Our Lady of Guadalupe, 12 Dec 2012

Click her to download and listen to this homily (9 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. A great sign appeared in the sky, a women clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child.

Readings: Revelation 11:19a, 12:1-6a, 10ab; Judith 13:18; Luke 1:39-47

Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, 11 Dec 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (8 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. Jesus is always searching for the lost sheep. Let us do the same and bring those who are lost and far from God back with us. Let Us Rejoice.

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96; Matthew 18:12-14

Monday of the 2nd Week of Advent, 10 Dec 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (8 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. Seeing the faith of his friends, Jesus forgives and heals the man lowered down through the roof. Let us be the kind of person who will stop at nothing to bring others to Jesus for healing.

Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 85; Luke 5:17-26

2nd Sunday of Advent, 9 Dec 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (23 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Go to confession Jesus wants your sins as His Christmas gift.

So is missing Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation a Mortal Sin? The Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1859 states "Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God's law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin." 

So all three conditions need to be present for the sin to be Mortal: 1) Serious Matter, 2) Knowledge of action as a Serious Matter prior to committing the act, 3) Full consent of the will, freedom to do or not do the act. 

If any one of these conditions is defective then there is no mortal sin, yet it involves serious matter and should be confessed and avoided in the future. So is deliberately skipping mass on Sunday/Holiday of Obligation a Mortal Sin? Often Yes, with mitigating circumstances often, No.

Readings: Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6

Immaculate Conception, 8 Dec 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (11 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. "I am the Immaculate Conception" Our Lady of Lourdes 1858, just four years after the Dogma was proclaimed. Immaculate Mary your praises we sing. You reign now in heaven with Jesus our King. ~Lourdes Hymn.  Pray your Rosary every day.

Readings: Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 98; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38

Friday of the 1st Week in Advent, 7 Dec 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (8 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise at St Catherine of Siena parish in Petersburg, Alaska. St Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Jesus heals the two blind men with these words, "Let it be done for you according to your faith." Lord increase our faith!

Readings: Isaiah 29:17-24; Psalm 27; Matthew 9:27-31

1st Sunday in Advent, 2 Dec 2012

Click here to download and listen to this homily (16 minutes) given by Fr Thomas Weise. Jesus said, "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Jesus is coming are you ready?

Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36