Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Catholic devotions are usually popular prayers, rituals and pious practices used by individuals or groups to worship God or venerate Mary and the Saints. Often devotions express a particular conviction about the object of the devotion. For example, Eucharistic devotions, Adoration of Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Processions, and Benediction all express our Catholic belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

People are sometimes curious about what I do all day. Fair question. People are also surprised when I tell them that among my priestly duties, not a day goes by that I don’t encounter parishioners who have been afflicted with an addiction. Addiction touches nearly everyone, either directly or through a relationship with a loved one. Sadly, addiction was previously understood as some sort of substance abuse and dependence. The truth is that addiction originates and manifests itself in a variety of ways. Addictions have been linked to increased access to online pornography, legalized marijuana and sports gambling in many states, heightened pressure to meet societal standards, and fewer personal bonds has left our culture looking for love and seeking God in the wrong places.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross has special meaning for me. The year was 1987 and I was just accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Phoenix. On September 14th that same year, Pope John Paul II was in Phoenix. He had a Mass with about 80,000 people and I was able to be an altar server for that Mass!

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Church celebrates 2 important canonizations in the universal Church. On September 7th, Pope Leo XIV will canonize two Italians, Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, who both died young … but not without making their marks in the church and throughout the world.

Soon-to-be-Saint Pier Giorgio Frassatti was born into a wealthy family in Turin, Italy. His parents, however, had a difficult marriage and were only culturally Catholic. He was known as a joyful, adventurous young man and is referred to as the “Man of the Beatitudes.” He loved taking trips to the mountains for hiking and mountain climbing. He was a gregarious and friendly young man who had a great attraction to the Holy Eucharist and helping the poor.