Homilies and Other Writings

They say that every Holy Communion we receive should be as if it were our First Holy Communion (remember the excitement, the purity of our hearts...!), as if it were our only Holy Communion, and as if it were our last Holy Communion (the one we will receive from the priest, hopefully, the day of our death). How are our Communions? Let me give two suggestions in order to take more advantage of our reception of the Holy Eucharist. 1)   There is a prayer for First Holy Communion which I think is beautiful: it says, Jesus I know That you are in the Host. I cannot see You But I know You are there. Give me faith, Give me love, That I may love You always As I love You today. Faith and love are essential to make good Holy Communions. Faith in the Real Presence and a real love for Jesus and everything He commands. 2)   Holy Communion does not end when we receive it: we then go to our pew and pray and give thanks... How do we pray after Holy Communion? Once I read ...

Reflection on the Gospel of Mark 9:33-37 They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. For they had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.  Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first,  he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” The apostles had received a gift from Jesus, the gift of authority, but they were using it against each other. They were taking this gift as an occasion for division among them: they were arguing about who was the greatest! Sometimes we use the gifts we have received from God as an occasion to put distance between us and other people. We try to make sur...

  1.  Who is Our Lady of Luján? Our Lady of Lujan is an image of the Immaculate Conception, originally venerated in Argentina. History tells us that in 1630, close to Buenos Aires, a wagon pulled by oxen was going north. They stopped one night on the road, by the Lujan River, and when they wanted to continue the day after, the oxen could not move the wagon. They began to lighten the load, but in vain. After much work, they removed from the wagon one small box, containing a statue of the Immaculate Conception. Immediately, the oxen move the cart. Everybody understood that it was a sign of our Lady, who wanted to remain there. Since then many other miracles were confirmed and are reported by the historians. Nowadays almost 2 million people walk every year to the Shrine of our Lady of Lujan. 2.   Why is she Patroness of the IVE? St. Louis Orione, the founder of the Little Work of Divine Providence in Italy, pupil of St. John Bosco, visited Argentina twice. The first time...

( Fr. Andrew’s homily for May 5th 2024 )   From June 16 to June 29, we will have a popular mission in our parish. What is a popular mission? Why have one? How can I be a part of it? [1] 1.   A popular mission is a mission to Catholics, that is, mostly directed to those who are already Catholic. Thus, it is different from the mission “ad gentes”, that is, to those who do not know about Jesus. A popular mission is a popular and simple way to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to all the People of God. It includes house visits with prayer, activities for the youth, etc. during the day, and every evening a special activity, including the missionary sermon, music performances, skits, etc. Really, a popular mission is a celebration of faith and life. A popular mission is a call to conversion, that is, a call to return to the truth and to the friendship of God for those who may have lost their faith and grace through sin. A popular mission is also a call to a...