Introduction Novena Day 1 Novena Day 2 Novena Day 3 Novena Day 4 Novena Day 5 Novena Day 6 Novena Day 7 Novena Day 8 Novena Day 9 Octave Day 1 (to come) Octave Day 2 Octave Day 3 Octave Day 4 Octave Day 5 Octave Day 6 Octave Day 7 Octave Day 8 ..read more

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To purchase the book on Amazon CANADA (click here) To purchase the book on Amazon USA (click here) The Endorsements for 9 Days to First Holy Communion CHILDREN “Fr. Rich’s book helped me understand the Eucharist much better. It was fun to read, and I think his book will be great for all kids getting ready for their First Holy Communion.” – Deaglan, Grade 3 “9 Days to First Holy Communion helped me prepare for my First Holy Communion. Thank you, Fr. Rich! I know Jesus hides in the Blessed Sacrament and He wants to be with me always. I love receiving the Eucharist now!” – Isabelle, Grade 1 “My ..read more

Fulton Sheen said during his last recorded Good Friday address in 1979 that he spoke on the subject of Christ’s 7 Last Words 58 times. This Anthology puts together 7 books Sheen wrote: (1) The Seven Last Words, (2) The Cross and the Beatitudes, (3) The Rainbow of Sorrow, (4) Victory over Vice, (5) The Seven Virtues, (6) Seven Words to the Cross, (7) Seven Words of Jesus and Mary. I will use these #s to reference the quotes below. (NB: I have direct summaries of those highlighted above.) Our Blessed Lord spoke seven times from “the pulpit of the Cross” (St. Augustine) – and these are called His ..read more

When the Gospel writers state that Our Blessed Lord cried out this 4th word from the Cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34), what type of cry was it? Q. Was it a cry of despair? A. No! Since “despair” signifies the voluntary refusal to hope in God’s promises and the means God provides to obtain the ends which He promises, Christ could not have given into despair because He underwent His Passion with perfect knowledge that He was fulfilling the divine will. Q. Was it a cry of damnation? A. No! Since “damnation” signifies the pain of definitive privation of God’s grace ..read more

The Catholic Mass is PLAY! When I think about “play,” I often think about my favourite game to play as a child (and still today): hide-and-seek. Once I learnt the specific roles and rules of hide-and-seek, I loved to simply play the game. I enjoyed being able to hide quietly in a dark closet and give little clues of where I was in order to be eventually found. (Hiding is fun but being found in a good hiding spot is even better!) I also loved to be able to find someone, give them a big hug and say, “Found you!” If some “adult” had questioned me about why I was playing hide-and-seek, I probably ..read more

A Biblical Answer to the “god-freedom problem” that I discussed in the last post (go here for that) is the burning bush. When Moses asks God for His name in Exodus 3, Moses is asking “what kind of being” God is. Moses wants to put God in categorical terms like the rest of mankind. He thinks that God is a being like us all… God’s response, Bishop Barron states provocatively, is: “Dumb question, wrong question, I am not a thing in the world… “I am who I am” (Ex 3:14)… I am prior to thought, to language, to being. I AM that which upon the categorical realm depends.” The burning bush—burning wit ..read more