From the Desk of Michael Philpott

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time The last time I had an opportunity to write a bulletin article, on the feast of Pentecost, I was moved to reflect on the virtue of hope, that which directs our eyes heavenward, accepts the promise of God, and rejects the self-defeating fears of the mind. And as I read…

Hope in Love For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are…

I was looking at the scrutiny readings for today, and the Gospel made me think of one of my favorite poems, which I would like to share with you today. After one moment when I bowed my head And the whole world turned over and came upright, And I came out where the old road…

When I read today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah, for some reason I thought of video games.I’m not sure why, since I don’t play them very frequently these days. But stick with me on this. There is a term from video games that has entered the common vocabulary in recent years:“leveling up”. In many games,…

This past Wednesday marked my one-year anniversary of working for St. John the Evangelist Parish. And what a year that it’s been. It hasn’t just gone by quickly because of how busy it’s been, but because it’s been a full year, a year filled with self-discovery, spiritual growth, and love. Please indulge me today in…

This weekend is the kick-off weekend for our diocese’s “Stewardship for Saints and Scholars” campaign. As Bishop Boyea explained in the campaign video shown this weekend far better than I could ever, I won’t even attempt to do so in this article. But if you missed it before Mass, I highly encourage you to take…

Into the Desert Later this week, we will remember the death of John the Baptist at the command of King Herod Antipas.  John was a speaker of truth, bravely calling out the sins of Israel’s rulers while at the same time leading a spiritual awakening of its people through preaching and a baptism of water,…

I Hated the Psalms Michael Philpott For most of my life, I disliked the Psalms. It all started as a kid sitting in the pew at Mass during the Liturgy of the Word. I enjoyed the Old Testament stories in the first reading and hearing the Good News from the Gospel reading. The second reading,…

Good Shepherd Sunday Whenever we read a book, watch a movie, or contemplate a work of art, we enter into something of a relationship with that artwork. The relationship could be momentary and fleeting, pleasing to our senses, but easily forgettable. It could be a deeper engagement, during which we stare at it and become…

Third Sunday of Lent I would suspect that most of us Catholics, if not all, have had at least one Lent that has come and gone with it hardly registering. Certainly, this has happened to me more than I’d like to admit. Indeed, when living my life at its worldliest, it was possible for an…

The world is full of uncertainties right now. Inflation and economic worries continue with no clear end in sight. War and rumors of war abound. The fabric of our social existence seems to be unraveling amid political division, lack of common values, and social media driven isolation from true community. How in the world is…