In 1570, Sultan Selim II, ruler of the Ottoman Empire, had a problem. Well, actually a couple problems. First, was that he was a drunk. Second, was that his favorite wine came from Cypress, just under 300 miles away from him, off the coast of Turkey. Third, was that Cypress…
In A Flash
Some years ago, on a bright, clear August morning, four Jesuit missionaries had just finished having breakfast together, and were going through their daily routine at the Church of Our Lady’s Assumption. Father Superior Lassalle looked out the window of his room and thought. Father Cieslik went to his room…
Let Freedom Ring
Queens, New York, July 10th, 2020: A 100 year old statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary outside Cathedral Prep School and Seminary was spray painted with the word “idol” by an unknown individual. Boston, Massachusetts, July 11th, 2020: A statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is set on fire outside the…
All lives matter
In the fall of 1768, colonial unrest in Boston resulted in British troops being sent in to restore order. Tensions were high between the colonists and British, and escalated as the months wore on. After sunset on the evening of March 5th, a crowd of colonists confronted a group of…
The Audacity of Faith
Being a Roman emperor the middle of the Third Century wasn’t exactly easy. There were barbarians attacking the Roman empire from the north, peasant uprisings and civil wars, political instability and assassinations, unemployment and economic depression, and the devaluation of the denarius, the Roman currency. And then there were those…
Are You There, God? It’s Me?
As we just finished the Lenten Season, I hope that everyone used those 40 days to repent, seek forgiveness, and to pray that the cross that one may be carrying be lightened or put away. This weekend we witnessed the agony of Jesus, His suffering and death, His resurrection, and…
Accepting Our Cross
“I can’t wait for Lent to be over.” Those of us with young kids have probably heard this already. Some of us have thought it or said it ourselves because of the sacrifices we chose. In less than two weeks, a chosen, voluntary sacrifice has become unbearable. And at the…
A to B
From the moment we wake up to the moment our head hits the pillow, most of our days are filled with acts of going from here to there. We get up out of bed and we become perpetual motion machines: we go to the kitchen, to the shower, to our…
The Perfect Gift
Every year at Christmas, so many people run into stress when the thought of exchanging gifts comes to mind. For some people, it’s the “mental scorecard” problem, where they keep track of the number of hours and dollars spent, as if putting a figure on their effort is a way…
Feast & Fast
Born in Hungary in the forth century, St. Martin of Tours was the son of a high-ranking officer in the Roman army. Around the age of 10 he began attending a Christian church, against the wishes of his pagan parents, eventually becoming an official catechumen. At the age of 15,…