Life on the Chrism Trail

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Josaphat

November 12, 2026
St. John the Apostle Catholic School and Church
North Richland Hills, Texas

Philemon 7-20
Psalm 146
Luke 17:20-25

Our first reading from Saint Paul’s letter to Philemon is a very important letter for us to read and to understand if we truly want to follow Jesus as good Catholics and Christians. Saint Paul is writing to his friend whose name is Philemon. Like Saint Paul, Philemon has become a follower of Jesus Christ and a member of His Church. They are friends and were friends before either of them became Christians. Saint Paul is writing to Philemon about this man named Onesimus who has become a Christian also. Onesimus has been Philemon’s slave.

November 13, 2026

Homily for the Solemnity of All Saints

November 1, 2026
Casa Santa Maria
Rome, Italy

Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
1st John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12a

This past Thursday morning Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Education Policy released the results of a study that was sponsored by Thomas Aquinas College. The report compared SAT forms from 1980 and 1987 with the most recent SAT practice test. The report shows extensive changes to the SAT reading section over the past four decades, most of which lessens the emphasis upon students’ ability to read and analyze difficult texts.

November 1, 2026

Homily for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

World Mission Sunday

October 22, 2026
St. Mark Catholic Church
Argyle, Texas

Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
Psalm 96:1, 3, 4-5,7-8, 9-10
1st Thessalonians 1:1-5b
Matthew 22:15-21

Today marks the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the World Day of Missions. In 1926 Pope Pius XI established this day of prayer and support for the missions throughout the world, that the cause of the liberating Gospel of Christ would be advanced everywhere through a spirit of sacrifice, intentional prayer, and witness of Christian life for the sake of the salvation of souls. The theme of this year’s world mission Sunday is entitled “One in Christ, United in Mission.” This title is derived from the Papal motto of Pope Leo XIV, “In Illo uno unum,” “In the One We are one.”

October 19, 2026

Homily for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 11, 2026
St. Rita Catholic Church
Ranger, Texas

Isaiah 25:6-10a
Psalm 23
Philippians 4:12-20
Matthew 22: 1-14

Whenever I listen to the Gospel that we have just proclaimed, I am initially puzzled about the part of the story that describes the man who has been invited with the other latecomers from the streets and the peripheries of society but then is thrown back out into the street because he lacks a wedding garment, a garment that is appropriate for the joyful celebration of the wedding of a King’s Son. It seems rather unjust that this should happen since the guest was invited to the wedding without time to prepare to accept the invitation and to put on his “Sunday Best.”

October 11, 2026

Homily for the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi – 800th Anniversary of the Death of Saint Francis

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 4, 2026
St. Francis of Assisi Church
Graford, Texas

Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80
Philippians 4:6-9
Matthew 21:33-43

Today we celebrate the 800^th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. He is the patron of your parish who intercedes on your behalf and that of your loved ones. We thank him for his intercession that has helped to deliver many from the recent fires and we ask him for his continued intercession for those who have been harmed by these fires. In no small way, he was with you spiritually in assisting the charity your parish showed to first responders in providing meals and rest to assist them in their life-saving and heroic work.

October 4, 2026

Homily for the Mass for Babies Who Died Before Baptism

October 3, 2026
Saint Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
Psalm 119:135
Luke 10:17-24

Bishop’s homily in English begins at paragraph 7

Nuestras lecturas de esta Misa nos ofrecen tres puntos para nuestra reflexión y meditación: el silencio, el santo temor, y la revelación de Dios a los pequeños por el don de Su Hijo, el Hijo de nuestra Señora también.

October 3, 2026

Homily for the Red Mass for the Diocese of Fort Worth

September 23, 2026
Saint Patrick Cathedral
Fort Worth, Texas

Isaiah 58:6-11
Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
James 2:14-18, 26
Matthew 25:31-46

We come together this evening not only as judges, attorneys, legislators, priests, and public servants. This evening, we invoke the fire of the Holy Spirit as symbolized by the red vestments of this Mass, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts and minds of those of us who are especially charged with administration of the law towards the preservation of justice. We do not seek God’s ratification of our political agendas or His blessing upon the ambitions for our careers. We gather to ask the Holy Spirit to purify and to illumine our reason with the fire of His Love.

September 24, 2026

Homily for the Feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle

Institution of Acolytes

September 21, 2026
Saint Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church
Fort Worth, Texas

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Psalm 19:2-5
Matthew 9:9-13

Today we gather at this Mass of the Feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist to pray for these men who are to be instituted in the ministry of Acolyte as part of their preparation and formation on the path towards ordination to the permanent diaconate. We pray also for their wives and families. Finally, we pray for the Church, both local and universal.

September 22, 2026