In times past, just about every faithful Catholic, and some Catholics who were only occasionally faithful, went to confession before Christmas and Easter. It is better to go to confession more than twice each year, but still, getting ready for […]
The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent is always about John the Baptist. The last of the Old Testament prophets was Malachi and it had been 400 years since his ministry. God had been silent for 400 years! But […]
Today we begin Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas. Advent is about hope that God never abandons us and that things will get better. The Old Testament tells of God’s patience with his sinful people and of his perennial […]
This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving evokes warm memories of family dinners, turkey and stuffing, apple pies and bread baking in the oven. I remember as a child walking into my grandparents’ home and being assaulted by the aroma of […]
This weekend I will be installed as pastor at the 10:30 Mass. Bishop Timothy Senior will represent Archbishop Perez. I have been at Saint John’s since September 1, already acting as pastor, but this ceremony makes it formal. I have […]
It was wonderful to see our church filled for the Feast of All Saints. I am learning that not everyone in Center City knows about our church. We have a good website so some people learn about our services there. […]
For Catholics, November is traditionally the month of the dead. The month begins with the feast of All Saints in which we recognize that ordinary people are called to heaven and to be saints. November 2 is the feast of […]
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us about two people who come to church. One man is a pillar of the community, respected and admired by everyone. In fact, he admires himself. The other is despised by everyone and he despises […]
In our gospel reading from Luke on Tuesday of the past week, Jesus criticized the Pharisees for being overly concerned with ritual and not concerned for the needs of others. Jesus told the Pharisees that the key to pleasing God […]
October is the month of the Holy Rosary, one of two months traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Mother, May being the other month. Do you pray the rosary? I am edified that many Catholics pray the rosary, meditating on the […]