Sunday Homilies

from Father Kevin Laughery, Troy St. Jerome and St. Jacob St. James Parishes, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Note: Comments from this page do not reach me; instead, email: kl@kevinlaughery.com

The Podcasts

Never mind mowing down Amalek with the edge of the sword.  The preceding image, of Moses' arms being supported by members of the community, is a beautiful reminder of the ways in which our prayers are enhanced when we are praying together.

Direct download: KML_2010-10-17_800am.MP3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:07pm CDT

Having proposed that I might plan to do some sort of adult-education event on some topic in theology, I have received word from several parishioners that they would be interested in this.  I am thinking that I might plan such an event for January.

Possible topics: Since salvation is, you may say, the "bottom-line" concern of Christians, I have been thinking about presenting something about "what Scripture says about salvation."  I could also consider a survey of world religions and their relationship to Christianity.  Another possibility is Christian unity and how various groups of Christians are related to one another.  My official specialization is canon law, which, while not strictly theology, is built upon theology; I could certainly present something on canon law as it governs marriage.  If any of these topics is of particular interest to you, please let me know what you'd like me to speak on.

Time and place: Should this be four weekly sessions?  Just one session?  Weeknights or weekends?  

Category:general -- posted at: 5:03pm CDT

It seems to be a very slow process.  How do we expand our concept of God?  How do we move beyond the "local gods" that Naaman imagined?  How do we get beyond our constant denial that God is the God of all peoples?  Good questions.

Direct download: KML_2010-10-10_800am.MP3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:02pm CDT

We are four parishes and we have four parish feast days.  Let's review them: 

January 20 is the memorial of Saint Sebastian, martyr.  He may have died in 286, which makes his the youngest of our parish's titles, since the others are related to Jesus and Mary.  The image of Sebastian shot through with arrows has been very popular through centuries of European art.  Interestingly enough, the arrows didn't finish him off!  We have a 6:30 pm Mass scheduled at St. Sebastian on Thursday, January 20, 2011, followed by a meeting of the pastoral council of the four parishes.

May 31 is the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Visitation of Elizabeth -- the marvelous event, recorded in the first chapter of Luke's Gospel, in which two pregnant women share with each other their experience of the mercy and marvels of God, which few other people could appreciate.  In 2011, May 31 falls on a Tuesday.

The other feast days depend on the date of Easter, and in 2011, Easter falls on the second-latest day possible: April 24.  (Later on, I will present a discussion of the determination of the date of Easter.)  The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Friday after the second Sunday after Pentecost, falls in 2011 on July 1.  Given that 2011 is the 125th anniversary year for Sacred Heart Parish, we need to begin planning for this celebration, which, coincidentally, is very close to the Franklin Fourth of July celebration!  Immediately following Sacred Heart, the Immaculate Heart of Mary memorial (the more common rendering of the name "Sacred Heart of Mary") is Saturday, July 2, 2011. 

Category:general -- posted at: 4:56pm CDT