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Category Archives: Alienation & Belonging
Rebuild My Church
Imagine praying intently while all alone, and then hearing something – not a little voice in your head or heart, a but one outside of you which you hear with your ears. This happened to St. Francis many centuries ago. … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging
Tagged Abuse Crisis, Fr. Brendan McGuire, Thomas Reese SJ
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The alienation of elderly Catholics
“Growing old is not for sissies,” my grandmother used to quip. She would know as she lived to be just 2 days shy of her 100th birthday. As people age, they tend to suffer a series of losses: loss of … Continue reading
Does being a public figure make you a public target? Pity the poor bishops.
My family is one of those expansive, Irish Catholic clans which has been richly enhanced by the presence of priests, nuns, brothers, and in far larger supplies, devout (but down to earth, not syrupy sweet) lay folks. Spanning several categories, … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging
Tagged bishops, Catholic, charitable, communication, los gatos, public figure, response
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The Pact of the Catacombs, and understanding Pope Francis better
Pope Francis seems to be the spirit of Vatican II personified. In the couple of months in which he’s been our pontiff, we have experienced one new breath of fresh air after the next. Can you boil down his message, … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging, Spirituality
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Holy Thursday
Today is Holy Thursday, the day we celebrate The Last Supper and also the sacrament of ordination and the priesthood. Pope Francis gave a beautiful homily this morning on anointing, and that priests are to go out and find the … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging, Spirituality
Tagged anointing, ordination, Pope Francis, Prayer of St. Francis
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Feeling like you belong at Church
In Silicon Valley, there are so many opportunities to attend Mass that it’s very easy to drift from Mass to Mass and yet never feel a sense of belonging to the particular group with whom you are worshiping. This is … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging, Parish Life, Spirituality
Tagged belonging, hospitality, welcoming
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Introduction of new liturgical changes
Although the changes to prayers and songs at Mass aren’t officially required until the beginning of Advent this year, many parishes and other Catholic communities (such as at Mission Santa Clara) in the Diocese of San Jose have already begun … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging, Liturgy
Tagged Diocese of San Jose, liturgical changes, Mass
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When Bad Homilies Happen (to Good Catholics)
Everyone’s a critic. When it comes to preaching and to homilies, it has got to be tough to get up in front of the community and be inspiring and insightful if you’re under-slept, overworked, rushed or maybe even going through … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging, Liturgy
Tagged alienation, deacon, homilies, Mass, preaching, priest
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We All Want & Need Heroes
Growing up Catholic, in an intensely Irish-Catholic family, I had no shortage of extraordinary role models right within my big, extended family. Two amazing Catholic women My Great Aunt Ria (Sr. Marie Aimee of Jesus), my maternal grandmother’s sister, was … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging, Spirituality
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Disaffected Catholics, Former Catholics, Lapsed Catholics
Sometimes people who were baptized Roman Catholic find themselves not too engaged with their faith or with the Church community. Some say they are no longer Catholic, others say they are but aren’t too involved in terms of their time … Continue reading
Posted in Alienation & Belonging
Tagged alienated, Catholic, Disaffected, fallen away, non-practicing, returning
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