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Archangel
Msgr. Byrne is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York, a kindred spirit of many and well respected by most Catholics in diaspora who yearn for a more collaborative church in line with the thinking of Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, Retired Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Australia.

Liturgy
This link will keep 'parishioners-at-large' in touch with current creative liturgy sources and resources that respect a variety of 'traditions' within the Church.

COMMONWEAL Magazine
A 'lay' Catholic weekly publication with an accent on an intelligent analysis and commentary on curent issues, trends and concerns of interest to Catholics.

National Catholic Reporter
A national Catholic lay newspaper covering events not usually covered or presented with a clerical bias in the local diocesan press or but of concern and interest to Catholics.

Survivos' Network for those Abused by Priests or Religious
A National Network of self-help support groups for people abused by clergy or religious.

Bishop Accountability
Vital information about the disclosure of sexual abuse and related issues affecting Catholics in the pew and the manner in which Bishops continue to exempt themselves from accountability

Voice of the Faithful
A 'movement' of lay Catholics 'inspired' by the abuse scandal calling for greater accountability of bishops to 'Catholics in the Pew.'

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Daily Scripture

+ 16th Week in Ordinary Time

The obvious is not always so obvious.

Readings: Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13 Psalm 36:6-11 Matt 13:10-17

To those who have, more will be given and they will have abundance. As for those who do not have, even what little they have will be taken away. [Matt 13:12]

I have never been comfortable with this text. I simply cannot imagine God deliberately disabling people, especially the poor and disenfranchised. Toward the conclusion of this passage, Matthew references Isaiah 6:9-10 in which the prophet expresses God’s frustration with those who had hardened their hearts.

Ultimately it was Isaiah’s task to ‘soften’ the hearts of the people, to dispose them to hear God’s word.

There is an additional problem with Matthew’s text. It appears that Jesus cultivated ‘insider trading’ by showing favoritism toward his disciples. This is an oversimplification, to be sure. Matthew was holding the outsiders – those who missed the connection between Jesus and the prophets and thus failed to appreciate the day of visitation.

But we ‘insiders’ are not always so open to God’s word and Jesus presence in our midst. Our biases and prejudices often blind us to the reality of God’s presence and the connection of the Gospel to our daily agenda. In fact, we are more prone to pursue our own agenda rather than God’s.

The ‘bottom line’ refers not to money or financial security assets but rather to faith and our commitment to ‘invest’ in our faith through good works. These good works in turn reap the reward of additional graces that sustain our faith.

The Grace of Good Friday

Friday March 21, 2008

Jesus is dead! Banks are closed. No mail delivery today. Off to Nassau and the islands for a break? or instead to Disneyworld? Color Easter…Read full entry

Open Letter to US Bishops

Thursday June 21, 2007

Last Sunday in observance of the fifth anniversary of the meeting of the US bishops in Dallas to hear the…Read full entry

Editorial - Op Ed

Monday March 19, 2007

It’s a matter of conscience For several weeks in succession, I repeated the ‘pulpit’ announcement at the conclusion of Mass at…Read full entry

Tomorrow's Priests - a 'guest' editorial

Saturday January 13, 2007

November 3, 2006 / Volume CXXXIII, Number 19 EDITORIAL – COMMONWEAL Magazine The Catholic priesthood in…Read full entry

Unanswered Question Linger...

Tuesday January 9, 2007

Boston Globe on the Fifth Anniversary of Disclosure By Steven Krueger | January 7, 2007 It couldn’t be stated more…Read full entry

The Grace of Good Friday

Friday March 21, 2008

Jesus is dead!

Banks are closed.
No mail delivery today.
Off to Nassau and the islands for a break?
or instead to Disneyworld?

Color Easter eggs but not before 3:00 o’clock.

Collegians off to Florida beaches
for sun, sex and a bottle of booze.
Easter break.

Artist’s rendition of the crucified
in milk chocolate,
on sale at the local candy store.

Nightly news competing with ‘U-Tube’ catering to viewers
telling them what they want to know
rather than what they need to know.

The news is rarely good,
especially on ‘Good Friday.’

Easter bunnies stand on the sidelines of life
watching ‘the Holy One’ pass,
wondering what it’s all about.
No, not the execution,
but life itself.
“What’s it all about, Alfie?”

What IS the grace of the day?

Liturgists remind us that it’s not a feast day
and certainly not a holiday.
It’s a commemoration,
an observance
on which Christians over the world
contemplate and ponder the death of ‘the Christ.’

But the death of the ‘Anointed’ is not on the cross.
It’s at the mall
on the battlefields
and in oil fields
across the world,
in skyscrapers,
on Wall Street
in brothels and casinos that rival ancient shrines
with their gold and silver arches and
and even in basilicas—elegant theaters of ceremony
and carefully staged rituals

Preachers pointing to the large crucifix
mouthing the words of scripture
shouting out to the assembly:
“God sent his son to die” and
“you put him on the cross!”

No, God did not send his son to die;
He sent him to live
and no,
I didn’t put him there,
though I do confess that
I might have been in the crowd that
called for the release of Barabbas,
not for the death of Jesus.
I am innocent of that man’s blood.
I’m no terrorist!
I’m a Christian!

I stood with Peter;
I was frightened,
scared to death that they would haul us all
into the courtyard
and tie us to a cross too.

Yes, it’s all about denial.
Death to the prophet!
It is always expedient that one person die
for the sake of the many.

The grace of the day
is in the air
everywhere.

Be attentive,
stay awake lest you miss the point
not of his death
but of his life.