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I love to eat.  When we as humans eat something our digestive system takes the food, which is not a part of our body, and turns it into energy and minerals that become a part of our cells.  That which we cannot use is discarded as waste.  In other words, what we eat becomes part of us.  This is a true incorporation, literally speaking.  We are all familiar with the expression, “You are what you eat.”

Since the inauguration of the new president I have noticed a huge uptick in political posts on social media, more political topics during shows on Catholic radio, and so many conversations with Catholic friends end up with politics. 

Last time I talked about my desire to be holy and laid out some ideas for how to work toward that.  I focused on the human dimension of trying to grow.  This time I want to supplement what I did last time by talking about prayer and how essential prayer is to us growing in holiness, because without prayer we are just engaging in self-help techniques.

It is a new year.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I hope it lasted for more than a day!  

Happy New Year! I know a lot of people are really glad to see 2020 exit. But you know, Jan. 1, 2021, is just one day after Dec. 31, 2020. 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  Not so fast my friends.

On the First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 29, we begin a new liturgical year.  The liturgical year is a microcosm of the Christian Faith.

I am writing this on October 28th.  As I write this, I have no idea who will win the presidential or any other election.  As you read this, you will know.  But I do know this.  Jesus Christ is the Lord of all.  In the person of Jesus Christ, God entered into our fallen world.

In just a few days we will be celebrating Halloween. There will be candy and other treats to pass out or collect in the rite known as “Trick or Treat.” We all hope that COVID doesn’t smash this tradition this year.

I write this on the Feast of the Archangels, Sept. 29. I am not an expert on angels, but thought it would be helpful to correct some common misperceptions about angels.

I hope and pray that everyone is doing reasonably well after our little dance with Sally. What a year, huh? COVID-19, great civil unrest, worry about the economic impact from those, and now Sally. I know many of us are feeling like this string of events is straight out of the Book of Revelation.

Does the Church teach that, “Outside the Church there is no salvation?” WHAT? That would mean that everybody who is not Catholic is going to hell? Crazy!

We are all going to die. We all know that, and we all prefer to not think about it. To have a certain fear of death is normal. We have many fears related to death.

The Church gives us two feasts in the span of 8 days that are deeply connected. On Aug. 6 it was the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus, and Aug. 15 is the Feast of the Assumption (of Mary into heaven). I would first like to just state what each feast celebrates and then explain some theology behind them and the connection between the two.

I received an email from a wonderful Catholic in Dothan. She asked me to answer two questions. First, why do Catholics believe that we must confess our sins to a priest instead of just speaking directly to God? Second, “How do I answer people who say that Mass is so boring?” I will answer the first question in this issue and will address the second concern in the next issue.

How do we define ourselves? Not all cultures are the same. In the United States we tend to identify ourselves by what we do. Our identity is very much wrapped up in our profession and our activities.

I have been very blessed in my life to know some awesome priests. They certainly had personalities that were different from one another, but they shared something too. Each man was a joyful servant of the Lord. Some of these priests are/were vivacious; some are/were reserved. But each one has/had a servant’s heart.

Have you given something up for Lent? You remember how awesome it was to indulge in that once Easter arrived. Maybe it was M & M’s. Maybe it was ice cream. I remember one Easter taking my father to the hospital for the emergency removal of his gallbladder.

As Catholics we should have a particular way to think. I don’t mean we should all think the same thing, but I do mean that we should think the same way.

We hear the story of the three faithful Jews who refuse to offer sacrifice to the pagan god of King Nebuchadnezzar from the Book of the Prophet Daniel during the fifth week of Lent.