Author: Father Albert

St. Camillus de Lellis

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Collect taken from the memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis, priest. Collect: O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Camillus with a singular grace of charity towards the sick, pour out upon us, by his merits, a spirit of love for you, so that, serving you in our neighbor, we may, at the hour of our death, pass safely over to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son... "O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Camillus with a singular grace of charity towards the sick, pour out upon us, by his merits, a spirit of love for you," - God gives...Read More

Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time

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Collect taken from Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time. Collect: O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path, give all who for the faith they profess are accounted Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ and to strive after all that does it honor. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path" - This is Salvation History: the story of God showing...Read More

The Liberating Burden

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Homily for 14th Sun OT, Year A Fr. Albert  St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia [audio wav="http://box5246.temp.domains/~alberuc3/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/The-Liberating-Burden.wav"][/audio]   Is it heavy enough for you? Are you weary from carrying it? The weight of your own importance, the burden of your pride. Do your shoulders hurt from the load of vanity, of keeping up appearances? Is your back sore from leveraging control over politics, or relationships, or even traffic? It’s work enough controlling ourselves, yet we so often insist on seizing responsibility for anything but the one thing that is actually ours. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and...Read More

St. Maria Goretti

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Collect taken from the memorial of St. Maria Goretti, virgin and martyr. Collect: O God, author of innocence and lover of chastity, who bestowed the grace of martyrdom on your handmaid, the Virgin Saint Maria Goretti, in her youth, grant, we pray, through her intercession, that, as you gave her a crown for her steadfastness, so we, too, may be firm in obeying your commandments. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, author of innocence and lover of chastity, who bestowed the grace of martyrdom on your handmaid, the Virgin Saint Maria Goretti, in her youth," - The Christian demand for chastity...Read More

Independence Day (USA)

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Collect taken from the special prayers provided for Independence Day. Collect: God of justice, Father of truth, who guide creation in wisdom and goodness to fulfillment in Christ your Son, open our hearts to the truth of his Gospel, that your peace may rule in our hearts and your justice guide our lives. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "God of justice, Father of truth, who guide creation in wisdom and goodness to fulfillment in Christ your Son," - Creation is good and there are many good things we human beings seek to do, but the fulfillment of goodness is found only in...Read More

St. Thomas the Apostle

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Collect taken from the memorial of St. Thomas the Apostle. Collect: Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns... "Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession" - Not only do we seek St. Thomas' intercession, but ask for even the grace to seek it...Read More

St. Junipero Serra

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Collect taken from the memorial of St. Junipero Serra, priest. Collect: O God, who by your ineffable mercy have been pleased through the labors of your priest Saint Junipero Serra to count many American peoples within your Church, grant by his intercession that we may so join our hearts to you in love, as to carry always and everywhere before all people the image of your Only Begotten Son... "O God, who by your ineffable mercy have been pleased through the labors of your priest Saint Junipero Serra to count many American peoples within your Church," - Bringing people into the Church...Read More

First Martyrs of Rome

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Collect taken from the memorial of the First Martyrs of Rome. Collect: O God, who consecrated the abundant first fruits of the Roman Church by the blood of the Martyrs, grant, we pray, that with firm courage we may together draw strength from so great a struggle and ever rejoice at the triumph of faithful love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ... "O God, who consecrated the abundant first fruits of the Roman Church by the blood of the Martyrs," - The first fruits of the Roman Church are the converts to Christianity. But, just as Christ completed his ministry through his passion...Read More

Sts. Peter and Paul

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Collect taken from the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. Collect: O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. Through Christ our Lord... "O God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul give us the noble and holy joy of this day," - The Church's feasts are not just moments of memory, but occasions of actual joy. In this case,...Read More

Where We Come From

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[caption id="attachment_1697" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Ancestry Data from 2010 Census, via Wikipedia (Not the same Map used by Ancestry.com)[/caption] Not too long ago, I came  across a cool map of American Migration based on Ancestry.com's genealogical data.  It started me thinking about how many people I know or have heard about who have decided to delve into their ancestry.  Indeed, others have noted that there is a growing number of people who are interested in their genetic history and discovering their roots.  Something about being able to point to a specific place, to a specific set of people and say "that's where...Read More