The Light of Conscience

Our friend Tom is in a moral pickle. His elderly mother—bedridden with dementia and slipping in and out of consciousness—nonetheless clings to life. There is no telling how long until she will “shuffle off this mortal coil.” In the meantime, … Continue reading

Prayer of the Needy

One of the parts of the Mass in which the Church gives her priests autonomy over word choice is the introduction to the Prayers of the Faithful. There are many fine ways to direct the faithful to prayer, but one … Continue reading

First Mass

A Short Story Clenching the wheel of his community’s beat-up beige Ford Taurus so tightly the color had fully drained from his hands, Father Eugene Felusiak raced up the Jersey Turnpike. As he successfully steered the vehicle from one lane … Continue reading

Emmaus

At last.Here look!See Love.Ye who do go conversing sad.Ye who see nowYour Lord drawing nearAnd yet see Him not.Ye for whom LoveHad died upon the gibbetDrowned in blood that dread Friday afternoonAnd all was thought lost. At last.Here look!See Love.Ye … Continue reading

Dispelling Darkness

On a recent Sunday evening, another brother and I walked up to a snow-covered golf course at the edge of the grounds at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Up for the week visiting our campus ministry there, we had … Continue reading

The Primary Importance of Being Able to Sit

The music stops, and all the children feverishly vie for a seat, aware there is one fewer chair than players in the game. Brother and sister race through the parking lot to the family minivan, their frenzied cries of “SHOTGUN!” … Continue reading

Moved to Remain

I have never mended a net. It seems like a tedious enterprise. As of now at least, there is no talk of the Dominican House of Studies entering into a net-mending apostolate, and for that I am grateful. In this … Continue reading

Dwindled Infinity

It is not uncommon for the priory where I live in Washington, D.C. to host guests for dinner. On occasion, our guests will be a family. From time to time, that family will include a baby. Seeing a baby become … Continue reading

The Unkempt Man

Brother’s having a really rough day. He wakes up at 7:08 am, throws on his habit, bounds bleary-eyed down two flights of stairs, and makes it to the chapel as the lector finishes the first reading. After Mass, Brother finishes … Continue reading