joey, do you know it's the feast day of your mom today?
Joey: Yes, Grandpa, it's the...

"What name do you give your child?" This is the first question the minister asks the parents of a child to be baptized.

The name given by the parents is not one thought of at the spur of the moment but was decided upon after several options were considered beforehand. A...

 As another year ends . . . and a new one begins

Saint Ignatius of Loyola recommends the Examen as an essential part of one's daily spiritual activities.

The Ignatian Examen is usually done at the end of the day before one retires for the night.  The exercise is for one...

I had thought that Saint Stephen, one of the first seven deacons, was the first martyr who was killed for witnessing to Christ. His feast day is the day after Christmas.

On my way to Mass this morning December 28, I realized that it was the hundreds of babies put to dea...