Writing
A collection of my writing — reflections, speeches, parish visits, and bulletins.
"Nothing in this world lasts."
"Nothing in this world lasts," said Bishop Walkowiak. How true this is! Thanks be to God, our Redeemer promises us a new life, in a new world to come. I find such hope in this act of His goodness and mercy.
Hope, Life, and Affirmation
I am honored to have had some presence in the grace-filled weekend the Freedom Team led. Personally, I received so many blessings over the course of the 36 short hours we were together. Principal among them were the grace of renewed hope, the gift of life, and a sense of affirmation from our Heavenly Father.
Season of Hope
As we head into Advent and Christmas, hope is the “key word” of the times. These two seasons express most fully the hope Christ continues to bring to the world through His incarnation over two millennia ago. I pray that this year, the grace of this gift will truly flow into the Church. This is a trying time for us, and we could all use a dose of it.
First become good sons...
“We must first become good sons, and then good brothers, if we ever hope to become good fathers.”These words are taken from what was, for me, the most memorable homily of the over two-hundred I heard in this first year of formation at Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In preaching them, Father John Whitlock (Diocese of Lansing) accurately summed up the entire process of formation called for by our seminary’s mission/motto.
A Thank You
As the past three months have gone by, I have not only learned a lot about the reality of running a parish, but have also been afforded many opportunities to grow in my understanding of who God is and how He reveals Himself to us through His Works and Church. All of this has been very touching for me and will, I know, serve as a powerful tool in the (long) process of discerning priesthood. I am indebted to everyone who has helped make these past few months a time of serious learning and growth for me.