Loving His Way

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 21, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 / Ps 66 / 1 Pt 3:15-18 / Jn 14:15-21
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

I’ve always been impressed by the quality of the hospitality of Filipino families. I have spent almost fifty years in New Jersey, and in every parish I was in, we always had Filipino families.

There was one in particular that would call at least once a month, sometimes twice, “Father Paul, can you come over?” It’s 8 o’clock at night or 9 o’clock, and I say “Oh, I’d love to, certainly.” At that hour, I’ve already had my dinner. When I go over, there is a huge dinner waiting. (more…)

Cherish No Grudge

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 19, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 3:16-23 / Mt 5:38-48
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant 

One of my little peculiarities is that I enjoy walking through a graveyard and looking at epitaphs.  Every so often I say to people in New Jersey, “Oh, in today’s reading, there is a lovely epitaph.”    (more…)

Metanoia – Your “Word of the Day”

2nd Sunday of Advent
December 4, 2016 – Year A
Readings:  Is 11:1-10 / Psalm 72 / Rom 15:4-9 / Mt 3:1-12
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

I have always been interested in the meaning of words and where they come from. I think this probably comes from my childhood, where my parents would always read the Reader’s Digest Word Power. I remember them talking about the words at dinner and I learned a lot of really cool words that way. (more…)

The Power of Mustard Seed Faith

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 2, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4 / Ps 95 / 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14 / Lk 17:5-10
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

Praying with all of you, as we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is such a great honor and privilege, for our presence here is an amazing expression of our faith.  Some of our friends or acquaintances may ask why we need to go to church, when we could pray at home or practically anywhere.  As we know and believe, God is everywhere.   

If we say that we are here to listen to God’s words, they may ask, “Can you not just read the Bible at home, or even listen to the sacred scriptures on a CD while you are driving?”  It’s more convenient.  (more…)

Being a Prophet

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 14, 2016 – Year C
Jer 38:4-6, 8-10 / Ps 40 / Heb 12:1-4 / Lk 12:49-53
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

The readings today are about being a prophet and what is liable to happen to you if you are a prophet.  We have to be sure that we don’t confuse ‘prophet’ with ‘prophecy’.  A ‘prophecy’ is a prediction about the future.  And while many prophets will prophesy, that’s not their primary function.  (more…)

Being Prepared, Always

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 7, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Wis 18:6-9 / Ps 33 / Heb 11:1-2, 8-19 / Lk 12:32-48
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

My favorite teacher in high school was the one who used to tell us:  “You all study tonight, because tomorrow I am going to give you a surprise quiz.”  We all liked his methods, because with him, there were no surprises.    (more…)

Seek What Is Above

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 31, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Ecc 1:2, 2:21-23 / Ps 90 / Col 3:1-5, 9-11 / Lk 12:13-21
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A few hours ago Pope Francis gave his final blessing to approximately two million people during the last Mass of World Youth Day in Poland. I surfed the internet to read more articles about World Youth Day and was directed to WorldYouthDay.com which has the Bible verse “Be not afraid” at the top of its web page. (more…)

The Better Part

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 17, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Gn 18:1-10A / Ps 15 / Col 1:24-28 / Lk 10:38-42
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

From the time we get up in the morning until the time we sleep at night, we have to make decisions, and we hope and pray that we will always make the right ones.  Sometimes decision-making is as easy as choosing between eating the food that we love and not eating the food that we hate.  In that case, the choice is obvious.  But there are moments in our lives when making a decision is not so simple, because we perceive the choices as equally good, yet we still want to choose the better option. (more…)

Love Your Neighbor

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 10, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Dt 30:10-14 / Ps 69 / Col 1:15-20 / Lk 10:25-37
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

When I was a little kid, and I would go with my Dad on Saturdays down to my grandmother’s house to work on cars, he would always give me a few coins.  When we would stop at the store, I got to pick whatever piece of candy I wanted.  So I loved getting coins.  But I have to confess, as I’ve gotten older, I’m really not a fan of coins any more.  (more…)

Embrace Change

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 7, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Is 6:1-2A, 3-8 / Ps 138 / 1 Cor 15:1-11 / Lk 5:1-11
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

This Sunday is not the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.  But with these readings, it very well could be.  These readings have a common theme going through them: the theme of God calling and people answering, plain and simple. (more…)