A Father to Us All

March 19, 2012By

Feast of St. Joseph 2012
In the Hypostatic Union of Jesus Christ, He possessed no human personality, and because of this, His human nature is transcendent and universal.  In a sense all our human natures are found in His.  St. Joseph, who was chosen to be the father and protector of Our Lord’s Body on Earth, is a true father to the Mystical Body of Christ – our father.  When a boy comes into his manhood, he realizes an inherent responsibility to be a protector of those around him, especially the most needy.  A true man must possess both strength and compassion and St. Joseph is the perfect exemplar of these manly virtues.  We frequently remember the sorrows of the Blessed Mother, but we neglect to remember how much St. Joseph sacrificed and suffered in the care of the Holy Family.  The age when the whole Church will recognize the greatness and authority of this Patron of the Universal Church is yet to be seen.
#20120319

Listen Now

The Flesh Of The Sea

March 18, 2012By

Sermon From
4th Sunday In Lent – Laetare Sunday 2012
This day marks the midpoint of Lent, so it is important to renew our spirit of penance for this season. If we desire to come in contact with Our Lord, we must inter into the waters of Baptism. This is why the fish has been used from ancient times as a symbol of the Holy Eucharist, because one must enter into the water to obtain the “flesh of the sea.” Like St. Peter who walked on the sea to reach Christ, through Baptism we are able to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion.

Too few Catholics know how to pray correctly. Our Lord cannot resist our prayers when they come from the soul. We may reach such a degree of prayer that we remain always recollected in the presence of God.

The Gospel readings from the previous week remind us how grateful we should be that our judgment is in the hands of such a loving Lord.

#20120318

Listen Now

Extreme Unction and Temptation

March 11, 2012By

3rd Sunday in Lent 2012

In the sacrament of Extreme Unction, the priest anoints the organs of the senses, the eyes, ears, hands, etc., in order to prepare the dying individual for Heaven.  He prays that any sins committed through the senses may be wiped away.  This sacrament is for those in proximate danger of death, and it restores health to the soul and sometimes to the body of the recipient.

Few of us want to face the consequences of sin, but today the Church urges us to do just that.  This season began with the temptation of Christ, in which Our Lord showed Himself attacked by the devil when He was weak from fasting.  We too should be on guard against the devil’s influence, which can affect us in many ways.
#20120311V

Listen Now

The Doctrine of Indulgences

March 4, 2012By

2nd Sunday of Lent 2012
All Catholics have a serious obligation to know the catechism.  Our Lord made infinite satisfaction for the sins of mankind by His sufferings and death, and these merits, along with the superabundant merits of the Blessed Mother and the saints, are available to us in the Treasury of the Church.  By practicing works to which indulgences have been attached, we may remove the temporal punishment due to our forgiven sins.  Although the doctrine of indulgences is often condemned, because of past abuses in the use of indulgences, it is nevertheless a beautiful and salutary truth of the Faith.

Many deny the existence of Hell or the fact that souls are punished there, but we have just as much certainty of these truths as we do of the existence of God Himself.  It is necessary to believe that God rewards the good and punishes the evil. He gives us all sufficient grace to love Him, and it is up to us to do so.
#20120304S

Listen Now

Confidence In Our Conquest

February 26, 2012By

1st Sunday of Lent 2012
This is the season in which saints are made.  All these days demand from us a great desire for holiness.  The devil temps us to sin so we may be his pawn in revenge against God.  In the Gospel we see Christ tempted in the inauguration of His public life, the theme of which was combat with the devil and his servants.  Temptations come to us so that we may be made strong in the virtues where we are the weakest.  We will be invincible in the face of temptation if we never fail to ask confidently for God’s help.

