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About This Site….
________________________________________________________________________ Fr. Dennis assists individuals and families facing difficult ethical, healthcare, and end-of-life decisions. He helps clarify complex healthcare and ethical questions so families can make thoughtful, informed decisions consistent with human dignity and the faith. Throughout his ministry and healthcare experience, Fr. Dennis has encountered many individuals and families facing the realities of aging,…
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Homily, 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time A: The Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus took place at Mount Tabor A few years ago, I had the opportunity to join a group on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. One of the places we visited was Mount Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration, where the beautiful Basilica of the Transfiguration was built. All buses stop…
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Homily, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time A: Genuine Happiness is Our Treasure
Growing up in the Philippines, I heard many stories about treasure hunters trying to find gold bars hidden by Japanese soldiers during World II. Legend states that when Japan occupied the Philippines, General Yamashita and his forces buried tons of gold and other stolen treasures in underground caves and tunnels to retrieve it all after…
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The Joy of God is in the Core of Our Hearts (Homily 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)
There was a story about three brothers who left home for college and were successful in their chosen fields. Some years later, they discussed the gifts they could give their elderly mother, celebrating her 95th birthday. They wanted to impress relatives and close family friends who would have the best gift. The first said, “I will give Mom…
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Homily 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time A
In the first year of marriage, the man speaks, and the woman listens.In the second year, the woman speaks, and the man listens.In the third year, they both speak, and the neighbors listen. Listening is essential. The parable of the sower reflects our ability or inability to listen and respond to God’s Word. The parable’s…
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Doubts May Help Us Grow in Faith
Scripture Readings July 3rd, Friday, Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle The apostle Thomas’ first reaction when he met Jesus was that of doubt that He rose from the dead. It earned him the nickname, Doubting Thomas. However, his story actually ended up with an expression of great faith to the Lord, as he said,…
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Giving Opens the Way to Abundance
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back (Luke 6:38). Giving bears enormous returns and rewards. But, the act of giving is already a…
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Five Attributes in Coping with Tough Times
by John Timmins I look back on the past few months of the lockdown or restricted movement. The situation was challenging. However, it ultimately became a positive time for the growth of our relationship as a family. I am a Catholic school teacher, and my wife is a physical therapist in a hospital setting. We…
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Finding Hope in Difficult Times
Like Joseph in the Old Testament, We are Put into a Pit; Like Him, May We Also Hold Firm on Our Hope We are entering another day of uncertainty with the Corona Virus scare. As we go farther on, maybe our questions, apprehensions, and concerns for the future are also intensified: What will happen to…
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Coincidence is God’s Providence: A Man Traces the Tomb of His Oblate Missionary Brother in Unexpected Circumstances
By Fr. Dennis Gonzales We all have stories that put a smile on our face every time we share or remember them in our quiet moments. When we find the thread that ties the story together, we tell ourselves, “Now I understand why that happened.” I call those stories providential. They manifest God’s presence in…
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Our Lives Always Have a Sparkle of Hope
Florence May Chadwick was an American swimmer who was the first woman ever to cross the English Channel both ways in 1950. On the 4th of July 1952, Florence, then 34, had set her goal at being the first woman to swim the 26 -mile distance between Catalina Island and Southern California coastline, just two…
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A Pilgrimage to Ephesus
One of the most memorable places we visited during our pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Paul was the ancient city of Ephesus, located near the modern town of Selçuk in present-day Turkey. For me, visiting Ephesus was more than seeing impressive archaeological ruins. It was an opportunity to walk through a place where the…
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Is Faith Associated with a Longer Life? What Does Research Say?
In my ministry, I have accompanied many people through different stages of life. I have seen moments of joy, illness, grief, uncertainty, and loss. Over the years, I have seen how faith can become an important source of hope and strength, especially when people face circumstances they cannot control. For many people, faith is not…
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“I Want to Go Home”: What People with Dementia May Really Be Saying?
I remember my grandmother, who experienced some form of dementia. One thing our family often recalls is how frequently she would say, “I want to go home.” Years later, when I worked in a long-term care facility, I heard the same words from many residents living with dementia: “I want to go home.” It is…
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Homily 25th Sunday A
This Sunday’s Readings Someone told me about an old practice where workers would gather in a certain place early in the morning, waiting and hoping someone would come and hire them for the day. Some were looking for construction work; others were willing to do household work or whatever honest work was available. They stood…
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When Are We Healed from Illness?
At the end of the second year of our studies and formation at the seminary, we are sent to different hospitals for our clinical pastoral education program (CPE). CPE is part of our training to provide pastoral and spiritual care to individuals and families facing crises, particularly those caused by illness. Through this experience, we…
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Meteora, Greece
Meteora is one of Greece’s most extraordinary landscapes. It is a collection of enormous, steep sandstone rock pillars rising dramatically from the plains of central Greece. What makes it especially remarkable is that Orthodox monasteries were built atop these seemingly inaccessible rocks centuries ago. The monasteries appear to cling to the cliffs, surrounded by enormous…
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Homily 24th Sunday A
There is a story about a man who was rushed to the hospital after a terrible accident. Sadly, the man died. The hospital discovered that he had been living alone in a small, run-down apartment. He was poor, had no permanent job, and apparently had very few possessions. Eventually, the hospital located a relative who…
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Can Singing Help Us Heal? What Science and Faith Tell Us
Singing together is something beautiful. We experience it in many places: at church, in a choir, at family gatherings, during celebrations, or simply when friends join in a familiar song. Voices that differ in age, strength, tone, and ability somehow come together and create something that no single voice could create alone. Singing is especially…
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Get Some Morning Sunlight: It May Help You Sleep Better
Many of us begin the morning by reaching for our phones, turning on the television, or getting ready for work indoors. Yet something much simpler may help us start the day: spending a little time in natural morning light. Light does more than help us see. It is also one of the most important environmental…
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Dear Doctors, Nurses, and Caregivers, The Bedside is a Sacred Space Where We Meet God as We Care for the Sick!
Whenever we approach a patient at the bedside, whether as a healthcare professional, caregiver, family member, or minister, we bring more than our knowledge and skills. We also bring something deeply sacred: the gift of ourselves and our presence, through which God’s compassion and love can be made present to the person before us. I…
Inspiring Families to Care for One Another, Live a Deeper Faith and Embrace a Healthier Life.
