Author: Father Albert

St. Anthony Mary Claret

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Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Anthony Claret, bishop. Collect: O God, who for the evangelization of peoples strengthened the Bishop Saint Anthony Mary Claret with admirable charity and long-suffering, grant, through his intercession, that, seeking the things that are yours, we may earnestly devote ourselves to winning our brothers and sisters for Christ. Who lives and reigns... "O God, who for the evangelization of peoples strengthened the Bishop Saint Anthony Mary Claret with admirable charity and long-suffering," -- God's response to needs in the Church is to raise up saints. St. Anthony's sanctity is evident in his charity and endurance,...Read More

St. John of Capistrano

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Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. John of Capistrano, priest. Collect: O God, who raised up Saint John of Capistrano to comfort your faithful people in tribulation, place us, we pray, under your safe protection and keep your Church in everlasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... " O God, who raised up Saint John of Capistrano to comfort your faithful people in tribulation," -- Drawing on our belief that God does not abandon his people, we acknowledge the providence at work in St. John's life. In a time of plague, Church division, and Turkish invasion, St. John served as...Read More

Valuing What Matters

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Homily for 29th Sun OT, Year A Fr. Albert St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Valuing-What-Matters.wav"][/audio]   Where do you think that coin has been? The one that these people show to Jesus when asks them for a coin; Where has it been? When was it made? Where did it enter circulation? Who was paid with it? What sort of things did it buy before coming to rest in the human hand of the divine creator? Where is that coin now? These aren’t idle questions either. Jesus’ famous line “render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar” is not a...Read More

St. Paul of the Cross

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Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, priest. Collect: May the Priest Saint Paul, whose only love was the Cross, obtain for us your grace, O Lord, so that, urged on more strongly by his example, we may each embrace our own cross with courage. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "May the Priest Saint Paul, whose only love was the Cross, obtain for us your grace, O Lord," -- As Paul loved the Cross on earth, s he continues to love it as one of the blessed in heaven. Relying on that love of the cross,...Read More

St. Hedwig

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Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Hedwig, religious. Collect: Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the revered intercession of Saint Hedwig may bring us heavenly aid, just as her wonderful life is an example of humility for all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... " Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the revered intercession of Saint Hedwig may bring us heavenly aid," -- The saints are real to us, and we genuinely look for their help. As residents of heaven, their intercession is a reliable means to obtain help from heaven. "just as her wonderful life is an example of humility...Read More

Margaret Mary Alocoque

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Collect taken from the optional memorial of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin Collect: Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which you so remarkably endowed Saint Margaret Mary, so that we may come to know that love of Christ which surpasses all understanding and be utterly filled with your fullness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "Pour out on us, we pray, O Lord, the spirit with which you so remarkably endowed Saint Margaret Mary" -- We recognize that the remarkable holiness of St. Margaret Mary is not due to her own power, but comes from the gift...Read More

Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

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Collect taken from Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... " May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after" - As St. Therese once said "all is grace." Without grace, we can do nothing that will last so we ask to be enveloped in that gift of God. "and make us always determined to carry out good works." - God's grace is not...Read More

St. Callistus I

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Daily Collection taken from the optional Memorial of St. Callistus I, Pope and Martyr Collect: O God, who raised up Pope Saint Callistus the First to serve the Church and attend devoutly to Christ's faithful departed, strengthen us, we pray, by his witness to the faith, so that, rescued from the slavery of corruption, we may merit an incorruptible inheritance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who raised up Pope Saint Callistus the First to serve the Church and attend devoutly to Christ's faithful departed" --  We praise God by praising his work as seen in Callistus. In particular, Callistus...Read More

Praying Like a Ponderosa Pine

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Homily for Mass @ CHS Fr. Albert Catholic High, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Praying-Like-a-Ponderosa-Pine.wav"][/audio]   Fire. Fire is something of a double symbol for us. Good because of heat, light, comfort, and food. But ask the people in California and they’ll tell you, fire is also immensely dangerous and destructive. This is true for human beings, as well as for most plants and animals. I say “most” because there are some plants that can actually benefit from fire. Yeah, I just said there are trees that benefit from fire. One such tree is the Ponderosa Pine. It’s huge, and it smells like butterscotch, but...Read More

Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time

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Collect taken from Twenty-Seventh Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you," -We must acknowledge that we can never earn or merit the kind of Love and generosity God shows to us. Not only that, God wants...Read More