Question of the Week, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Matthew 16:13-20

A few times in the past year, I’ve written about the life and ministry of Bishop Ken Untener. Bishop Ken came into my life after a difficult ministry experience that left me doubting my gifts and my usefulness as a Church minister. He hired me to serve as the director of the Worship Office in Saginaw, Michigan, and his first words to me were, “I am here to help you succeed.”

When my oldest granddaughter was just three years old, she accompanied my daughter-in-law to a family wake. My daughter-in-law had instructed my granddaughter to say, “I’m sorry for your loss,” when greeting the family of the deceased in the funeral parlor.

Question of the Week, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Matthew 15:21-28

Several years ago, I served as music minister of a merged parish whose members were African-American, Hispanic, Italian, and Polish. Each culture brought to the table a variety of feasts, celebrations, traditions, and—of course—music, that invited growth in awareness and understanding. 

Question of the Week, August 15, 2020, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Year A

Question of the Week, August 9, 2020, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Several years ago, a coworker gave me a lovely South American pottery piece. It is a small boat carrying Jesus and the disciples. I treasure the gift to this day, and when I look at it, I think, “We’re in this boat together.”