21 August 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 20th week in Ordinary Time - prison ministry

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

Christ Jesus - you bring us faith and hope. 

Lord Jesus - you call us to a life of discipleship. 

Priest: We present our prayers this morning in faith and hope: 

1. For courage for those who are discriminated against in their faith. For courage and strength in living out our faith each day. 

2. For the peace and reconciliation of Christ to replace the terrorism, violence, and hatred that exists in the world. 

3. For those who are sick and suffering. For healing and wholeness. 

4. That all Christians may proclaim Christ as the light of the world in their words and their actions. 

5. For a greater sense of stewardship of God’s creation. 

6. For our students. May God’s grace accompany them during the school year. May the Lord bless all who are in training classes here at CMCF. 

7. For all who have died in Christ, especially our deceased loved ones and family members. 

8. For patience in the moments that frustrate us during the day. 

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

Priest: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

10 September 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 23rd week in ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you call us to forgiveness. 

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

Lord Jesus - you are our savior and our redeemer.

Priest: With confidence, let us present our prayers and petitions before God’s throne of mercy:

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and all our Church leaders. May they be mindful of the responsibility handed down to them of guiding those entrusted to their care.

2. For the civil and religious leaders of the world. May they share a willingness to enter dialogue in mutual trust and respect. 

3. For those struggling with their faith. May they be moved by the Spirit to see in Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life.

4. That members of our faith community may be nourished by the Eucharist. May we put our lives at the service of others. 

5. For the sick and the afflicted. For healing and wholeness. For those struggling with addictions and mental health issues. 

6. For those who have died recently and for all the faithful departed. May they rejoice in the presence of God’s unconditional love.

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

Priest: Strengthened by our faith, we ask that you hear the prayers of your people, through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

9 September 2026 - homily for Wednesday of the 23rd week in Ordinary Time - Luke 6:20-26

Today, we commemorate St Peter Claver, one of the great missionaries of the Christian faith from the 17th century. A Spaniard by birth, Claver left his home country of Spain in 1610 to become a missionary to the Spanish colonies in the Americas and he never turned back. He arrived in the busy trading port of Cartagena in the present-day country of Colombia. He was ordained a Jesuit priest there in Cartagena in 1615. By the time of his arrival, the slave trade had already been established there. He continued the work of another Jesuit priest, Father Alfonso de Sandoval, who had ministered to the slaves there for 40 years before Peter Claver undertook this same ministry. Claver would meet the slave ships and bring them things like medicine, food, and water. In 40 years of ministry, it is estimated that he baptized at least 300,000 slaves into the faith. After 4 years of battling a debilitating illness, Peter Claver died in 1654. Though he often clashed with the governmental authorities in the Spanish colonies during his lifetime, he was given great respect in his public funeral.  He was canonized in 1888 and was declared a patron saint of the missions. Peter Claver once said, “We must speak to the peopl with our hands, by giving, before we try to speak to them with our lips.” Yes, our actions often say more than our words. 

Today, we hear Luke’s version account of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Plains.  While the version of the Beatitudes from Matthew’s Gospel states that blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, and those who mourn, Luke states that blessed are the poor, the hungry, and those who weep.  Luke’s beatitudes speak to the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized of the world, which was the everyday world of St Peter Claver. May we remember the Beatitudes in our hearts and reflect the Beatitudes in our actions. 

9 September 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 23rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Christ Jesus - you are a light shining in the world. 

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

Priest: With faith and hope, we present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For our Church leaders. For wisdom and strength in their leadership. 

2. For peace in the world, especially in our communities here in the United States, in the Middle East and Ukraine. 

3. For all who are needy or lonely or suffering. For healing and wholeness. 

4. For our loved ones and those who support us in prayer. 

5. For all the faithful departed and for all who have died recently. For the souls in purgatory. 

6. For the spiritual and physical well-being of all our parishioners and loved ones. 

7. For our children and youth and college students. May God bless them in their students and in their school activities. For our parents and teachers. 

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

Priest: We present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

8 September 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord Jesus, you the Prince of Peace: Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and Son of Mary: Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are Word of God made flesh: Lord, have mercy.

Prayers of the faithful:  

Priest: God graciously blesses humanity.  We now bring forward our needs to God with confidence as we honor our Blessed Mother today: 

1. That those who follow Christ may remain faithful throughout their challenges and difficult circumstances.

2. That God may grant wisdom to our governmental leaders in the decisions they have to make.

3. For peace in our local communities. For nations around the world that are torn apart by violence, terrorism, war, anger, or conflict.

