Category Archives: From the Friars

From the Friars: God is Love

I have another bumper sticker story. Those little strips of vinyl can be a powerful way to communicate. This one said, “When Jesus said ‘love your enemies’, he probably meant don’t kill them.” The Gospel reading today gives us this shocking teaching of Our Lord. If it doesn’t shock us, there is something likely wrong…

From the Friars: Valentine’s Day

I never really celebrated Valentine’s Day growing up. It’s probably because I was more focused on the candy than on actually looking for a Valentine! I used to fill my pockets with those little heart-shaped candies with a message on them, hoping that the next one would be exactly what I needed to hear…”Your My…

From the Friars: Complete giving of self

Three of us friars are temporarily living in an apartment on Essex Street while the new rectory/friary is being built. There is a popular bar/restaurant on the first floor of our building, which is often full of young people. It has struck me as unusual that Sunday nights seem to be especially popular. The contrast…

From the Friars: What is Love?

During these Sundays of Ordinary Time, we have been reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Today we have his magnificent description of love, the highest gift, without which all other gifts or good works are worthless. He tells us what love is and what it is not. For example, it is “not…

Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing

Today’s Gospel reading relates a very dramatic moment in the life of Our Lord. One Sabbath, in his hometown synagogue, Jesus is asked to read from Scripture and to comment on it. There was nothing unusual in this, and he read a familiar prophecy of the Messiah from Isaiah 61. But when he had sat…

The Baptism of Our Lord

Every human person has a deep need for a sense of self-worth. Where does this come from? Many voices in our world tell us that our value depends on how we look, how much money we make or how popular we are, etc… Our neighborhood in Lawrence has many barber shops and beauty and nail…

Clarification of Shrine Territory

The territory of former Corpus Christi Parish is now part of St Mary of the Assumption Parish in Lawrence. But this does not mean that donations to the Holy Rosary Shrine will go to St. Mary’s. The Shrine is independent from any Parish and all donations to Holy Rosary Shrine will go for our particular…

The Epiphany of the Lord

I have seen a bumper sticker that says: “The mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open.” This is a clever thought but a much better analogy would be to say the mind is like a mouth, it only works when it opens to receive truth and closes in order to…

Pro Life Note

Please pray the Rosary for an important case currently before the Supreme Court, (Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization). Let us ask Our Lady’s intercession that unborn children will once again be protected under the law. Thank you.

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