Father Rick’s Homily: Saturday, 24th Week in Ordinary Time
September 19, 2026 Luke 8:4-15https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091926.cfm Everything is Grace Some experiences stay with you forever. I had one such moment in the seminary with aprofessor, Fr. Eric Doyle. He called me into his office for a final oral exam on thedoctrine of grace. I sat facing him. He held my hands and looked into my eyes. […]
Father Rick’s Homily: Friday, 24th Week in Ordinary Time
September 18, 2026 Luke 8:1-3https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091826.cfm Jesus Attracts Opposites Each parish’s dedication to Jesus and the Church varies. Traditionally, the Church’s rolewas well-defined, but now it needs to evolve. Some believe that clergy, religious, and afew laypeople handle everything, viewing Mass as a weekly duty with no otherexpectations. Recent popes, including Pope Francis, have revived an […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Thursday, 24th Week in Ordinary Time
September 17, 2026Luke 7:36-50https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091726.cfm Pope Paul VI wrote that “modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than toteachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (EvangeliiNuntiandi 41). The sinful woman’s witness in this Gospel makes her a powerful evangelist. Her actionsspeak – even though she says no words at […]
Father Rick’s Homily: Wednesday, 24th Week in Ordinary Time
September 16, 2026Luke 7:31-35https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091626.cfm Dancing with Jesus. Presidential campaigns can feel never-ending, with candidates more focused onattacking each other than on outlining their policies. The scribes and Pharisees refused to engage with either John the Baptist or Jesus.They rejected John’s strict call to repentance and also criticized Jesus for being tootolerant, sharing meals with sinners. […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
September 15, 2026John 19:33-35https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091526.cfm No Other Way Nothing is more devastating than a parent losing a child. Watching a child’s lifeless bodyis unimaginable, yet they often ask, “Why couldn’t it have been me?” Today, we honor our Mother of Sorrows. Her resilience, despite being sinless, as shestood under her Son’s cross and shared in His suffering, […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 14, 20264John 3:13-17https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091426.cfm Don’t Be Afraid of the Sting In all Catholic Churches and Chapels worldwide, we celebrate the “Exaltation of theCross,” an instrument of execution adopted by the Romans from the Chinese, whoreserved it for the worst criminals. How does God take something so evil and cruel and change it into the central symbol […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 13, 2026Matthew 18:21-35https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091326.cfm Forgiveness and Freedom Cheryl McGuinness learned this secret of mercy at the foot of a strange andterrible cross. She is the widow of the co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 11,which was hijacked and smashed into the World Trade Center on September11, 2001. That morning, she and her two teenage children cried and […]
Father Rick’s Homily: Saturday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
September 12, 2026Luke 6:43-49https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091226.cfm Deep Roots I know a friend whose neighbor’s tree fell on her house during a tropical storm. It wastoo top-heavy for its weak root system to stay upright in the high winds. Life’s stormsalso come occasionally in the form of losing a job, an illness, and daily frustrations. Jesus, our Lord, […]
Fr. Rick’s Homily: Friday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
September 11, 2026 Luke 6:49-42https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091126.cfm Humility And Mercy “When fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.” Our training in the gospeltransforms us, enabling us to embody the values rooted in Jesus’ heart. St. Claude dela Colombière showed us one of the most powerful paths to this transformation: “Ahumble person sees only their own […]
Father Rick’s Homily: Thursday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
September 10, 2026Luke 6:27-38https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091026.cfm Keeping Your Honor Cherishing our honor is essential, but losing sight of it can disconnect us from our trueidentity as children of God. In moments of threat, we may react instinctively instead ofresponding carefully. Our natural protective instincts can cause us to say or do thingswe’d later regret. It’s essential to […]