It's time for some jazz, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation of "Cheek to Cheek" by Pete Fountain:
30 April 2026
Belated Birthday Blessings, Lori!!!
Belated birthday greetings to niece Lori Dymek Kirch, whose birthday was yesterday!!! May each day of the upcoming yea, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Birthday Blessings, Adalynn!!!
Happy Birthday greetings to granddaughter Adalynn, whose birthday is today! May this day and the upcoming year be filled with an outpouring of the Lord's choicest blessings!
Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS, on Thistle and God's Love
"It's that time again! It is time to get into the garden. This year, I've got some help. Fr. Stew moved into our community last fall, and his favorite task? Pulling weeds.
"Weeds are a reality in every garden. My particular nemesis: thistle. These invasive plants are nearly impossible to eradicate. They send out underground runners that slip into even the most protected beds. Pull them, and they return. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Father Joe Newman, OSFS, reflected on the similarities between God's love and thistle.
To access Fr. Newman's complete post, please visit:
De Sales Weekly: Provincial Reflection: Thistle (30 APR 26)
Reflection Starter from St. Catherine of Siena
"What we have to do is present to God what we are, and then let Him work His miracles." - Saint Catherine of Siena
28 April 2026
"Unto the House of the Lord"
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of "Unto the House of the Lord":
National Youth Sports Safety Month
April is being observed as National Youth Sports Safety Month, an observance designed to raise awareness of sports-related injuries in youth and the promotion of measures that can be taken to prevent these injuries.
Background information:
American Safety & Health Institute: April Is National Youth Sports Safety Month
National Council of Youth Sports: STOP Sports Injuries
Safe Kids Worldwide: Rules of the Game
National Athletic Trainers’ Association: Youth Sports Safety
Cerith Gardiner on What We Leave Behind
"As Artemis II traced its path around the far side of the moon this month, traveling farther from Earth than any human mission before, it did what these moments tend to do rather well: It made everything feel both very large and rather small at the same time.
"Because the moon, for all its stillness, is not empty. It carries the traces of those who have been there before, not just footprints, but objects, some practical, some surprisingly personal. Tools, rovers, fragments of spacecraft, but also things that were never strictly necessary: a small red Bible, messages of goodwill, a plaque quietly marking that human presence. . . .
"What's interesting is that none of these objects were strictly
necessary. They were, in their own way, expressions of meaning, small
attempts to leave something behind that said: This is who we are, this
is what mattered to us."
In a recent commentary, writer Cerith Gardiner
reflected on how this event invites a quiet reflection on the traces we leave behind.
To access Ms. Gardiner's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia: Cerith Gardiner: What will we leave behind for those we love? (19 APR 26)
27 April 2026
Preservation Week
This week, the week of 26 April-2 May, is being observed as Preservation Week, an initiative designed to connect communities through events, activities, and resources that highlight what communities can do, individually and together, to preserve their personal and shared collections.
According to the American Library Association, Libraries alone hold 3 billion items in various collections (63 percent of the whole). Uncounted additional items are held by individuals, families, and communities. These collections include books, manuscripts, photographs, prints and drawings, and objects such as maps, textiles, paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and furniture. They also include moving images and sound recordings that capture performing arts, oral history, and other records of creativity and history.
Background information:
American Library Association: Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures: Preservation Week
Birthday Blessings, Laken!!!
Birthday greetings to Myrna's great-grandson, Laken, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!
Fr. Ceslaus Kowalkowski, O.P. on Our Call at Our Baptism
"Have you noticed any themes in the prayers at Mass this Easter season? The one that’' stood out to me the most is the Sacrament of Baptism. It seems like every few days one of the prayers at Mass refers to the newly baptized, specifically those who entered the Church at the solemn Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. It's made me consider: What exactly happened at their Baptism? What happened to all of us, for that matter?"
In a recent commentary, Father Ceslaus Kowalkowski, O.P., reflected on how, at Baptism, each of us becomes like Christ and are entrusted with a mission like His.
To access Fr. Ceslaus' complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: Me, Like Christ? (21 APR 26)
Reflection Starter from B. C. Forbes
"Acting without thinking is like shooting without aiming." - B. C. Forbes
26 April 2026
"Great Shepherd of thy People, Hear"
As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of John Newton's "Great Shepherd of thy People, Hear":
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Today the Church celebrates the Fourth Sunday of Easter. The assigned readings are Acts 2:14a, 36-41; 1 Peter 2:20b-25; and John 10:1-10. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 23 (Psalm 23:1-6).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Spirit & Psalm - 4th Sunday of Easter, 2023 - Year A - Psalm 23 - Hart
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."
