In halls where whispers echo loud, A deafening silence fills the crowd. Lawmakers sit, their voices stilled, While blood of innocents is spilled. A mother’s tears, a father’s screams, Yet nothing ripples peaceful dreams. The vote postponed, the topic changed, Their hands remaining tightly chained. The thunderous bangs in schools resound, Lives lost, while answers … Read more
Today I attended Mass at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church on Main Street in Amherst, New York. The church was packed and the service was lovely. For much of this week I have had the recurring thought of the mission of Jesus or maybe the omission of Jesus. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because … Read more
I first saw this quote from a framed poster at Mount Irenaeus over twenty years ago. It’s as meaningful now as it was then. In fact I find myself more and more attracted to solitude the older I get. Sitting in church or anywhere for that matter never really turned me on. I find God … Read more
There’s an old expression, “when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” That seems to be the case in the spate of police killings of black men and women in the United States of America. There were calls last summer to ‘defund the police’ and that of course spawned a reaction … Read more
Yesterday marked the two year anniversary of the birth of our third grandchild. Theo Joseph was the light in an otherwise dark year that marked by the sudden death of his grandfather Joseph Driessler due to cancer. But then Theo died in his mother’s womb and the family was devastated. Seeing those you love ravaged … Read more
Just last week I learned of Catholics for Biden. Actually the group is part of a larger “Believers for Biden.” I was happy to learn during the campaign that Joe Biden carries a rosary with him everyday. I do too and pray it everyday which I assume he does too. I was pleasantly surprised that … Read more
Thus begins the Declaration of Independence that we Americans celebrate on July 4th. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.- Thomas Jefferson When Jefferson penned these words … Read more
Today I received a new shipment of my favorite bread from Abbey of the Genesee. I’ve been eating Monks Bread since I was a boy in the 1950’s. We used to be able to purchase the bread in local grocery stores but that’s not the case anymore. The Trappist Monks who make the bread believe … Read more
I have been praying the Franciscan Crown Rosary almost everyday since the quarantine began. I have not missed a day in the month of May trying my best to follow the example of Pope Francis. I use a five decade rosary which is the one most folks are familiar with and then after the fifth … Read more
There’s a difference between loneliness and solitude. In this time of social distancing it is easy to become lonely and there are many folks who no doubt are starved for human contact. Fortunately I am not alone in this time. I am walking four or five miles each day and frequently praying the rosary during … Read more
