One of the pastoral ministry resources to which I subscribe is called, Celebrations which is a National Catholic Reporter publication. Because in a number of ways it is a valuable resource, I contacted Denise Simeone, the Editor-in-Chief, and asked her for permission to include all or parts of articles in our Sunday Bulletin.  Denise graciously […]

It was on the First Sunday of Advent in 2012 when the new edition of the Roman Missal was first used for the celebration of the Eucharist. The most noticeable changes in the new edition are the prayers offered by the presider. The prayers use a more formal style of English and a somewhat politer […]

On the Feast of the Epiphany, there are a number of images, metaphors, analogies, and similes from the scripture readings we hear, from the hymns we sing, from the legends we have heard, and from the personal experiences we have had that give both personal and collective meaning to our celebration. If we were to […]

When I have the opportunity to be at home with my family during the holiday season, I often find myself sitting at the dining room table with my mother, sisters, brothers and a few nieces and nephews sharing information and stories about other family members. More often than not, my mother will ask the whereabouts […]

One of the teaching tools that most middle school, high school, and adult education teachers learn to use is called an “ice breaker.”  An ice breaker is an activity that helps people to share something about themselves so that other people get to know them. For me, a colorful ball of yarn served as an […]

Advent is a time of waiting, listening, holding back, and watching the beauty of both the day and the night take place. It can be a good time for spiritual reflection by asking ourselves important questions like: “How am I different this year than I was last year?” “What has changed within me?” “What has […]

We often make denigrating remarks about time – about being early, about being late, and about being right on time. This is because no matter who we are, none of us has complete control of our time. So we deal with it the best way we can.  Bluegrass songwriter, John Cadley, sings about the […]

During recess in grade school, my classmates and I would look for a pile of snow in the winter and a mound of dirt in the spring and fall. The biggest and strongest would scurry to the top and claim the royal title, “King of the Hill.” Those of us remaining at the bottom were […]

After a little thought and some reflection about our lives, I believe that we can all share some good examples about perseverance. Our examples might come from books we have read, movies we have seen, or people with whom we have lived and/or worked. But the best and perhaps most important examples of perseverance come […]

As the month of October comes to and end and the month of November begins, most of us can remember what we know about Halloween, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in a split second.  But we can go on for hours recalling and telling our experiences […]

In today’s gospel the Pharisees are trying desperately to get rid of Jesus. If he says you can pay taxes to Caesar, then he’s on the side of the Romans and the Jewish people who hated the Romans would become his enemy. But if Jesus says not to pay Caesar, then he’s guilty of treason […]

I believe that most people would agree with me that a parable about a wedding feast is a difficult one to understand. How do we make sense of a story where all the invited guests refuse to come? Because the invited guests refuse to come their city is destroyed. Some street people then find themselves […]

As we join together to celebrate Oktoberfest at the Church of St. Matthew, I want to welcome the different communities that are a part of our St. Matthew family:  Current Parishioners, Casa Guadalupana, Community of Saints Regional Catholic School, West Side Summit Charter School, Loaves & Fishes, St. Mary’s Health Clinic, Neighborhood House, and the […]

A few years ago, I came across an article in the Psychology Today magazine. The article described what the author called “HOT” WORDS.” Whenever we hear a hot word our blood pressure rises, our hearts beat faster, and our body temperature climbs. Psychologists found that the one word that had the biggest effect on people […]

​On Wednesday, September 20, the Church of St. Matthew began its Faith Formation Program with students from Grades 1 to 8 under the direction of Janelle Rohr, our Coordinator of Faith Formation. As a volunteer for many years, Janelle has organized and directed the formation program that cultivates the faith our students who attend public […]

The Feast of St. Matthew is on Thursday, September 21 in the Roman Catholic Church and on November 16 in the Orthodox Church.  Matthew, the Evangelist who wrote the Gospel that appears first in the Christian scriptures, was born in Galilee, the son of Alpheus (Mk 2:14).  His original name was Levi until it was […]

After World War II, Simon Wiesenthal, who was a prisoner in a German concentration camp and who after the war became a Nazi hunter, wrote a book he called, The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness (Schocken Books, 1976).  The book begins with a true experience he had while he was in a […]

In the Walt Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, seven short men invite Snow White into their everyday world with the words, “Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho. It’s off to work we go!”  A song about work by those who do work invites us to look at the spirituality of work during the 2017 Labor Day […]

In his book Years of Minutes: The Best of Andy Rooney from 60 Minutes (Essay Productions, 2003), Andy Rooney makes some comments in his essay “On Mixing Flavors.” “Obviously, I like to eat,” writes Andy “but I do have some rules. I don’t mix flavors. I like vanilla ice cream and I like chocolate ice […]

Because I am writing this reflection on the 8th of August, the Feast of St. Dominic, I will share with you my thoughts on “study,” the one pillar of Dominican life from which no friar is ever excused from doing. The other three pillars are “prayer,” “ministry,” and “community” which could be postponed for the sake […]

August 8th is the Feast of St. Dominic.  I am taking this opportunity to share with you a brief overview of the Dominican Order and a quick glance at Dominican spirituality. The Order of Preachers (better known as Dominicans) was started in 1216 by a Spaniard, named Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221). Dominic was known for […]

For three Sundays, the gospel readings have been parables about the kingdom of heaven. We have heard the Parables of the Sower, Weeds and Wheat, Mustard Seed, Yeast, Buried Treasure, Precious Pearl, and Dragnet. What I find interesting about the telling of the first two parables is that after each one it appears that Jesus provides […]

We have all spoken words of magic. Think about the times when doors have been open, packages have floated through the air, heavy pieces of furniture have skated across the floor, and yes oh yes, a glass of cold milk and warm cookies suddenly appeared because you spoke the magic words, “Please and Thank-you!”   You […]

Before embarking on a ship for a cruise, traveling in our cars to a new location, or flying in a jet to a popular tourist spot, many of us will ask our travel agents, search the Internet, and go to our public library for information about our long-awaited trip. And after we receive or find […]

I have always had a difficult time with the passage from the Gospel of Matthew that we hear on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. I suspect that other people have a problem with it as well. This is because the passage presents us with a paradox that is worked out only through careful biblical […]

We all have our own experiences and thoughts about leftovers. After sharing a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas feast, a Fourth of July barbeque, or just an everyday meal, we have to decide what to do with any leftovers. Some people lock up leftovers in airtight plastic containers. Some people put leftovers on display in […]