4. That we may all be peacemakers who work for reconciliation, peace, and justice in our relationships.  

5. That Mary may be an example to all of us in her patience, compassion, mercy, and love.  

6. For all who have been affected by hot weather, storms and tornadoes, and flooding.  For continued recovery.  

7. For the sick and the shut-in.  We pray that perpetual light may shine on all our dearly departed.

8. For those prayers we hold in our hearts.  

Priest: Gracious God, you bless your people with peace and justice: accept our prayers and give us your help, through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

8 September 2026 - homily for the nativity of Mary - Matthew 1:18-23

Today, September 8, we celebrate the feast day of the birth of Mary in our Church’s liturgical calendar.  The Church has celebrated Mary’s birth since at least the sixth century. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its liturgical year in September. The date of September 8 helped determine the date for the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.

Sacred Scripture does not record account of Mary’s birth. However, there is a tradition that has been passed down that states that Mary’s parents Anne and Joachim were having problems having a child, but persisted in their prayers to God.  God have them the promise of a child who will advance God’s plan of salvation for the world. This tradition emphasizes the special presence of God in Mary’s life from the beginning.

The great 5th century theologian St Augustine of Hippo connects Mary’s birth with Jesus’ saving work, as the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth. St Augustine writes: “Mary is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.” 

The opening prayer at Mass today speaks of the birth of Mary’s Son as the dawn of our salvation, and asks for an increase of peace: “Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.” 

In honor of the Nativity of Mary, I thought of the traditional prayer of the Angelus, which has been prayed by the faithful since the 11th century.  In recent years, Pope Paul VI and Pope John XXIII, encouraged the faithful to pray the Angelus as a meaningful Catholic devotion.  I love the prayer of the Angelus and am hoping to incorporate it more in my devotional life of faith: 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray:  Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.  

6 September 2026 - homily for Sunday of the 23rd week in Ordinary Time cycle A - Ezekiel 33:7-9 - Matthew 18:15-20

The deacons are preaching in my parish this weekend. This homily will be preached at the prison this weekend. 

We have some very insightful readings today.  First, from the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God appoints the prophet as a watchman for Israel. It is Ezekiel’s duty and responsibility to listen to God’s warnings and to pass down these warnings to the people. Ezekiel is to help them repent for their sins. This message addresses the prophet’s responsibility of the community, our accountability to God and to each other, and our call to correct and guide us other with compassion and love. God wants members of the community to be accountable to one another. 

This message is reflected in our Gospel today as Jesus instructs the community in dealing with a brother who is in error. Jesus tells us to avoid gossip or to complain to others about that person. And that is often our first inclination, isn’t it? But rather than complain to others and to throw someone under the bus, we are to address that person directly. If this person does not respond, then we are to take one or two brothers with us to serve as witnesses, to help resolve the situation. The wider community is then brought into the situation, but only minimally; enough to bring the offender to repentance. Only when this does not work, then the complaint is brought to the entire community. Speaking the truth is important, but care for the person in question is important too. Also, care for the entire Church community is important as well. 

Whether we are in the free world, or whether we are residing here behind bars, conflict resolution is important, isn’t it. Sometimes we can see our own perspective, but not the perspective of our neighbor. Sometimes we can be overcome with anger or frustration or hurt feelings, which might not allow us to see the other side. Sometimes we have a story and we want to stick to that story, even when that story never really was true and that story starts to fall apart. 

A few weeks ago, we commemorated the saint Edith Stein, a Roman Catholic nun who was originally Jewish and who was arrested by the Nazi regime because of her Jewish origins. She died as a prisoner in the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. In the early days of the Nazi regime, when things started to fall apart and when Jews were being targeted, she wrote a letter to the pope to speak out about what was going on in Europe at the time, telling him that those who remain silent are responsible. We cannot just sit back and let things happen if we know that something wrong is going on. We have a responsibility to ourselves and to the community. Why do you think I am involved in prison ministry. We have a responsibility to each other in society, to help each other and to be there for each other. I help in the process of forgiveness. To reconcile with our brother when there is a conflict. To correct our brother when he needs correction. 

I think of Ezekiel and his task to be watchman for the people of Israel. A watchman is the person whose job was to stand on a tower and look out to warn of any coming danger. This image of watchman standing on a tower illustrates how Ezekiel would receive the word of God and then warn God’s people of their sins. Hopefully, then, the people would repent and be saved from God’s wrath. God described his people as rebellious, so this was not small task. Although Ezekiel’s job would not be easy, it would be necessary for God’s people to flourish.

This task of watchman is not any easier for us today as it was in ancient Israel. Like Ezekiel, there are many who are rebellious, who will not listen to words of warning. As we hold our brothers accountable to our faith, there may be tension and anger, and we not want to speak out. But the Holy Spirit is with us.  We can pray and ask God for the right words to say in these difficult situations.