One Catholic Life Blog

Books and Reading

Beautiful Book Nooks

Book Riot has some beautiful reading nooks on display in this photo gallery, including the rustic one pictured below: Doesn’t it make you just want to take out that old copy of Treasure Island or Robinson Crusoe and settle in for the evening?  

Books and Reading / Movies / Music / Spirituality

How Is the Music of Les Misérables Like Liturgy?

That’s the question that Jeffrey Tucker looks at in an article at The Chant Café. The score is unusually text driven, just like liturgy. The singers in the film were chosen not for their singing ability but for their acting — which makes the singing more authentic in some way. Their voices were not ruined by too much training and affectation. They seemed authentic because of this — again, a point that is replicated in a liturgical context. I highly recommend that every priest and singer needs to see...

First Sentence of Pride and Prejudice

Books and Reading

200 Years of Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice was first published in January of 1813, and it remains one of the greatest novels ever written, appearing on seven of the thirteen “great books” lists I used to compile my personal summary of great books. In The Joy of Reading, Charles Van Doren describes the novel in this way: Pride and Prejudice was her first novel; she wrote a version of it before she was twenty. She put it aside to write Sense and Sensibility, her first work to be published; she then rewrote...

Family / Homily

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family – Year C 2012

Today is the feast of the Holy Family, and as we look at the gospel reading today we might be reminded of another story, a similar story, a more modern story. A story of a family taking a long trip during the holiday season who suddenly realize they’ve left their young son home alone. I’m speaking of course of the 1990 John Hughes movie Home Alone, where young Kevin McAllister is sick of being bullied by his older brothers and sisters, tired of being ignored by his parents,...

Thirteen Gun Salute by Patrick O'Brian

Books and Reading

My Favorite Reads of 2012

I successfully reached my goal of reading 40 books this year, and of the 42 I read, these were my favorites: The Aubrey/Maturin Series, books 6-13 by Patrick O’Brian: As I continue re-reading the series, I am loving the dictionary look-up feature on the Kindle to help me deal with the nautical terms. After Don Quixote and The Lord of the Rings, these are my favorite books of all time. Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College by Doug Lemov: This has had...

nativity scene

Homily

Homily for the Christmas Vigil Mass for Children – Year C 2012

God Is With Us! Quite a few firsts in this homily: first homily without a full text in front of me first time preaching at a liturgy for children first Christmas homily first time using the lapel microphone first homily away from the ambo and walking around http://traffic.libsyn.com/stpeter/SP-2012-12-24a.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS

Advent Wreath

Homily

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent – Year C 2012

You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Cry? Last weekend Brenda and I took the girls out to do some Christmas shopping and we ended up at a local sporting goods store looking at boots, hats and gloves. And as we made our way up the stairs to the second floor we saw a young boy, probably five or six years old, trying to hide behind the winter coats. He had obviously had enough of Christmas cheer, and was ready to go home. And his mom looked to...

The Road Ahead

Homily

Homily for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B

Driving lessons and the end of the world Today’s readings speak to us of the end of the world and of the signs that it is near. As we watch the news after hearing these readings proclaimed, we might begin to think that these are the days Jesus was referring to when he talked about the tribulation. The east coast is recovering from Hurricane Sandy, the Middle East is struggling to keep peace, other parts of the world are dealing with the aftermath of earthquakes. I have to...

Summer Barbecue

Homily

Homily for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B, August 19, 2012

This was my first homily as a deacon, and it was my first chance to speak to the parish since my ordination on August 10. I’d like to begin with a word of thanks. Brenda and I are so grateful for last week’s reception and for your continued prayers and support, not only over the last four years, but during the last twenty-one years that we have been members of St. Peter. From the time I started teaching at All Saints, to Brenda’s time as Director of Religious...