What is a Sacrament; Baptism, Confirmation, and Penance

Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Eucharist

God's wants to share His very life with us-- which is another way of saying "GRACE."

Peter three stage development on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Jesus founded ONE Church upon the rock of Peter.

Mass of Surrender for the Men's Cursillo Team comparing the story of Queen Esther to the role of the Cursillo Team

Jesus says do not give the food of children to dogs. Could we say the same thing about Holy Communion.

The Story of the Canaanite Woman, the Jewish Diaspora, and Holy Communion.

Catholics are called to be HOLY. What does that mean and how do we achieve it? Nursing Home Mass.

Commentary on the Protestant Congregation that was planning to distribute drive-thru ashes.

A presentation to the RCIA class on the Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders.

THe Mass is heaven come down to earth. Statements by Bl. Pope John Paul the Great, Cardinal Ratzinger, Cardinal Canizares regarding abuses in the liturgy.

The final session of the Catholic Book Club discussion of Early Church Fathers: Expanded Edition. Working for the back of the book to the part where we left off, we looked at the "Mothers of the Church," St. John Damascene, St. Maximus the Confessor … [More]

Continuing Bible Study: John Bergsma on Gospel of John Chs. 13-17. Foot Washing as ordination Ritual; Jesus gives the Apostles a mini retreat; invoking the Divine Name.

How are marriage and the religious life both paths to God?

The Sower in the Gospel uses the broadcast method and the seed goes everywhere. God calls everyone to be saved, even the hardhearted, but will we respond?

Continuing discussion of the Catholic Book Club of the book, Early Church Fathers: expanded edition. Tertullian, Hippolytus, Origen, Cyprian of Carthage, etc.

A letter from St. John Bosco on the disciplining of children.

The parable of the workers in the vineyard in relationship to Bl. Teresa of Calcutta and St. Dismas.

Do we read the Holy Scripture for what it really is? The Bible is a collection of God's love letters to us.

The Job of the Holy Spirit is to conform us to the life of Christ, especially His suffering.

Why does Jesus call Mary "woman" at the wedding feast of Cana? He also calls her "woman" at the foot of the Cross because Mary is the New Eve, the new universal woman.

The Catholic Book Club continuing discussion of The Early Church Fathers, expanded ed. by Mike Aquiina. St. Melito of Sardis, St. Ireneaus of Lyon, St. Justin Martyr--adding his first apology (about the Mass, which was not included in the book) as … [More]

A reading of the Zenit announcement of the new booklet coming from the Vatican, which may turned the priest around during Mass.

This tour focuses on the vesting sacristy and the working sacristy; also mentioned are the sanctuary and the confessional.

Football, dessert, or Jesus-- What's really important?

The results of an informal parish survey on a simple catechism question proved interesting.

Brant Pitre's presentation on the Gospel of John, Chs 11 & 12. The relationship between the resurrection of the dead and the ingathering of the exiles.

A look at some of the early heresies in the Church. A brief look at St. Clement, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp.

There were two types of people who worshipped the baby Jesus; shepherds representing Israel, the poor and uneducated; magi representing the gentiles, the rich, and the educated. The government did not worry about the poor and the uneducated but was … [More]

An hour long session in which I try to explain the Mass and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist to a class of 5th graders.

Epiphany is not the happily ever after to a fairy tale, but the first note in the ominous Passion Play,

Epiphany is not the happily ever after to a fairy tale, but the first note in the ominous Passion Play,

The first of six sessions discussing "The Fathers of the Church:Expanded Edition: An Introduction to the First Christian Teachers" ed., by Mike Aquilina. Introductory material on who and what are Church Fathers and their relationship to the … [More]

St. Paul tells us that circumcision does not matter and we have been freed from that obligation. So why was Jesus circumcised?

We take for granted that God is our Father and that we are adopted sons of God and that Mary is the Mother of God.

We take for granted that God is our Father and that we are adopted sons of God and that Mary is the Mother of God.

The family is under attack. The Church's nuclear weapons are the Sacraments; but the four tactical weapons are education, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

The readings after Christmas provide a little Easter Triduum and also show us the proper relationship between theologians and the magisterium.

John was the oldest and last of the Apostles and so he had fifty years to mediate on the meaning of Jesus.

What is the most important pat of Christmas? CHRIST MASS.

Jesus was born to die. The Church exists to lead people to heaven.

John the Baptist is the Voice and Jesus is the Word.

Why do we read the genealogy of Christ durng Advent?

The people asked John the Baptist, what should I do? Here is one woman's answer.

An high school/middle school homeschool apologetics class focusing on the nature of purgatory and indulgences

The story of the Good Shepherd is a story of true love. But true love means leading people that the world is just grass thrown on the fire.

The story of the paralytic let down from the ceiling for Jesus to heal. What is the most important gift?

Western Society is dying because of contraception.

Mary as the first tabernacle according to Bl. Pope John Paul II

Recap of John Bergsma's lecture on the Gospel of John Chs. 9 & 10. The Story of the man born blind and its relationship to the sacrament of Baptism; with a little bit of coverage of the Good Shepherd.

Jesus was crucified outside the wills of the city to show us that we should not trust the government to do the work of evangelization for us.

In Advent, we wait for Christmas; we wait for the Second Coming. But we don't have to wait for Jesus because He is already here in the Holy Eucharist.

