Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
The Catholic Herald reports that for the first time in decades, the Catholic Church in America is growing. They go so far as to say, “If the projections for 2025 hold, this change could represent a significant turning point for American Catholicism.” I’m cautiously optimistic. The Church is a big ship, and she takes a good long while to turn […]
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Today is one of the great solemnities of the Church year: the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Last year on this date, my beautiful bride Francine and I celebrated our twentieth Catholic anniversary. For that anniversary, I wrote an article called “How the Assumption Saved my Life“, which delved into the history and meaning of this date for Francine […]
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Yesterday, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, I learned of the death of Bishop Peter Elliott. His Excellency was the author of any number of liturgical books. I consider myself privileged to have collaborated with him on his book, Ceremonies Explained for Servers. In addition, His Excellency wrote the foreword to my book on altar serving, The Altar Server Manual. […]
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Today is the Memorial of the dedication of one of my favourite church buildings in the world, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, also known in English as Saint Mary Major. It is occasionally known by the title of Our Lady of the Snows. When Francine and I visited Rome in 2005, our apartment was just a few […]
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The first time I ever went to Francine’s apartment, more than twenty years ago now, I noticed a tea towel hanging in her kitchen. It illustrated the various types of Welsh love spoons. It still hangs in the kitchen of Pistachio House. If you’re not familiar – as I certainly was not – there is an old custom in Wales […]
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Today is the Feast of Saint James the Greater, known throughout the Spanish-speaking world as Santiago and in French as Saint Jacques. He was one of Christ’s Twelve Apostles. Saint James is the patron saint of the archdiocese of Seattle. May you have the joy of the feast! James and his brother John were natives of Galilee, sons of the […]
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Today would have been Francine’s 63rd birthday. Last year, when she turned 62, having been born in 1962, she proclaimed that it was going to be her year. She called it her “golden year”. Maybe it was. This is the year that she was swept up in the arms of Jesus. I have no doubt that she is in a […]
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Francine’s funeral arrangements are in place. Vespers for the Dead Vespers from the Office of the Dead will be sung for Francine on Thursday, 10 July, 2025 at 6:30 pm Pacific Time at Saint Patrick Church in Tacoma. The principal celebrant will be our friend, the Rev. Jacob Maurer. Music will be directed by Maestra Amy Gallwas. Vespers will not […]
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My beloved bride Francine passed to God at just after midnight on June 21. On behalf of our family, I ask for your continued prayers. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine,et lux perpetua luceat eis. Grant her eternal rest, O Lord,and may everlasting light shine upon her. Our family thanks all those who supported us through Francine’s terrible final illness. Funeral […]
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My beautiful bride of 17 years was taken to the emergency room at midnight of Easter Sunday. She was physically weak and having trouble with her memory. At Tacoma General Hospital, they ran every test you could imagine. They even sent a sample of her spinal fluid to the Mayo Clinic. On May 5, we received the final diagnosis from […]
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Today the Cardinal Electors, guided by the Holy Spirit, elected Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost to the Chair of Saint Peter. He has chosen the name of Leo XIV, perhaps in homage to Pope Leo the Great, or perhaps to Pope Leo XIII, author of Rerum Novarum. Francine and I watched from her hospital room. Although quite ill, she was very […]
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Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine:et lux perpetua luceat eis.In memoria æterna erit iustus,ab auditione mala non timebit. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord:and let perpetual light shine upon her.She shall be justified in everlasting memory,and shall not fear evil reports. Absolve, Domine,animas omnium fidelium defunctorumab omni vinculo delictorumet gratia tua illis succurentemereantur evadere iudicium ultionis,et lucis æternae beatitudine perfrui. […]
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This morning, Pope Francis died on Easter Monday. Please join me in praying that this humble servant of God has ended his pilgrimage in our heavenly homeland. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine:et lux perpetua luceat eis.In memoria æterna erit iustus,ab auditione mala non timebit. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord:and let perpetual light shine upon him.He shall be justified […]
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Immediately following the great Vigil of Easter, my beautiful bride Francine was admitted to Tacoma General Hospital. Symptoms were increasing mental confusion and physical weakness. She had recently suffered a bout of walking pneumonia, and during those days she was physically weak and had some small moments of forgetfulness and not being able to find words. We attributed it to […]
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The Paschal Homily of Saint John Chrysostom, circa AD 400: If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If anyone is a wise servant, let him, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord. If anyone has wearied himself in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If anyone has labored […]
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