St Raymond Penafort, 7 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (10 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. St Raymond Penafort (1175-1275) Dominican Friar. At the request of Pope Gregory IX he collected together various decrees into the Code of Cannon Law, he wrote a Summa of Cases which gave order to the Sacrament of Penance. He was drawn to sinners and captives wanting to bring freedom to all of them.


Readings: 1 John 5:14-21; Psalm 149; John 2:1-11

St Andre Besette, 6 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (7 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. St Andre Besette (1845-1937) was born to working-class family in Quebec, orphaned at 12 and weak and in ill health was almost rejected by the Holy Cross Order. After the novitiate Brother Andre was assigned the post of doorman. He liked to joke that on completing his novitiate he was shown the door and remained there for forty years. He spent much of his spare time visiting the sick, and was credited with many healing miracles, which he was always quick to credit to the mercy of God and the intercession of St Joseph.

Readings: 1 John 5:5-13; Psalm 147; Mark 1:7-11

St John Neumann, 5 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (9 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. St John Neumann (1811-1860) born in Bohemia, ordained a priest in New York, gifted with languages and worked with the Catholic Immigrants arriving from Europe. He was consecrated the fourth bishop of Philadelphia in 1852 where he established a thriving network of parochial schools, started with one and reach 200 at his death from exhaustion eight years later.

Readings: 1 John 3:11-21; Psalm 100; John 1:43-51

St Elizabeth Ann Seton, 4 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (10 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. St Elizabeth Ann Seton, (1774-1821) raised five children then after the death of her husband joined the Catholic church, moved from New York to Baltimore, founded the Daughters of Charity of St Joseph and started the Catholic School System in the USA.


Readings: 1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98; John 1:35-42

Holy Name of Jesus, IHS, 3 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (7 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell, Alaska. Today we celebrate the optional memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus. IHS is the three letter monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus. If you look carefully you will find it everywhere in Christian Art. In First John we are told the wonderful news that we are all God's children now. John the Baptist did not recognize his cousin as the "Lamb of God" until the Holy Spirit came down on him. Come Holy Spirit and show us that we are all God's beloved children.

Readings: 1 John 2:29-3:6; Psalm 98; John 1:29-34

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, 2 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (10 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell, Alaska. Today's saints Basil and Gregory had a tremendous love for each other and encouraged each other to grow in wisdom and holiness. In today's Gospel, it is John the Baptist' humility that we can emulate. So together in humility and love we can aid each other as we journey to Heaven our final goal.

Readings: 1 John 2:22-28; Psalm 98; John 1:19-28

Solemnity of Mary Mother of God, 1 Jan 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (24 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Rose of Lima parish in Wrangell, Alaska. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the model disciple reflecting on everything about her son in her heart. Our Lady of Medjugorje recommends five practices that will help us grow in holiness: Prayer with the heart-Rosary, Mass-Eucharist, Holy Bible, Fasting, Monthly Confession.

Readings: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21.