3 June 2026 - homily for memorial of St Thomas the Apostle - John 20:24-29

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hand and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” The apostle Thomas is remembered primarily by this statement he makes in in John’s Gospel. This statement is symbolic of how many in the world today view Christianity and all religion. Many demand proof and have the need to see. They want something tangible, concrete, and visible.  

No one today can see and experience Christ in the way Thomas did in that locked room. Thomas saw the risen Christ eating, praying, and discussing the events of the past week with his group of disciples.  We cannot literally put our fingers in the wounds in his hands and his side like Thomas did.  Christ seemed to know this when he said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  We might not see him in a literal the way that Thomas did, but all who believe see Christ somehow in their lives of faith. They see him for who he is. 

We must see Jesus somehow with our own eyes.  Like Thomas and the other disciples, we also become followers of Christ through our faith. Through witnessing Christ’s presence in our lives, we in turn are called to be witnesses ourselves, just as Thomas did in his life when he became a missionary to Syria, Persia, and India. We pray that God help us in our disbelief. That God will watch over us on our journey of faith. 

3 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 13th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the kingdom of God. 

Christ Jesus - you send us out into the world to bring your Gospel message. 

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father. 

Priest: We are grateful for God’s many blessings. Let us lift up our hearts in prayer:

1. That the Spirit of God may inspire and guide every dimension of our lives. 

2. As our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this weekend, that our community of faith may be a witness to the common good and the dignity of every human person. 

3. For those who teach, counsel, and care for children and youth. May the Lord lead them and guide them in the sacred responsibility of their work.  

4. For the poor and the most vulnerable of society. 

5. That the great compassion of God will restore to health and give hope to the sick, the suffering, the recovering, and the dying. 

6. That the souls of the faithful who have died find rest and peace in the presence of God forever. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: As we lift our voices to you in prayer, O God, raise our spirits to the joy of your presence; as we lift up our hearts to you in hope, transform our lives into the glorious life of your Son, the risen Christ, in whose name we offer these prayers. Amen.

2 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 13th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring healing into our lives. 

Christ Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite. 

Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father. 

Priest: With humble hearts, we present our prayers to our loving God:

1. May our Church leaders and governmental leaders always lead us in justice and peace. 

2. May adequate food, health care, and shelter be available for all people. We pray to the Lord. 

3. May our daily lives give witness to our faith. 

4. For all who have gone before us in death. May our loved ones feast in the presence of Christ in the eternal glory of heaven.

5. May those who grieve find hope in their faith. 

6. For our deceased family members and loved ones. For their unity in eternal life with God. 

7. For healing for those who are most need of God’s love and care. 

Priest: With faith and hope, we present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

2 July 2026 - homily for Thursday of the 13th week in Ordinary Time - Amos 7:10-17

St Bernardino Realino was an Italian Jesuit priest who was born in Carpi, Italy in 1530.  He studied medicine and philosophy before earning a degree in civil and canon law. He served as mayor and judge in several northern Italian cities. While in Naples, he had a spiritual conversion after hearing a homily preach by a Jesuit priest. He entered the Jesuit novitiate at the age of 34 and was ordained a Jesuit priest. He was sent to Lecce in southern Italy to establish a Jesuit house and college. Over the next four decades, he had a profound impact on that city. Known as the "Apostle of Lecce” he devoted himself to teaching, ministering to the sick, and ministering to the prisoners. Many came to him for confession.  Right before he died, civic leaders asked him to continue to protect the city while in heaven, to which he nodded in agreement. He is the official patron saint of Lecce and Carpi. He was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947.

In our reading from Amos today, we hear how Amos was expelled from the shrine at Bethel for his criticisms of the king of Israel. Amos had predicted that the house of the king would die by the sword. Indeed, the king’s son would be assassinated as he served as king. Amos’ words were seen as treason, but from Amos’ perspective, he was transmitting God’s words to the people. He was just the messenger, not the one who formulated the message. 

We need to evaluate what we are doing based on the values of our faith and the message of the Gospel. Sometimes input can be given to us as an attack, in wanting to hurt us and bring us down, but there is constructive criticism as well. We need to listen to God’s prophets and to repent from our sins and our temptations. 