Reflections related to these readings:
Benedictine College: This Sunday, We the Sheep Wait for the One We Know (23 APR 26)
Word on Fire: Cut to the Heart (Cycle A * Easter * 4th Week)
The Pilot: Echoes: Scott Hahn: What are we to do? (24 APR 26)
The Quiet Corner: Finding Abundant Life Through Christ and His Sacraments (23 APR 26)
Belated Birthday Blessings, Jake!!!
Belated birthday greetings to (great) nephew Jake Duggan, who birthday was yesterday!! May each day of the coming year,be richly blessed!!!
Archbishop Henning on Athletes and Keeping the Faith
"Much has been said recently about the rising number of people discovering or returning to the practice of the Catholic faith. I certainly have been experiencing that reality on the ground in parishes, schools, and on university campuses. In the years since the pandemic, we have seen a rising number of people seeking baptism, increased Sunday Mass attendance, and significant increases in seminary admissions. As I visit communities, there is also a kind of electricity in the air as people sense that God is at work in these developments. The most dramatic changes have been among the young, and I have spoken previously of these experiences in this column.
"Today, I would like to reflect on one of the interesting elements of this revival of faith.. . ."
In a recent commentary, Archbishop Richard G. Henning reflected on the number of student athletes being well represented among the young people engaging in the faith and on some of the related factors.
To access Archbishop Henning's complete post, please visit:
The Pilot: Echoes: Archbishop Richard G. Henning: Run the race, keep the faith (24 APR 26)
Reflection Starter from Pope Leo XIV
"The Gospel of the Day (Jn 10:1-10) invites us to trust in the Lord. He does not come to take anything from us. Rather, He is the Good Shepherd, who multiplies life and offers it to us in abundance." - Pope Leo XIV
25 April 2026
Deacon’s Work Brings Light to Africa
In a previous column, I shared the story of Deacon Don Grossnickle, who was diagnosed with stage four heart failure 10 years ago. At the time, he was given only two years to live, so he credits God - and his rigorous exercise regimen - with keeping him alive much longer than expected. He also feels that God has some work for him to continue, specifically, what he considers to be the greatest mission of his life: the Microfinance Alliance Africa Projects Foundation (or MAAP Foundation).
More than a decade ago, during a trip to Uganda, East Africa, to celebrate the ordination of a seminarian who had worked in his Chicago parish, Deacon Don came upon a maternity clinic that broke his heart because so many mothers and/or babies were dying for lack of care. After he returned to the U.S., he asked God what he could do to help these people. At first, he collected and sent over money for "malaria medicine and also medicine to pay for baby deliveries. Just $10 to $20 is all it requires."
Deacon Don credits the Holy Spirit with leading him to the concept of "sustainability" and "microfinance" as better options. During a Christopher Closeup interview, he explained, "The Africans are all busy with microfinance. Everybody grows to eat. . . . If you have an excess, you sell it [to raise money for what you need], and that's microfinance."
Deacon Don shifted his attention to raising sums of $5,000 so the people in this particular Ugandan community could set up small cow, pig, or poultry farms that could earn $200 to $300 monthly. Profits could go towards their clinics, making them self-sustaining.
"It became a community development project," Deacon Don said. "The original clinic that I visited grew and grew and outlived its problems of bankruptcy and became financially strong. After that, we said, 'Can we do this somewhere else?' And we did. We've been doing that ever since for impoverished Catholic-oriented parish clinics. This year, w'’ll be adding 10. We have 43 projects so far. The Holy Spirit has really empowered us."
Deacon Don then shared the story behind one of the MAAP Foundation's beneficiaries: "Justine died on the way to the hospital [to deliver her child]. Justine and her unborn baby didn't get to the parish clinic in time. The priest that was taking her to the hospital didn't get there in time. Consequently, the priest that buried Justine and the baby came to us. We did a $5,000 project, and today, 10,000 people in his parish now have the opportunity to come and get free assistance to deliver babies. Justine had bleeding, and it's very common in the rural areas of Uganda to have bleeding complications. Without expertise, they will die. There are no such things as doctors in rural parish-run clinics. So it's a great story, a memorial to Justine and the priest that reached out to us. . . . It illustrates the power of people to make change, to light a candle from darkness."
When asked how he himself lights a metaphorical candle when facing times of darkness, Deacon Don concluded, "I light it through prayers of gratitude. Some people count sheep. I count opportunities that I have grasped with the Holy Spirit together, side by side, just as Jesus sent out His disciples two by two. . . . There's great joy in counting our blessings of opportunities to bring light."
