It is a joy to return to this holy place of contemplation and worship, this place where the poor are loved, to celebrate and witness the solemn profession and consecration of Sister Mary Martha.Read More

Through the intercession of St. Bernardine, may the golden dome of this church stand as a shining witness to the light of Christ and a standing invitation of prayer, an invitation to ourselves, to our fellow believers, and also to our city and our world.Read More

As we encounter the Lord in today’s Gospel reading, we find him at prayer. Not only is Jesus praying, he is absorbed in prayer to his heavenly Father.Read More

July 16, 2022 Basilica of Assumption, Baltimore Introduction It is a special joy to celebrate Holy Mass with you in this venerable Cathedral, the first Cathedral after the birth of our country. Ground was broken for this Cathedral in 1806 by Bishop John Carroll and the architect was Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who also served as an architect for the Capitol. It is said that Thomas Jefferson had a hand in designing the windows in the dome that capture as much natural light as possible. This Cathedral was designed in neo-classical style, not Gothic, to reflect the spirit of the new republic and was dedicated by the 3rd Archbishop of Baltimore,  Ambrose Maréchal in 1821, 201 years ago, on May 31st 1821, to be exact. For more than two centuries, this Basilica has stood as a symbol of religious freedom, and as a challenge to America to be true to its founding principles. It is therefore most...Read More

July 17, 2022 Cathedral of of Mary Our Queen Cobwebs in the Dining Room Many years ago, my parents invited the local pastor to dinner. At the time, I was a still quite young, and did not yet understand that Mom and Dad regarded this as a very special occasion. Not unlike Martha, whom we just met in the Gospel, Mom outdid herself in preparing the dinner. Nor did my parents spare any effort in ensuring that the pastor would feel welcome. All was proceeding smoothly until, in the middle of dinner, I looked up at the dining room chandelier, and informed my poor mother that there were cobwebs “up there”. Mom and Dad were mortified but, if memory serves, the pastor was amused. Tongue-in-cheek, he said to Mom, “Margaret, you should do something about that!” Today’s Scripture readings describe two special meals for special guests: the meal which Abraham...Read More