If I make it to heaven, I will probably lose the glory for any good work that I bragged about. At least that's what seems clear when Our Lord says at the beginning of chapter 6 of St. Matthew: Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father Who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.—Mt 6:1-2.  But [...]

I went out with a Filipino friend for Korean dumplings today and our server was a 30-year-old woman who barely spoke English. I gave her a Miraculous Medal (with a chain on it, of course) and explained that it was Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus promises lots of graces for anyone who wears it. She happily accepted it and she told me she was a Catholic. I asked if she was a Korean (thinking that, since there are lots of Korean Catholics and because we were in a Korean restaurant.) She told me she was Mongolian. Now, I've met Catholics from all over the world, but this truly [...]

Wednesday morning is my time of praying at the third largest Planned Parenthood in the world.  It is called Park Hill Planned Parenthood, located in the Stapleton neighborhood.   Who is Stapleton?  Ben Stapleton was a 20th century mayor of Denver who was a member of both the Democrat party and the KKK.  (Yes, you read that correctly and can corroborate it in the first paragraph of his Wiki page.)  Here at the Stapleton Planned Parenthood, clinicians surgically kill 10,000 babies a year, as well as countless chemical abortions and now "gender-therapy."  This pre-born killing center is located in a black and hispanic neighborhood, just as a Democrat-Klansman would want. The [...]

Recently, I visited an Eastern Orthodox Monastery in East Texas called Holy Archangels Monastery.  Upon arrival, they were extremely friendly and hospitable.  But they made it mildly clear that I was not on the right path as a Roman Catholic.  And I made it clear we didn't agree on things like the Filioque.  Ironically, for our love of objective truth over friendly interactions, we got along even better than if we had established a peace-pact on false ecumenism.  They were true traditionalists, although of a different tradition.  They received me warmly, especially when they saw I wasn't going to say something stupid like "Isn't it great we all believe basically [...]

First of all, I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all of my listeners and readers, all of my benefactors—both material and spiritual.  We who raise our own funds as religious figures are often tempted to thank our spiritual benefactors just as much as our material benefactors—but only as a show to keep the financial donations coming.  Not me anymore.  I have faced enough spiritual attack since my ordination in 2010 that I can not tell you how much more I need prayers and novenas and Masses and especially your fastings even more than financial donations. Still, I am extremely thankful for both groups of donors.  All [...]

The amice is the neck and shoulder sweat-guard that is the first item put on by a Roman Catholic priest while vesting for Holy Mass.  The priest touches the amice to his head as a blessing as he prays:  Place upon me, O Lord, the helmet of salvation, that I may overcome the assaults of the devil.  I say that prayer in Latin before every Mass, which is: Impóne, Dómine, cápiti meo gáleam salútis, ad expugnándos diabólicos incúrsus.  After the amice touches the priest's head, he wraps it around his shoulders and ties it across his torso.  Besides being a blessing and a sweat-guard, the amice also covers the cassock (or [...]

This morning my good friend's mother went to her eternal reward.  Earlier this week, I had the privilege of praying the old rite prayers of the Commendation of the Soul.  (I didn't know the above picture was being taken at the time.)  The old rite prayers after the mysteries of holy Extreme Unction and after the Apostolic Pardon are extremely powerful.  Here's an example of the many prayers we prayed and I assure you it's worth reading these examples:  

As most of you know, I went to a normal diocesan seminary.  One of those seminarians was later ordained for a midwest diocese.  On his Facebook profile, he once put up an interesting conversation he had with an older priest.  He asked the older priest if young priests would save the Church.  The old priest said "No, young priests will not save the Church.  Jesus Christ will save His Church."  Of course, the post had hundreds and hundreds of likes. I wanted to "like" it too because it shows that Christ is in charge of His Church.  I also wanted to "like" it because it reminds us priests to be [...]

Recently, I was praying my Roman Breviary while walking a beautiful autumn evening around the Highline canal trail, just south of Denver.  I was born in the city-limits of Denver.  I grew up in the city-limits of Denver, and ever since I was 12 years old, I loved maps and riding my bike around the Highline Canal.   Now, 30 years later, I find myself still on the same trails.  This autumn, as I walked the above trail praying the old Divine Office, I thought a lot of what has happened in twelve years since my ordination as a Catholic priest.  As I walked and thought, I remembered an event that [...]

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.—Mt 19:21. In my VLX series (Video Lectio Divina, an online Bible Study) we recently covered the above line from St. Matthew chapter 19.  In it, the rich young man is proud that he has kept the commandments of God.  But Jesus then challenges him to go further:  To sell everything he possesses, give it to the poor, and then follow Jesus.  Any of my listeners [...]