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In this site, you will find homilies, reflections (original or from others), Catholic Factoids (stuff that’s currently in the news), Catechesis (which will be grounded in the Catechism), and videos (the library is limited, but very lively!) shared by Dc. McFadden.

Homilies —Articles —Reflections —Bible Studies

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HOMILIES

Homilies

the center cannot hold without god

The Most Holy Trinity (A); May 31, 2026 Ex 34:4-9. Dn 3:52-5. Cor 13:11-13. Jn 3:16-18 Deacon Jim McFadden For the last several years, our country has been going through a period of chaos, turmoil, disruption, and tearing apart. Sometimes I wonder, “Was there ever a ‘good old days’”? The German philosopher Artur Schopenhauer wondered about the basic realities of the human condition. He compared the individual person—and by extension, the country as a whole—as being akin to a boatman “trusting his frail craft in a stormy sea that is boundless in every direction, rising and falling with the…

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May 31, 2026May 31, 2026

Mary, Mother of the Church

Monday after Pentecost Gen 3:9-15,20. Ps 87. Jn 19:25-34 Deacon Jim McFadden As Vatican II was coming to a close, St. Pope Paul VI bestowed upon Mary the title of Mother of the Church, which is celebrated on the Monday following Pentecost. While we’re very familiar that Mary as the Mother of Jesus, the connection that she is necessarily the Mother of the Church, that she is our Mother, may not be so self-evident. The connection lies in the nature of the Church, which the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium (The Dogmatic Constitution of the Church) proclaimed that…

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May 25, 2026May 25, 2026

the other guy

Pentecost Sunday (A); May 24, 2026 Acts 2:1-11. Ps 104. 1 Cor 12:3-7,12-13. Jn 20:19-23 Deacon Jim McFadden When I was a boy in the very distant past, the 3rd Person of the Trinity was referred to as the Holy Ghost. Associating ghosts with spooky movies or novels, I wasn’t too keen on interacting with a ghost, however holy he may be. This tentativeness was soften a bit by the cartoon character Casper the Friendly Ghost. If one liked Casper, why not transfer that affinity to the Holy Ghost. Well, for whatever reason, it never worked and I never…

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May 24, 2026May 24, 2026

our faith is increased by the Lord’s Ascension

Ascension of the Lord (A); May 17, 2026 Acts 1:1-11 Ps47 Eph 1:7-23 Mt 28:16-20 Deacon Jim McFadden For the last two Sundays, we reflected upon Jesus Farewell Discourse which was his last will and testament; there, the nucleus of our Christian faith was on full display. Moreover, he promised us that he will not leave us orphaned as the Father will send the Holy Spirit, who will be the presence of the absent Christ and who will empower us to learn the art of loving. Today, we celebrate Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, which takes place 40 days after Easter.…

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May 17, 2026May 17, 2026

learn the art of loving

The Farewell Discourse, Part 2 6th Sunday of Easter (A); May 10, 2026 Acts 8:5-8,14-17 Ps 66 1 Pt 3:15-18 In 14:15-21 Deacon Jim McFadden During the ‘50s (1956) a world famous psychoanalyst Erich Fromm wrote a remarkable book, The Art of Loving, which was a daring and challenging prescription to learn how to love on a daily basis, which was a must-read on college campuses in later years. I flashed back to this remarkable tome when I reflected upon this Sunday’s Gospel (cf. In 14:15-21) a continuation of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in which he leaves us his last teachings…

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May 10, 2026May 10, 2026

“Do not let your hearts be troubled”

The Farewell Discourse (1) 5th Sunday of Easter (A); May 3, 2026 Acts 6:1-7. Ps 33. 1 Pt 2:4-9. Jn 14:1-12 Deacon Jim McFadden In the Gospel passage (Jn 14:1-12) for this weekend we hear the beginning of Jesus’ “Farewell discourse” on the night of the Last Supper, just before facing the Passion. In such a dramatic moment Jesus is concerned about his disciples as he begins by saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (v. 1). But how can we ensure that our hearts are not troubled when there’s just so much to be worried about? Practically…

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May 3, 2026May 3, 2026

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SPIRITUAL RESOURCES

bible studies

Drawing from Scripture scholars, I have tried to convey their insights in way that is accessible to the ordinary person. Such topics covered have been the synoptic Gospels along with John, Acts of the Apostles, the Infancy Narratives, and Advent and Lenten reflections (cycles A, B, and C). Along this line, I’ve also offered a commentary on papal encyclicals, especially that of Pope Francis.

ARTICLES

Over the years, I have written for such publications as Shalom Tidings and Spirituality magazines. The recurrent and underlying themes are grounded in our relationship with our Lord Jesus: namely, how can we respond to our Lord’s invitation to an authentic I-Thou relationship with Him and with the One who sent Him?

HOMILIES

I prayerfully prepare the homily under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is the Doer and I am the instrument. In so doing, I focus on one major theme, which guards against wandering and freely associating. The spotlight is on the Lord, not on me, the homilist. In terms of length, the sweet spot seems to be eight minutes, no more than ten.

REFLECTIONS

This domain is a religiously grounded application of our Catholic
Tradition within the political, economic, and social domains. Often under the guise of Catholic Trends, I riff off of topics of contemporary interest that hopefully are consonant with our Social Justice Tradition.