In my First Holy Communion homily last Saturday I appealed to the parents regarding the faith formation of their children – in particular praying with them daily and bringing them to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. This is highly relevant to attaining salvation itself.
Here Fr Leon Pereira the Medjugorje chaplain to English speaking pilgrims addresses this issue in a short 1:20 homily.
This is today’s reflection from WALK WITH ME / Alive Publishing.
This afternoon a total of 18 people witnessed to the sanctity of human life at Letterkenny Hospital who are now terminating unwanted babies. Three came from this parish and 4 from Donegal Town. This is a snapshot of the witness. We all went for a coffee afterwards.
This is a 1:30 video clip of a nighttime procession at Fatima.
https://youtu.be/l72gm0W3k88?si=ssoVWtHvKnxn8C8D
A Fatima Apparition video is http://www.tiny.cc/FAVID and an article is http://www.tiny.cc/FAEWTN.
This is a special time of the year between ASCENSION and PENTECOST when we join with Our Lady and the disciples in the Upper Room, awaiting the Holy Spirit. Here is a quote from Pope Leo XIII about our need for the Holy Spirit.
There are two privileged ways to invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. One is to invite him on a daily basis with a prayer like the following. Another one is to say the Holy Spirit Novena and the start time is not that important. The novena prayers can be found at www.tiny.cc/HSNOVENA.
EXTRA FOR LATER? Bishop Barron gives an inspiring ASCENSION homily at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGQC4Ew4dw4
My homily audio is here https://youtu.be/ybLnok9YM8o?si=Aoy4CjYhT3zW2BH2 . (For any history lovers out there, I should have rephrased my comment about the subject – I was just referring to superficial understandings!)
The Facebook video is https://www.facebook.com/share/v/5Rx8gnVjK7neKpYG/?mibextid=KsPBc6 . The homily begins at about 16:55. (Touch the speaker symbol if the sound doesn’t work.)
The big parish event today was First Holy Communion and we were blessed with good weather.
This is the audio of my homily. https://youtu.be/wokcCWnt-7U?si=8XLPBunV3FE77mF4
This is the Facebook Mass video. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/G1fkbCVN2fcfSbAr/?mibextid=KsPBc6 . The homily begins at 13:50. (Tap the speaker symbol if the sound isn’t working.)
Today is the proper start day for the Holy Spirit Novena in which we join Our Lady and the disciples in the Upper Room awaiting the coming of the Spirit. The prayers for the 9 days can be found here http://www.tiny.cc/HSNOVENA .
Each Friday is an opportunity to reflect on mortality as we commemorate Jesus’ death. Here is wisdom from St Philip Neri.
In Europe the Ascension will be celebrated on Sunday.
My doctor at Memorial Sloan Kettering called this afternoon to say that the recent bone marrow biopsy is also clear as well. Praise the Lord!
I arrived home safe and sound at about 2:30pm this afternoon. A kind parishioner insisted on picking me up at Dublin airport. This was boarding the plane in Iceland at about 6:30am local time.
In this “3 Minute Reset” we hear about putting God first in everything.
Yesterday’s clinic results – the blood tests and particularly cancer marker test as well as the PET scan – show a full continuation of the remission TG. The bone marrow biopsy results which will come in a week or two should confirm this. Arriving Dublin airport tomorrow morning.
TRUTH is a very important thing, particularly in our modern post-truth world. Jesus said in John 8:31-31 “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
We find in John 18:37-38: Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
This reflection on truth from renowned Catholic philosopher Alice von Hildebrand is commendable.
I had a (relatively) early start this morning for my clinic at Memorial Sloan Kettering on 530 E 74th Street. First there was a PET scan at 7:45am.
This was followed by a bone marrow biopsy that was remarkable discomfort free, bloodwork and then a meeting with my main doctor. The PET scan was read within an hour and was clear TG.
The standard blood results were good and I’ll know the cancer marker test by the end of the day. The bone marrow biopsy results will take 1-2 weeks to come back. My next clinic will be in 3 months time. This is a view of Manhatton and the Hudson river from the 14th floor.
I had a letter in this week’s Irish Catholic about one of my favourite issues. Every New Year, I recommend people to make a resolution to read YOUCAT to enhance their knowledge of the Faith. Our knowledge from Confirmation classes is not sufficient in today’s post-Christian and secular world. It is such a better use of our time and energy that all the trashy worldly reading, papers, books and social media out there.
If I was back in Ireland I would have attended today’s pro life march in Dublin. This is from a friend whom I appointed as my “proxy”. When it comes to the mass killing of our children, I take every opportunity to say: “Not in my name.”
Beautiful warm / dry weather here in NY. Had lunch with Frs Tom and Epi whom I served with in Rye Parish 2021/22.
No small amount of my time as a pastor is trying to get lapsed Catholics to see the importance of Jesus’ Last Will and Testament – namely to attend Mass and thus repeat the Last Supper in his memory.
This short hymn from my DivineOffice app speaks of this as a delightful obligation: “Where there is love, there is no labour / burden.” Please reflect on the lyrics.
Fr Morty O'Shea 