This weekend, our 8th grade class graduates from Saint Simon School and we are excited for them as they head off to high school. Many of the students have been here all 10 years of their elementary schooling and some joined in the last few years, but they are graduating as a class, a community…
The feast of Pentecost is a feast about locked doors being blown open. It is about the doors of our hearts being blown open. Think about it, sometimes we are locked in patterns of the past and we are locked behind closed doors of fear or pain or unforgiveness. This is illustrated well by…
At the beginning of this week, all the priests from the Diocese of San Jose were away at the San Juan Batista Retreat Center for clergy study days. It is usually a full week but as we had Bishop P.J McGrath’s funeral services, we came back early. While we were there, we reviewed the Synod’s…
On Sunday, May 7, Bishop Patrick J. McGrath, our bishop emeritus died. Bishop P.J.’s sudden death has caught us all by surprise. While he fell about two weeks ago and broke a vertebra in his back, the surgery was successful, and he was recovering well. Unfortunately, he developed pneumonia in one lung, and it spread…
Last weekend was an incredible weekend of community, ministry, and music. Francesca LaRosa and John Angotti gave a fantastic concert on Friday night with over 400 people present. Everyone was singing their hearts out and it was a wonderful celebration of faith! On Saturday morning, they gave a wonderful workshop that engaged nearly 100 cantors…
This weekend is often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday as the gospel selection is always the metaphor of the Good Shepherd and his sheep from the Gospel of John. It highlights the importance of having an intimate relationship with Jesus. The image of a shepherd and his flock is a powerful one, emphasizing the…
The gospel reading for Sunday is one of my favorites from the Bible, the walk to Emmaus. For me, it is a model for all ministry in our modern world. Let me explain. This is a post-resurrection scene where Jesus appears to the two disciples walking away from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Bear in mind that…
Happy Easter! I have to say it was wonderful to see all the Masses full over the Easter weekend and indeed throughout all the Triduum celebrations. Thank you for coming in person. It was most definitely good for my soul to see a full church and I hope it was good for your soul too.…
Happy Easter! Jesus is risen! Alleluia, Alleluia! When I immigrated from Ireland to the USA thirty-four years ago, I remember both of my parents taking me to the airport and walking me to the gate (remember those days!). It was a beautiful moment because they were genuinely delighted for me to go and make…
On Tuesday, the clergy of the Diocese gathered for an afternoon of prayer before the Chrism Mass that evening. We do this every year in preparation for Holy Week. I always look forward to spending some time away with priests, praying together and learning from a reflection given by one of our brother priests. Over…