Convocating

Year 2 for the “Priest & Deacon Convocation” here at the Edgewater in Alexandria Bay, NY. A “sell-out crowd” according to one of our veteran diocesan priests.
Gathering here with the vast majority of our ordained clergy affirms our shared community. Morning and evening prayers… our daily eucharistc celebrations… in prayer our dedication to Jesus, church–the [...]

Are you Ready and Are you Prepared?

Donnie…  A friendly, bear of a man.  Italian to the bone with a heart… a heart that is big enough to totally surround you with love.
When Donnie and I first met–both of us in the 20+ weeks of Pastoral Prep Classes–he must have asked me every question about the Deacon Formation Program in the diocese [...]

Finding his voice!

Just a week ago, our grandson Thaddeus was baptized at St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church. [See On the occasion of...] A joyous time!  Today, the newly baptized child found his voice in church…
A baby’s cry in church can be such a distraction… or a blessing.  Today, Thaddeus’ Mom was Lector and this was one 3-month old [...]

On the occassion of…

Mother’s Day, 10 May 2009
What a day it was!  Even now, 4 days after the Baptism of our first grandchild, Thaddeus Nolan, I’m unwrapping the mystery of the sacrament, savoring each petal of the flower of redemption of grace with which our grandson was blessed.
More to come in the days ahead…  understanding, remembering, owning this [...]

At the Cathedral – A Change at the Top

Two years can be a very long time when you’re the bishop of a Roman Catholic Diocese, past the mandatory retirement age of 75 and in frail health. This morning, though, the Most Reverend James M. Moynihan, shepherd of the Diocese of Syracuse since 1995, announces the appointment of Most Rev. Robert J. Cunningham, effective [...]

They Said Nothing

What a glorious day!  Jesus Christ is risen… but the women at the tomb… THEY SAID NOTHING. Mark’s compact Gospel, Chapter 16:1-8 more than captures the scene of the three women at the tomb.  It provides a profound insight into the collision between our human senses and the spiritual mystery, the new reality of the [...]

Bravo!

As I sat here “polishing” my Easter Sunday homily, the Google Notifier on my desktop alerted me to a few incoming e-mails. Pausing for a moment, I took a look… among them my weekly blog visits stats from SiteMeter.  Cruised over to them, along with my WordPress blogs stats and saw yet another incoming visitor [...]

On a fruitful Lenten observance…

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent
(Reading I – Jeremiah 31:31-34, Reading II – Hebrews 5:7-9, Gospel – John 12:20-33)
Today we find ourselves deep in the season of Lent.  I realize that many of you have given up a favorite food or activity as a Lenten sacrifice, or perhaps you’ve added special  observances, such as [...]

If you build it…

Although Field of Dreams was perhaps a bit too much of the “feel good”, the message of the 1989 film based on the W.P. Kinsella book has always resonated with me:  a man with a vision, too compelled by the urgency of the idea to give it up.  A modern day metaphor for the biblical [...]

The face of God…

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Matthew 11:28b-30
As we approach the mid-point of the Advent season, the scripture [...]