I. Introduction It is a joy to offer Holy Mass here at the Mother Seton House and to celebrate with you the 50th anniversary of its being opened to the public. We also recall that yesterday was the 38th anniversary of the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. At the time, I was a seminarian...Read More

I. Introduction: Permitting Everything, Forgiving Nothing In his book of essays entitled, The Difference God Makes, Cardinal Francis George offers an incisive statement: “The world,” he wrote, “permits everything and forgives nothing. God and the Church do not permit everything but forgive everything.” Simple observation of our culture confirms the truth of this statement. The culture of...Read More

I. Introduction The Gospel just proclaimed is tailor-made for this occasion, when, during the Year of Faith, the family of the Knights of Columbus comes on pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the “Knights Tower” with its 56 bell carillon. This is what...Read More

I hope everyone enjoyed the long Labor Day weekend and that it proved especially restful for those families with children who had already begun school or were preparing to begin the new school year this past week. I was fortunate to be able to experience “back to school” once more as I recently visited three...Read More

I went back to school this past Monday. Well, sort of. I visited three of our Catholic schools on Opening Day to greet students and their parents, to visit classrooms, to meet and greet teachers, principals, and parents (especially those new to our school system) and to experience all over again the thrill and energy...Read More

I. Introduction It’s a real joy for me to be with you today for the first of many visits to Holy Family Parish here in Davidsonville, and I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can in Unity Hall after Mass today. I’m so grateful to Father Andy Aaron and Deacon Tom...Read More

I. Introduction In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us he came into the world to light a fire. So let me talk a little about fire – fires that aren’t so good and the fire that was lit by Jesus and is fanned by the Holy Spirit … with our participation, of course, because we are...Read More

I. Introduction: Msgr. Rohlfs’ First Rector’s Conference Many years ago, I and another seminarian were driving from the Mount down to Washington. While we were on I-270 we began to discuss what the future would be like. We wondered what kind of parish we would be assigned to, how we would get along with our...Read More