How to stop hoarding
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Many of us whose primary work is in service to the church may never find ourselves rich in earthly treasure. And yet, there still is a warning for... Read More
Do not grow tired. Sing with joy!
Before the Second Vatican Council, it would have been unusual to hear people in the assembly singing. Although official church documents encouraged the assembly to sing, much of the music was in Latin.... Read More
The surprising skill every liturgical musician needs
When we gather for Mass on Sunday, the church expects a high standard of celebration: In the earthly liturgy we take part in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in... Read More
To evangelize, open the doors and go out
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time In these summer months, your parish might be preparing to celebrate the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens. This rite ritualizes an unbaptized seeker’s intention to... Read More
We don’t just play songs at Mass
After Mass one Sunday, one of the worshipers was so moved by the music that he went home and wrote this in in journal: How I wept, deeply moved by your hymns, songs,... Read More
A healthy concern for the liturgy
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Poor Martha! She’s always compared to Mary who seems to have done nothing to attend to the needs of dinner, and we laud Mary’s choice as though feeding... Read More
How to prepare the Liturgy of the Hours: Know your assembly
In parish ministry, we often have opportunities to celebrate a communal liturgy that is not the Mass. These may be small group meetings, a school gathering, or a workshop setting where the assembly... Read More
Embodied Mercy
Body and Blood of Christ In the Gospels, we often see Jesus put word and action together, where his action embodies his words. We see this most clearly in the Johannine Gospels whenever... Read More