Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope. (1 Pet. 3:15) For a number of years, or dearly departed Director of Religious Education, Phillip Bellini, ran a series of articles in the bulletin on “Apologetics.” Since the word has the same origin as our word “apology,” often time people think that the word means to “say you’re sorry.” That’s not the case, but the origins of the words are similar. Both “apology” and “apologetics” come from the Greek word “apologia” but the original meaning of the word has changed in our current use of the word “apology.” In the classical Greek legal system two key technical terms were employed: the prosecution delivered the “kategoria” which was like … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2026
From the Pastor – May 2, 2026
You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) Somebody was recently telling me that, although he didn’t come to Sunday Mass at St. Stephen, he did pick up the bulletin and read my “sermons.” After being assured that he did go to Sunday Mass, just somewhere else, I told him that these bulletin reflections are rarely connected to my Sunday homilies. Although they can be my first thoughts on the Gospel or another one of the readings, there are only rare similarities between this column and the Sunday homily. This is one of the more typical reflections. I plan on preaching this Sunday about the Gospel, which is about Jesus “preparing a … [Read more...]