1 July 2026 - Wednesday of the 13th week in Ordinary time - St Junipero Serra - Amos 5:14-15, 21-24

Growing up as a teenager in California, I always found the history of the California missions fascinating, even before I converted to Catholicism. We lived about 25 miles for Mission San Juan Capistrano, part of which still lays in ruins after a terrible earthquake in the 1812. Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan missionary originally from the island of  Mallorca in Spain, is considered the Father of the California missions. He was canonized by Pope Francis in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC when Pope Francis visited our country. In recent years, those who really don’t understand the full context of world history and the reality of Father Serra and the California missions have criticized him and opposed his canonization. Statues of him were taken down and buildings named after him were renamed. California not longer included the California missions as a required part of its elementary school curriculum. It is easy to judge history that took place hundreds of years ago in a reality very different from our own, especially when our knowledge of history and that reality is very limited and focused on our own prejudices and biases.  

Father Serra was appointed as the head of the Catholic Church’s missionary effort in California in 1767 when he was 54 years old. At that time, he was in very bad health with a leg that had been infected with open sores for years. He also suffered from a compromised respiratory system. Father Serra founded 9 of the 21 original California missions. This humble Franciscan friar had spent most of his priesthood as a professor of theology and philosophy in Mexico and in Spain. He then worked tirelessly in bringing the Gospel to the people of present-day California.  His motto was - “Siempre adelante, nunca hacia atrás.” (Always forward, never back.) He never dwelt on past mistakes, but tried to learn from the past and to look forward to what he could do for God. Father Serra was a product of his time. He lived in the era of the Spanish Inquisition and served as a judge for the Inquisition. Yet, facts show that he had a great love for the native Californians to whom he ministered. At the time of his canonization, California’s bishops issued a statement, stating that Father Serra was a man “ahead of his times” and that he worked against an “oppression that extends far beyond the mission era.”  There is a statue of Father Serra in the Capitol building representing the state of California for his contributions to the history and development of that state, having survived many protests to have it removed. The bishops stated that very few historical figures would be revered and honored if we expect them to be perfect and try to judge them according to some sort of ambiguous modern standards. It is interesting, Standard University in California is named after one of the notorious robber barons of the 19th century, and will not remove his name from their school, yet they renamed buildings and streets on their campus named after Father Serra. It is easy to cast a stone against others but not to look at our own faults, isn’t it? 

We hear the prophet Amos proclaim in the first reading today: “Seek good and not evil, that you may live.” I thought about this in the context of Father Serra and his missionary work in California and his dedication and sacrifices to spreading the Gospel message to the world. I pray that we would all seek the good, that we would seek the new life we have in Christ, and that we would portray the values of the Gospel in our words and our actions. 

1 July 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 13th week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us the hope of God. 

Christ Jesus - you forgive the sins of the contrite. 

Lord Jesus - you lead us to God’s kingdom. 

Priest: Let us turn to our loving God as we offer our prayers and our needs:

1. For all who lead us in faith and service, especially Leo XIV, our pope, and Joseph Kopacz, our bishop. May they teach us to acknowledge Christ in the everyday moments of our lives. 

2. For an end to war, violence, and hatred. May we acknowledge the peace of Christ in our lives and offer such peace to others. 

3. For people burdened by sin and doubt. May we live with the joy of the Father’s love

4. For our families and those who care for our needs. May our lives be supported in God’s loving embrace. May we embrace God’s hope in our lives. 

5. For a greater love for the Eucharist in our lives. 

6. For all who grieve the past. May we be led to openness and joy.

7. For our loved ones and family members who have died. May all the dead now rest in the assurance of God’s peace. 

8. For the people of Canada who are celebrating their national holiday today. 

9. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: God of Providence, we ask you to listen to needs of our hearts. We ask this through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

30 June 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 12th week in Ordinary time

Lord have mercy - you are the son of God and son of Mary. 

Christ have mercy - you bring us God’s love. 

Lord have mercy - you are seated at the right hand of the Father.

Priest: We now turn to our loving God and offer our prayers and our needs to the Father’s eternal mercy.

1. For Leo XIV, our pope, Joseph Kopacz, our bishop, and all our Church leaders.  May all who lead us in faith find hope in the Eucharist of Christ and the fidelity of God in service to all people.

2. May the leaders of nations work diligently for justice and Christ’s peace. 

3. For a greater love for the Eucharist in our hearts and in our lives. 

4. For all who hunger for belonging in our world. For those who feel separated and excluded. May the feel the love of God and the love of our community. 

5. For missionaries and evangelizers of God’s word. May the Church’s new evangelization efforts reach out throughout the world. 

6. For the sick and the afflicted. For healing and wholeness. 

7. That we may all live out the spirit of the Gospel of life in our words and our actions. 

Priest: Loving and gracious God, pour out your bounty of hope amid the hungers of your people. We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.