A Deacon's work just never ends.  When I have the 7:30 AM Mass, I need to arrive at least by 6:30 so that I can unlock the doors, turn on the lights, set up for Mass and make sure that the air conditioning or heat is set so that the congregation is comfortable.

This past Sunday, I had such a duty.  After turning on the lights I preceded to start checking the thermostats, as it was a little nippy in the building.  All of a sudden, I started hearing voices, like someone was talking in the vestibule (we call it the community room at St. Luke's).   I pause and distinctly hear:

You are very good looking!

Imagine my surprise.  I look around, and no else has yet entered the Church.

The following is a close approximation of a homily delivered December 17th and 18th, 2016 at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell., Louisiana  This is based on the scripture readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A  and are available by clicking here.

I am usually off one weekend per month from my duties as a Deacon so that I can sit in the pew with my wife Pam. We sometimes attend Mass at a Church where no one knows us.  And in virtually every church, we find the same thing.

The following is a close approximation of a homily delivered November 20th, 2016 at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell., Louisiana  The readings are for The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe and are available by clicking here.

I am going to start the homily today with a riddle.

This is an approximation of the homily for the 28th week of ordinary time delivered at St Luke the Evangelist in Slidell.  It is based on the scripture reading found here.

We learn from an early age that expressing  gratitude is important.  Someone gives us a gift, we say thank you.  If we don’t, our parents gently remind us “what do you say.” Gratitude is a two part response to a gift. The first part is the thing for which you are grateful.

The following is an approximation of the homily I delivered at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell LA at the 11:00 AM Mass.  The scripture readings on which this is based can be found at this link.

Once upon a time... when was the last time that you heard a sermon or homily begin with, "once upon a time?"  That is usually reserved for fairy tales.  But this story is no fairy tale.  It is a true tale...about me.  Once upon a time,  I was very self-satisfied.

The principal of subsidiarity is one of the key planks of the platform of Christian Social Teaching. It always has made practical sense to me, even in the days before I was a very interested in God or my faith.  I am ashamed to admit, however, that I have done a poor job of explaining it in the past.

I do not need the federal government to decide which flavor of ice-cream I am going to eat.  As a matter of fact, I do not need anyone but "Me" to decide that.

Did you know that the late great Walker Percy was, in addition to a wonderful author, a medical doctor?  Did you know that he was also a secular Oblate of the Benedictine community of St. Joseph's Abbey in Covington, Louisiana? Mr. Percy  made his final oblation on February 16, 1990, less than three months before his death.

He was ardently pro-life, writing this piece entitled "A View of Abortion with Something to Offend Everybody" on June 8, 1981.

People of the opposite sex – living together as if they were married – but without the “formality” of a civil or religious marriage ceremony. It used to be called “shacking up” and had a very shameful and negative connotation.  Now, I suppose, the politically correct term is cohabitation.  It’s not so shameful anymore.  Unfortunately.   It no longer has much of a negative connotation.  Sadly.

This growing trend of co-habitation is bad for society. It is especially bad for women.

I was well aware that this homily would generate some controversy and some misunderstanding. One truism I have found over the past eight years of preaching is that no matter what words come forth from the mouth of the homilist, some folks will hear the message that they want to hear?  I would like to offer some clarifications based on some of the questions and comments that I have received in person, through social media and text message.

The following is a close approximation of the homily  delivered at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Slidell, LA USA on August 14,2016. This is for the 20th Sunday in ordinary time and is base on the readings that can be found at this link.

During the time of the 3rd Reich, Nazis exterminated 6 million Jews and 6 million others “undesirables”.
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A LIttle About Deacon Paul
A LIttle About Deacon Paul
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Slidell, Louisiana, United States
I am a Permanent Deacon of the Archdiocese of New Orleans with a ministry of charity to inner city youth at Cafe Reconcile.
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