The new (one year old) translation of the Roman Missal makes a big improvement in translating "vitam aeternam" as "eternal life" rather than "everlasting life."

Middle & High school homeschool group apologetics class. Sola Fides, Sola Scriptura, Once Saved Always Saved. These Protestant heresies are unbiblical.

Catholics are intolerant because the Truth cannot be watered down or diluted. The Martyrs were intolerant because they would not compromise their faith. When the Church is intolerant it grows, when the Church compromises with evil she shrinks.

Do you love Jesus? Are you afraid of Christ's Second Coming? Maybe you love your sins more.

Do you love Jesus? Are you afraid of Christ's Second Coming? Maybe you love your sins more.

An Apologetics course for homeschool middle/high schoolers. Today, we tackle the major arguments of the Protestant Revolt. Sola Fides, Sola Scriptura, Where the Bible Comes from.

What is your vision of the Second Coming? We are merely passing through this earth. Our true home is in heaven. We are in some sense refugees, who gather together to speak our own language, tell stories from home, and eat the food of our homeland.

Four different thoughts regarding Jesus saying "You are the salt of the earth." The Paycheck, the Refrigerator, The dead Sea, the X-box.

The recounting of a lecture by Scott Hahn on the Gospel of John; cluding Ch. 5 the healing of the man by the pool who was sick for 38 years and a look at Jesus' use of the word, "hour."

The final episode of the Catholic Book Cub presentation on BRant Pitre's Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist. Chapter 7 was a summary of the main topics of the book. Chapter 8 was a look at the Road to Emaus story. A wide ranging discussion … [More]

The Sacraments have not only efficacious grace but a catechetical purpose. Black vestments teach us that we can not be certain who goes to hell because we cannot determine 2 of the 3 conditions for mortal sin.

St. Paul warns us about those who claim to carry the cross but have their belly as their god. Have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz? Why is home such a powerful concept? St. John Vianney says our home is in heaven

Heaven is not sitting on a cloud, looking at God, playing a harp. BORRRING!!! Heaven is an intimate and personal relationship with the Holy Trinity that even the angels do not share.

The internal contradiction in the Declaration of Independence and the contradiction of the two thieves and the role of Christ the King.

Catholic Book Club meets to discuss ch 6: The Fourth Cup. The Fourth Cup is an amazing argument that Jesus did not finish the Passover meal of the Last Supper until he drank the wine on the cross. There is also a digression about the nature and … [More]

On the nature of Martydom, the falsity of the health and wealth Gospel and the Muslim claim that Prophets don't suffer and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Another session with the middle & high schoolers on the the meaning and purpose of life. This week we talked about what heaven will be like.

God's existence can be known through the light of human reason. The existence of the Trinity must be revealed by Jesus. The relationship between the ontological Trinity and the economic Trinity as seen in the Incarnation.

The Apostles did not seem to get it. They asked the wrong question but got the right answer. We are called to be the servant of all.

Chapter 5 of Brant Pitre's is on the the Bread of the Presence which was present in the Temple and which was the sign of the covenant renewed every sabbath. We also talked about angels and eternity, Jesus as the Temple, how we share in the Divine … [More]

Middle/high school apologetics class discussing the "nature" of things and the difference between eternal and everlasting life.

To be a mystic is not to be a holy saint but to be able to live inside the mystery of God.

Retreat talk to a Catholic High School Staff on servant leadership as shown in the lives of St. Joseph, St, Thomas More, and St. Gianna Molla.

A Retreat talk to a Catholic High School Staff on the relationship between Faith and Reason using Bl. John Paul II's encyclical, Fides et Ratio.

Work is not a punishment for sin but a way to sanctify the world. Your vocation also sanctifies the world.

It breaks my heart that people apparently do not realize that in Holy Communion they receive the Living God because they leave Mass right after receiving Holy Communion.

Prayer is not about getting things from a sugar-daddy but of a relationship with a Divine Person.

Third Session of the Catholic Book Club discussion of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, Chapter 4: The New Manna. Review of previous weeks, a look at the supernatural nature of the Manna, the Our Father, Zwingli's interpretation of "flesh … [More]

Recapitualition of a presentation by Brant Pitre on the Gospel of John Chs. 5 & 6. Discussing Jesus' Divinity, the Eucharist, "Eat My Body, Drink My Blood."

Mary is the best example of humility. She did her job then backed away expecting nothing in return.

A homily at an Anointing of the Sick Mass explaining not only the redemptive power of suffering but St. Josemaria Escriva's "Theology of the Donkey."

I thank God for my GPS. Sometimes we make wrong turns. The government has recently made some wrong turns regarding abortion, contraception, and same sex unions. The are intrinsic evils because to do not support the natural law.

The second session of the Catholic Book Club on Brant Pitre's excellent book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, ch 3:the New Passover. How Jesus fulfilled the the promises of the exodus with a new passover, a new sacrifice, and a new … [More]

The first of six meeting of the Catholic Book exploring Dr. Brant Pitre's excellent book, "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist. Here we cover the Introduction and Chapters 1 & 2. The premise of the book is that you can't understand Jesus … [More]

This the second class of an apologetics course I was asked to give to middle and high school home-schoolers. The original intent was to cover the four last things but we only got through creation and the fall of the bad angels.

Given the fact that in the Extraordinary Form there is a repetition of readings, here is a story about how I encountered Jesus while visiting a man in hospice.