Celebrating the Gift of the Stigmata – August 20-23, 2024
Regional Spiritual Assistants and Regional Formation Directors from across the country, and even Guam, gathered for a centenary celebration of the Stigmata in Villa Maria PA.
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher
God speaks new life and new possibility in every hour.
Be Love to Young People
“Love isn’t something we feel, it’s something we do.” We’ve all heard this quote time and time again, but what does it really mean? It simply means we can’t just talk about loving one another. Our actions, words, and intentions need to express love genuinely and concretely. That’s not easy to do when we speak of loving our younger generation. Not because we don’t have hearts for young people, but because it’s difficult to love them if they’re not in our presence. If there aren’t younger Catholics in our midst—how can we show them we love them? ...
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher
"Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – Feast of the Assumption – Fr. Christopher
We reprise Father's homily of August 15, 2021 for this week. Father celebrated his first Mass 48 years ago on the Feast of the Assumption.
Apostolate: Love in Living Deeds
“If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” (James 2: 15,16.) It could also be said, if we see a river of people wandering without protection, all their savings stolen, preyed upon by criminals and officials alike, huddled against our national border, and we say to them, “peace and all good,” and do nothing to help them obtain food, shelter, and safety, what good is that?
Reflecting on Mary, Our Mother and Model
Think back to your profession and recall the words that you said as the Minister held your hands and you made your profession promise. I, by the grace of God, renew my baptismal promises and consecrate myself to the service of his Kingdom. ...
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher
Beneath all our hungers is our hunger for God. Jesus is God’s offer to satisfy that hunger. The faith and trust Jesus is inviting us to, is not an intellectual assent to dogma, or doctrine. The Discourse of the Bread of Life is not about propositions. It’s about Jesus.
A Mutual Embrace
(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Summer 2024 Digital Issue #112)
by Fr. John De La Riva, OFM Cap.
President-in-turn, National Conference of Spiritual Assistants
I write to you as I am gazing on a nicely framed picture depicting the familiar […]
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher
There are things that make life possible. There are things that make life worth living. Food and water and shelter make human existence possible. But what makes life sweet, and beautiful, and rich? Today’s Gospel holds the clues.