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle"
column by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of
weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current
events.
Background information:
The Christophers
Microfinance Alliance Africa Projects Foundation
Reflection Starter from Blaise Pascal
"All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone." - Blaise Pascal
24 April 2026
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: "Hymn of the Cherubim"
It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s "Hymn of the Cherubim", as played by the USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir:
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, (25 April). The free event will be held from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. As of this writing, there are 450 collection sites planned in New England, including 76 in Connecticut, 44 in Maine, 160 in Massachusetts, 105 in New Hampshire, 34 in Rhode Island, and 31 in Vermont.
Public health, law enforcement, and other government and community representatives will be working at these sites to collect expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs that are potentially dangerous if left in the family's medicine cabinet.
This National Take-Back Day is designed to provide an opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications for destruction. These drugs are a potential source of supply for illegal use and are considered an unacceptable risk to public health and safety.
This one-day effort is designed to bring national focus to the issue of increasing pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. The program is anonymous, and it focuses on prescription and over the counter solid dosage medications (i.e., tablets and capsules). Intravenous solutions, injectables, and needles will not be accepted. In addition, illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative.
To view a list of collection sites in a specific state, please click on the following:
US DEA: National Take Back Initiative Collection Site Search
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of those who take care of lawns, flower beds, and related shrubbery.
Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, on Us as an Easter People
"Almost forty years ago, Pope John Paul II, on one of his many travels around the world, told a gathering of Catholics that 'We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!' The Holy Father was echoing the thoughts of the great theologian, philosopher, and bishop, St. Augustine."
In a recent commentary, Father Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, reflected on what it means to be an Easter people and the hope that comes with this blessing.
To access Fr. Kolodziej's complete post, please visit:De Sales Weekly: Provincial Reflection: We are an Easter People (23 APR 26)
Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales
"What does anything belonging to this life matter, when compared with a peaceful heart?" - Saint Francis de Sales
23 April 2026
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: "Worthy Is The Lamb"
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir presenting "Worthy Is The Lamb":
National Crime Victims Rights Week
This week, the week of 19-25 April, is being observed as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Observed since 1981, NCVRW was initiated as an observance to promote awareness of victims’ rights and services and to honor crime victims and survivors. The theme for NCVRW 2026 is "Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities.."
For more information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please visit:
U.S. Department of Justice: Office for Victims of Crime: National Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Rose Bryan on Ways to Continue Our Resurrection Celebration
"Oftentimes during Lent we pour our hearts into prayer, fasting, and
sacrifice, offering everything to Jesus in gratitude for His love. But
when Easter Sunday arrives, many of us aren't quite sure how to live the
joy that follows. We risk treating the Resurrection as a one-day event
rather than the history-changing reality it is - the moment Christ made
all things new."
In a recent commentary, writer Rose Bryan reflected on ways one can live the full 50 days of the Easter season and beyond.
To access Ms. Bryan's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia: Rose Bryan: 5 Ways to rise with the Risen Christ this season (10 APR 26)
Reflection Starter from Max Lucado
"Don't equate the presence of God with a good mood or a pleasant temperament. God is near whether you are happy or not." - Max Lucado
19 April 2026
"In the Breaking of the Bread"
As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of Bob Hurd's "In the Breaking of the Bread":
Birthday Blessings, Frank!!!
Birthday greetings to Frank Perterson, son Adam's father-in-law, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Third Sunday of Easter
Today the Church celebrates the Third Sunday of Easter. The assigned readings for the Mass of Easter Day are Acts 2: 14, 22-33; 1 Peter 1:17-21; and Luke 24:13-35. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 16 (Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm / Third Sunday of Easter Year A / CBW#94 / Psalm 16
The Gospel reading is as follows:
That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus' disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing as you walk along?" They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?" And he replied to them, "What sort of things?" They said to him, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?" So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
Reflections related to these readings:
Benedictine College: This Sunday, Jesus, the 'Undercover Boss,' Is Seeking You Out, Too (16 APR 26)
Word on Fire: The Pattern and Presence of Jesus (Cycle A * Easter * 3rd Week)
The Pilot: Echoes: Scott Hahn: Emmaus and us (17 APR 26)
The Pilot: Echoes: Archbishop Richard G. Henning: 'Blessed are the peacemakers' (17 APR 26)
The Quiet Corner: Finding Jesus in the Father's House (16 APR 26)
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