This Sunday rsquo s Gospel makes for difficult reading during the quot dog days quot of summer It speaks of things we would rather gently put aside simple lifestyle almsgiving readiness for the return of the Lord faithful use of the time given us and warnings of punishment The beginning of t

Following last week rsquo s narrative of one praised for quietly sitting in the Lord rsquo s presence this Sunday rsquo s readings focus on the need to voice one rsquo s concerns to God in prayer and on how we should pray The specific instructions are prefaced by Luke rsquo s version of the Lord r

Recently the Jesuits were given pastoral care of St Patrick rsquo s Parish in Oakland Calif a small but spirited community composed mainly of African Americans and Hispanics a community that radiates hospitality One of the great saints of the parish is Mother Dumas age 99 matriarch of a larg

During the summer months people are on the move as luggage-laden cars inch along packed highways or hordes of people head for airportsall with the hope of some restful change from ordinary life Today rsquo s readings picture people on the move but for very different reasons The reading from Isaia

Eery few parables of Jesus have had the impact of the story of the Samaritan who stops and helps an injured man on the desolate road to Jericho The Good Samaritan has been portrayed in art at the Lancet Window at Chartres and by Bassano Giordano and Rembrandt Hospitals and health care systems hav

I never forget my visit to Kenya over 20 years ago I arrived in Nairobi after a long journey and received a kind welcome at the airport only to be sent on a perilous journey to the Gaba Institute in Eldoret I traveled along the winding roads of the Great Rift Valley in a matatu a local taxi with