Mary, Our Mother of Mercy

My mother died in July 2020. I was blessed to be home from my then-assignment in Rome for the event; as it happened, I was the only one there with her. In a manner that was like a reverse Pieta, she died in my arms, breathing her last … [Read more...]

Sacrificing Sacrifice

In the midst of the Eucharistic Revival, Dr. Lawrence Feingold, seminary professor at Kenrick-Glennon and author of (among many other things) The Eucharist: Mystery of Presence, Sacrifice, and Communion, suggests that we may be missing … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – April 2023

Did Jesus Suffer for All Sins? Question: There seems to be a way God suffers for souls in sin on earth (related to atonement), but it seems that it cannot be said that God suffers for souls in hell nor for fallen angels. Can you clarify … [Read more...]

The Passion of the Lord: His Interior Sufferings

The Angelic Doctor notes that meditations on “matters relating to Christ’s humanity are the chief incentive to love and devotion.”[1. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province (New York: Benziger Brot … [Read more...]

Christ’s Corona Is Our Corona

The COVID story pales in comparison to the infectious disease of faith which the Church is experiencing. While this disease of the faith seems to be widely known, it is not widely acknowledged; while it is widely recognized, it is not … [Read more...]

Questions Answered — August 2020

The Obedience of Christ Question: Did Christ vacillate in his perfect obedience when he said, “If it is possible, let this cup pass me by”? Would this not compromise the atonement? Answer: The atonement is a concept which is much mis … [Read more...]

Book Reviews – February 2020

Habits for a Healthy Marriage: A Handbook for Catholic Couples By Richard P. Fitzgibbons. Reviewed by Christopher Siuzdak. (skip to review) Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination By John Corvino, Ryan Anderson, and Sherif … [Read more...]

Probing the Creed

Pilate and Herod – Images of the Fall

He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. . . – Apostles Creed. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our t … [Read more...]

Walking through Mud

How to Find Joy in Your Suffering with the Sorrowful Mysteries

Thirteen years ago, life changed dramatically for me and my children, then 10, 8, and 6. It’s the year I started walking through mud up to my neck. You know that feeling, right? It’s hard to get out of bed, to do once easy routine chores . . … [Read more...]

Easter Morning

The heart of our Catholic Existence is to replicate the Risen Christ’s life. It is not Good Friday that saves our souls, but Easter morning. For without our Lord’s victorious rising from the tomb, the ignominy of the Cross would have just be … [Read more...]

The Work of a Master Carpenter

I just finished watching, for a third time, the movie: The Passion of the Christ. After this latest viewing, I was deeply moved by the particular scenes involving Christ and the cross: the wooden beams he was made to carry; the wooden beams … [Read more...]

The Sufferings of Jesus

When we see loved ones living a lifestyle that we know will only lead to misery and tragedy, not only for themselves, but also for all those whom their life touches, we are filled with sadness, and a certain helplessness. No amount of … [Read more...]

The Providence of God and the Cross of Christ

When one examines the mystery of divine providence, and its relation to the cross of Christ from the viewpoint of wisdom, which is knowledge of divine things, he sees God’s wonderful plan of redemption for his creatures. Crucifixion is t … [Read more...]

Homily After the Boston Marathon Bombings

In a moment, the whole thing was changed into a secular Good Friday.  A bloody, savage assault on the life of the innocent, complete with nails going through flesh after the bombs exploded. Once you’ve been a priest for a while, you st … [Read more...]

Glorious Wounds—Christ’s and Ours

You could say that Christ’s glorious wounds are our wounds. He took our humanity to himself in the Incarnation ... Christ’s humanity is completely ours.   Central to the mystery of the Christian faith is Jesus Christ’s suffering, death, an … [Read more...]