Browsing Pastor's Column
9-08-24 23rd Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 8/29/24
23rd Sunday - Fr. Leo
“He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Jesus cured people physically and spiritually. This same Jesus stands before every person at this very moment to heal them of their infirmities. What makes this doable is the faith of ... Read More »
9-01-24 - 22nd Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 8/27/24
22nd Sunday - Fr. Leo
In today’s scriptures, Jesus critiques religion. Religion is to serve the Spirit in brining people into God’s love. However, sometimes it can be misused to serve religious leaders or other political agendas. This is very clear in the Gospel when Jesus counters the Pharisees and ... Read More »
8-25-24 - 21st Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 8/20/24
21st Sunday - Fr. Leo
Reaffirming faith in God is the theme that runs through today’s scriptures. Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel to have them choose whom they will follow. The God who leads them out of Egypt or another. Quickly, they reaffirm their faith in the God of their fathers.
The same happens in the Gospel. Jesus tests his follower’s faith and calls them to embrace the unbelievable. Many left him, but the disciples reaffirm their faith when they choose not to leave Jesus and say, “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of ... Read More »
8-18-24 - 20th Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 8/13/24
20th Sunday - Fr. Leo
The Scriptures of the last few Sundays have carried the same theme. Jesus as the Bread of Life. We hear these same words today. And on one level, they are still strange. Strange, because we can not rationally understand the Mystery of God. Preaching is difficult, because we ... Read More »
8-11-24 - 19th Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 7/31/24
19th Sunday - Fr. Leo
Around the world, the Catholic Church is engaged in a Eucharistic revival. Last moth, Indianapolis hosted thousands of religious and laity for a week of renewal and celebration of the Eucharist. Our Archdiocese is offering many opportunities to participate in special events centered around the Eucharist.
The value of these efforts is not the rituals alone, though they are imperative. What is important. is the presence of Christ that is experienced in our celebrations. The Eucharist isn’t magic, it is ultimate mystery. Christ who always was, is and will be, left his physical body and sent us the gifts of the Holy Spirit through which the eternal Christ comes to live in us and continue his loving mission of healing and reconciling through ... Read More »
8-04-24 - Suggested Reading by Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 7/30/24
Suggested Reading by Fr. Leo
Below is a list of books I would recommend for Spiritual Reading with short descriptions.
The it Guide to (almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by James Martin. This book makes the Jesuit Ignatian Spirituality accessible to everyday living. A clear way to use ... Read More »
7-28-24 - 17th Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 7/23/24
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Leo
Both Elisha, the man of God, and Jesus, the Son of God, feed more people than they have food for. In both cases, it was the work of God the Father that provided for the hungry. What makes Jesus’ feeding of the ... Read More »
7-21-24 - 16th Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 7/15/24
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Leo
The Good Shepherd is an image we encounter often in the Scriptures and in the teachings of the Church. Most importantly we refer to Christ as our good shepherd who leads us home to a new and eternal Eden with the Holy ... Read More »
7-14-24 - 15th Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 7/09/24
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Leo
Amos, after whom the Book of Amos is named after, is getting a tongue lashing from Amaziah, priest of Bethel. He tells him to go away and not play prophet in Bethel. Amos’ says he is not a prophet, he is just doing ... Read More »
7-07-24 - 14th Sunday OT B - Fr. Leo Schneider
Posted by Jennifer Stephan on 6/27/24
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Leo
“My grace is sufficient for you,for power is made perfect in weakness.”
When St Paul refers to his weakness, it is believed that he suffered from Malaria. So in his travels, he would become delayed because of long recuperations along the ... Read More »