The Exercise of Mercy
As we begin to transition into the final few months of our meditations on mercy, in observance of this special Jubilee Year of Mercy, our attention will turn from what God’s mercy has been and means to us to what God’s mercy calls us to become — merciful. To this [...]
Listening as Love
My dear friends, Deacon Tim and I recently came across a priest who has a wonderful gift for speaking about prayer and other aspects of our Christian life. His name is Fr. Francis Valerio, and I want to share with you just a few excerpts from a reflection he wrote [...]
Fear Not, Little Flock
My youngest granddaughter celebrates her first birthday on August 20. A year ago on that date, I was at New Melleray Abbey in Iowa for my pre-ordination retreat. I left home feeling pretty good about the fact that my daughter was due to have her first child any day. Anne [...]
Nourishment
Many who know me know that I love to play with food. Not “playing” like my sons have a tendency to do, if left alone at the table with their dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. I enjoy learning about food, how to prepare it, how it affects our health and our moods, [...]
Praying For Peace
In light of the troubling news stories about violence here and in other parts of the country, I was particularly moved by the liturgies on the weekend of July 10. I finished my Sunday duties at St. Peter’s and prepared for the family events that would occupy the rest of [...]
Rediscovering Hope
The last time I wrote for this space, I talked about contrition and what it may look like lived out by someone faithfully following Christ or striving to do so. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, surely there is no doubt of the applicability of that particular topic. Another characteristic [...]
Giving Thanks
I hope you will indulge me for just a few moments, as I share a little of my human naivety and the wonderful lessons that God taught me as a result. Several weeks ago, the teeth on the bottom, right side of my mouth started to hurt. I could see [...]
The Beauty of Simplicity
As I write this article, our family is preparing to head up to the great north for our annual family vacation. I hope you are able to enjoy some quality time during these beautiful days of summer that God has given us to enjoy. Packing for a trip is both [...]
Feast Day of St. Peter 2016
My dear friends, Happy Feast Day of St. Peter! As Peter was among the first disciples called by Jesus for the spreading of faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is fitting that Fr. Galtier would name the first parish in Minnesota St. Peter’s, for it has been from [...]
David in the Desert: Worshipping God Always
The Psalm from today’s Mass, Psalm 63, holds a deeply personal message for me. This psalm of David, composed when he was in the dry and barren wilderness of Judah, is a particularly powerful reflection on the intimate relationship between God and worshipper — more specifically, between God and each [...]
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