Author: Father Albert

Christian Avengers: The Origin Story

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Homily for the Pentecost                                                                                May 20, 2018 Fr. Albert                                                                                            St. Peter’s, New Iberia  Just a few weeks ago, a new world record was set. The biggest opening weekend for a movie, ever. Avengers: Infinity War passed up the competition by over $100 million. There are many external reasons for this: a long build up, great advertising, and good timing. But, we have to give credit to the story itself. It’s a comic book movie, a massive story about superheroes – the idea that people with special gifts and abilities work together to stop...Read More

Daily Collection: Pentecost

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The Collect for the Solemnity of the Pentecost is: "O God, who by the mystery of today's great feast sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Just as the Holy Spirit crossed...Read More

Daily Collection: St. John I

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The Collect for the Memorial of St. John I, Pope and Martyr: "O God, who reward faithful souls and who have consecrated this day by the martyrdom of Pope Saint John the First, graciously hear the prayers of your people and grant that we, who venerate his merits, may imitate his constancy in the faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Yes, God rewards faithful souls. We "earn" this reward in a sense, but it is only by God's...Read More

Daily Collection: Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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The Collect for Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter is: "May your Spirit, O Lord, we pray, imbue us powerfully with spiritual gifts, that he may give us a mind pleasing to you and graciously conform us to your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Continuing our focus on the coming of the Spirit, we now ask particularly for a "mind pleasing" to God. This is a mind that knows God and that fills itself with the...Read More

Daily Collection: Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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The Collect for Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter is: "Graciously grant to your Church, O merciful God, that, gathered by the Holy Spirit, she may be devoted to you with all her heart and united in purity of intent. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection As we draw closer to Pentecost, our prayer increasingly focuses on receiving the Holy Spirit. This is a wonderful echo of the way the Apostles and Mary prayed and waited for the...Read More

Daily Collection: Memorial of St. Isidore the Farmer

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The Collect for the Memorial of St. Isidore the Farmer: "Lord God, to whom belongs all creation, and who call us to serve you by caring for the gifts that surround us, inspire us by the example of Saint Isidore to share our food with the hungry and to work for the salvation of all people. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection St. Isidore lived in Spain around the year 1100. Our prayer begins by recalling that all things...Read More

Daily Collection: St. Matthias the Apostle

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The Collect for the Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle and Martyr: "O God, who assigned Saint Matthias a place in the college of Apostles, grant us, through his intercession, that, rejoicing at how your love has been allotted to us, we may merit to be numbered among the elect. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection St. Matthias is a particular example of God's mysterious designs; He has a plan in mind for each of us. After spending all of...Read More

Heavenly Heritage

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Homily for the Ascension                                                                               May 12, 2018 Fr. Albert                                                                                            St. Peter’s, New Iberia  What is your heritage? What is your ancestry? This has been a year of coincidences: Ash Wednesday and Valentines Day. Palm Sunday and the Annunciation. Easter and April Fools day. Now it is Ascension Sunday and, for the people of New Iberia, today is the day we celebrate our Spanish origins. It’s also Mother’s Day, a celebration of our heritage and ancestry in the direct and personal way of celebrating our mothers. And our heritage does matter. It is part...Read More

Daily Collection: The Ascension

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The Collect for the Solemnity of the Ascension is: "Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God, and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving, for the Ascension of Christ your Son is our exaltation, and, where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection We do not look for a merely earthly joy or worldly form of celebration. Rather, we ask to rejoice with devout thanksgiving. As we ask...Read More

Daily Collection: Memorial of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus

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The Collect for the Memorial of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs: "Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who know the great courage of the glorious Martyrs Nereus and Achilleus in confessing you, may experience their loving intercession for us in your presence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." Reflection Besides the fact that they were martyrs who were loved by the early Church, we know almost nothing about Nereus and Achilleus. Some stories say they were Roman soldiers who...Read More