When I was a young man, almost an adult, I was searching for my identity as a man. We all go through something like this as we approach adulthood. Perhaps the most important discovery for me was the realization that I was experiencing a spiritual hunger for the real man, the man of virtue and courage in faith and morals; I was seeking male spirituality along with male identity. When I experienced it, this resonated with me in my bones. I still was not Catholic, but I seemed to find this ideal more frequently among men of strong Catholic faith. When I encountered men, young or old who were devoted to Jesus, to the Church and to the Blessed Mother, and who practiced their faith sincerely I found myself drawn to their example of manhood. [Read more…]

Jesus asks us to let our light shine before all nations, the light of our faith and our good deeds, he is calling us to be bold in our faith and not be hesitant.  The Psalm tells us, “The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.”

We have been called to conversion, to examine our lives and to repent of our sins.  Once in a while it is good to take a step back and see whether we actually know and understand what is sin and how we may be sinning. [Read more…]

The day after John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan, John saw Jesus nearby and pointed him out to his disciples, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” We continue to reflect upon Jesus’ baptism and our baptism.

This year will be ten years since the terrorist attacks on our country on September 11, 2001. Those events changed our lives in large and small ways. As a permanent deacon at that time, I began to pay more attention to the religion of Islam. A Muslim friend of mine helped me to understand something about Islam, and together we got involved in inter-religious ministry, between Muslims and Catholics, with the help and guidance of Bishop Aymond. That experience helped me to deepen my Catholic faith.
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