Adult Faith Formation & Initiation

What is the cost of discipleship?  Since the beginning of their journeys together, Jesus has been teaching his disciples of the difficulties they face by following him.  They will need courage, and strength of conviction as they continue to follow him and preach the Gospel.  Our readings for this 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time remind us that following Jesus is not only difficult, but can come at the cost of our very lives. The Word for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm: 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21-27 We open with a reading from the prophet Jeremiah.  In a passage that is typical of what I call “the prophet’s lament,” we hear Jeremiah complaining to God about how he has been duped.  His life as a prophet has brought him nothing but derision and reproach, yet he cannot help himself, he still must preach God’s message.  The pain of holding back is still greater than the pain he must endure from those who don’t care for his message.  While we feel for

From the Catholic News Service courtesy of today's Angelus News: 'Faithful Citizenship' reminder:  Gospel cannot be parsed in partisan terms This article, and the corresponding document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" is a must read for all Catholic adults eligible to vote!  And one thing that makes our Catholic tradition unique is that no deacon, no priest, or no bishop will tell you how to vote, and any political messaging from the pulpit is expressly (and morally) forbidden.  That said, the Church does recognize that we all have a duty to "responsible citizenship."  In this country, that includes VOTING!  To shirk that responsibility, I believe, undermines the freedoms and rights for which too many people have died (and continue to die) to get and keep. If there's anything I've noticed about most Catholics and most Voters, it's that they fail to do their homework.  Too few Catholics really understand the faith they profess. 

 Who’s in charge?  Whenever we find ourselves working in a group situation this is a very fundamental question.  While all the members of the group may have certain skills they can bring to the table, it takes a leader to effectively marshal those skills (and individuals) to their goal.  In fact, it’s built into our human nature.  Think about any crisis situation – without someone to step in and take charge, chaos reigns.  Yet when it comes time for someone to step up, many people also find comfort in letting someone else do it. When it comes to Church, however, the People of God, the question of who’s in charge is both simple and complex.  It is also the core question considered in our readings for this 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time: The Word for the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm: 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8 Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20 Our first reading comes from a rather obscure passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  In fact, this passage is so obscure it only

Who is God for?  EVERYONE!  The answer should be automatic for modern day Catholics.  One should barely even need to think about it to know this is true, yet our scriptures for this 20th week of Ordinary Time remind us that this understanding was not always so obvious nor accepted. The Word for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm: 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 We open with a reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah – Trito-Isaiah or 3rd Isaiah to be more precise, authored during the post-Exile period.  This week’s passage has the prophet telling us that God will accept the sacrifices of all peoples, that is, people who are not of Israel.  The God of Israel is telling his people that he’s not just the God for them, but a God for all others who follow his commands.  The foreigner and the Gentile also have an open invitation to join in the Covenant.  There are two ways to look at this passage:  On one side we see this a generous offering by

  Why Saving Catholic Schools From Covid’s Impact Is A National Imperative   The Catholic schools debate continues.  I read this article (above) today from, of all places, Forbes magazine, as posted by my Knights of Columbus Council 4438.  Very thought provoking.  What do you think? I have traditionally been very much against government funding for our Catholic schools for one simple truth - he who pays gets to make the rules.  And I firmly believe that our bishops have collectively dropped the ball on any effort to reinvent how our Catholic schools are managed and financed in a way that meets the needs of the 21st century while keeping them viable and affordable for all Catholic families.  That said, some of our own schools have fired people who, in any other circumstance, would have been protected by federal and state laws, and it makes me think that perhaps some equity might be achieved by having some state intervention. But rather than relying on self-sufficiency (a Catholic hallma

Revelation.  The word itself is a noun formed from the verb “to reveal,” and for Christians, the revelation is that Jesus is Lord .  This is one of the most basic truths of Christian theology, yet for the average Christian (and for many non-Christians) the word revelation is not always understood.  Putting grand theological ideas aside for the moment, revelation , simply stated, is the act of how God reveals himself to us.  To help us understand this idea of revelation, we turn to our readings for this 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time: The Word for the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time 1Kings 19:9a, 11-13a Psalm: 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:22-33 We open with a reading from the 1st book of Kings.  We enter the passage with great prophet Elijah as he is seeking shelter in the sacred mountain in the Sinai (mount Horeb).  While in the cave God tells him to stand outside, because the Lord will be passing by.  A strong wind comes, but that was not the Lord.  An earthquake comes,