Is a prophet really “in your face”? In their own time and own place, people who later are seen as prophets evoke strong negative emotions, it seems. But, isn’t the reality that we are in our own faces? Those strong, negative gut reactions are brought on by the fact…

Got in last night from 8 days in Paris. The news everywhere is that John Paul II died on Saturday night. I spent the last week at Maison Mère – the motherhouse for the Congregation of the Mission in Paris. Vincent de Paul is enshrined over the alter in…

I have never been comfortable with the Veneration of the Cross at Good Friday services. I’ve stayed in my pew, or walked up and done something like a brief bow before… something that would make me fit in but not require any real involvement. I’ve…

Yesterday was Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday). Last night at mass, a stranger wandered in, no shoes, raggedy jeans, flannel shirt over a T-shirt, clutching a cup holding pencils. He’s been sitting out front for an hour or so, rocking gently. OK, so I…

This is Holy Week. The week where I remember that Jesus was greeted with cheers and smiles as he came into Jerusalem… and when those same people found out what He was really about, what He was going to allow to happen, they were discouraged, and hurt and angry….