Stations of the Cross is among the most ancient devotions of the Church.  Through it we make a spiritual pilgrimage to share in the sufferings of our Redeemer.  This practice developed from the imitation of the Blessed Mother who visited the places where her Divine Son suffered.  We should ask to see the stations through the eyes of the Virgin Mary so we may reap the greatest profits from this devotion.
#20120226

Listen Now

How Dare We Hold a Grudge

January 22, 2012By

3rd Sunday after Epiphany 2012
This Epistle informs us that we should not imagine we are correct in all things.  Those who are wise know that they could be mistaken.  Also, we are instructed to avoid the desire for vengeance.  We must strive to be at peace with all men as much as possible – even our enemies.  St. Catherine of Genoa tells us that our love of God is measured by our love of neighbor.  By performing acts of charity towards our enemies, we obtain many graces for them.  Anyone who says that he loves God and hates his neighbor is a liar.  God shows love to us when we are His enemies through sin.  He offers His forgiveness to us before we are even sorry.
#20120122S

Listen Now

He Was Sent To Heal Us

January 15, 2012By

2nd Sunday after Epiphany 2012
We are in a new season of the Church which connects the time of the Nativity to the Paschal Mystery.  We must bring our attention, devotion, and especially fervent prayer to the Mass today.  The Church continues to celebrate the fact that God has become a man.  We have something the world lacks; we have hope.  We know that despite all we endure, God can fix everything in an instant, and all that He permits us to endure is for our good.  In the Gospel for today we see the power of the intercessory prayer of the Virgin Mary.  She speaks to us when she says to “do whatever He says.”  The transubstantiation which took place at Cana was not only a type of the Holy Eucharist, but also a foreshadowing of the transformation which must take place in each of our souls.
#20120115M

Listen Now

The Care of the Holy Family

January 8, 2012By

Feast of the Holy Family 2012
During this season the same gift given to the Gentile nations through the Magi is once again given to us.  The divinity of Jesus Christ is demonstrated to each of us.  The events and mysteries of Our Lord’s early life are made present once again, as if we were there to witness them firsthand.

When the Gospel says that Jesus “increased in wisdom, age, and grace,” it refers to Our Lord in His human nature.  The human mind of Christ not only possessed the beatific vision but also all the secrets of nature.  Along with this, in His human mind He also had acquired, experiential knowledge and was capable of increasing in this knowledge.

St. Joseph trustingly followed God’s guidance throughout his life.  And just as he provided for all the needs of the Holy Family, St. Joseph has provided for the needs of our community which has put its special trust in him.
#20120108

Listen Now

The Historical Context of the Epiphany

January 6, 2012By

First Friday Conference, January 2012

At the time of the Nativity of Christ many learned pagans were leaving the old, polytheistic beliefs.  This was an era in which the pagan world was searching for truth.  It was also soon after the time of the Babylonian captivity of the Hebrews.  During this pivotal moment in history the Incarnation took place.  There were two manifestations of the birth of Christ – one to the Jews by promise and the other to the Gentiles by privilege.  God sent a message to the Wise Men in a way that they would understand, with the use of a star.  Of all those who observed this mysterious star, only these few Magi had the courage to follow their vocation.  The prophecies of the coming Messias were known to the people of the East because of the Babylonian captivity and their fulfillment was recognized by the Wise Men.  The moment which changed the universe forever finally came, and the Savior was born.  Soon after St. Joseph found a house where the Holy Family could live.  It was here that the Magi met the Redeemer of the world and adored Him as representatives of all the Gentile nations.
#20120106

Listen Now

God’s Desires for Us this Year

January 1, 2012By

Octave of the Nativity 2012

Although we see the wise men depicted in the nativity scene along with the shepherds, in truth, the Magi arrived many days later.  The Star of Bethlehem is an example of how God accommodates Himself to the knowledge and beliefs of mankind.  It was believed in ancient times that at the birth or death of great figures, their star would be seen in the heavens, so God accommodated His plan to those beliefs in order to lead the Magi to Our Lord.  As the Gentile nations of the earth were represented by the wise men, all nations will praise their King in the end.

Our Lord was given the Holy Name of Jesus, through the authority of St. Joseph, so that we may have the privilege of calling Him by His name as one of His intimate friends.

This day is called the solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Circumcision of Our Lord because we honor her on this day as true Mother of God and perpetual virgin.  We recall the rite which Our Lord underwent which acted as an anticipation of baptism.  By circumcision Christ humbly took the posture of a sinner Who needed to be welcomed among the people of God.
#20120101

Listen Now
View Cart Checkout Continue Shopping