Understanding Refugees Through the Lens of the Holy Family Advent 2023– It’s advent again, and there’s one important question that someone will ask me–that is if every other year is indicative of this one đ “Were Jesus, Mary, and Joseph really refugees?” In a world grappling with unprecedented levels of migration and displacement, the question of whether the Holy Family were refugees holds significant relevance. The narrative of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fleeing to Egypt, as described in the Gospel of Matthew, has been widely discussed and debated. Can we genuinely…
Rose Sunday, also known as Laetare Sunday, is a tradition celebrated in the Christian faith on the fourth Sunday of Lent (thereâs also a Rose Sunday in Advent, but thatâs another article for another time). Rose Sunday falls right in the middle of the season of reflection, penance, and preparation for Easter. While it may not be as well-known as other religious holidays, Rose Sunday holds significant meaning for those who observe it. Fun Fact: Rose Sunday is unique in many ways, including the distinctive Rose (or pink) vestments worn by the clergy during the…
Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way… it’s technically not a beanie. That said, one of the fun things about being a priest is that we get to wear some of the most fantastic clothing in the world. The church has no shortage of headgear options for the clergy. Some of you have seen my biretta (the hat with the silk pom on the top), which I wear on 1st Sundays when we use incense. You’ve also seen bishops wear a mitre (the pointy hat) during their Episcopal visits…
âWhy?â is the first question I ask myself! Since the Columbine tragedy in April 1999, where twelve students and one teacher were murdered, this haunting question, âBut why?â echoes persistently through each new, senseless massacre. After another devastating shooting, this time at Robb Elementary School in Texas, I find myself asking againâperhaps asking GodââMy God, why?â Nineteen children. Two teachers. Dead. Gone. Forever. We grieve not only for the lives lost but for the futures these young ones could have shaped, the countless lives the teachers might have touched. This is the heavy cost we continue…
A few months ago I had the privilege to sit down for a Q&A interview with Dr. Dan Finley. Dan writes for Go! Magazine. This section is called Chat with a Pastor. Go! Magazine is a Christian publication that circulates along the emerald coast of Florida. Below is the interview! A Special thank you to Dr. Dan Finley, a man whom I consider a friend and a great example of a Christian who looks for ways to give back to the community and the world. I also know his students at Gulf Coast College appreciate his humor…
Why Spiritual Self-Care? I bet you’re a lot like me; you’re feeling some spiritual cabin fever. In this blog entry, I want to suggest a few ideas that can provide spiritual self-care during the coronavirus isolation. We’ve been cooped up for a few weeks thanks to coronavirus, and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy spiritual life. COVID-19 has shaken up our spiritual lives, and taken away many of the systems we rely on to keep us centered and grounded. Thereâs a lot of information and creative…