Weekly homilies of Fr. Joseph Gill, priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT
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As we begin Respect Life Month, we will begin a three-week series about the gift of human life. Today we begin with the insights of Pope St. John Paul II about human dignity, equality, and the sacredness of human life - and how it is applicable to our world today.By Fr. Joseph Gill
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This world thinks very poorly of innocence, and often mocks the idea that we shouldn't taste every evil that presents itself. But Christ makes it clear in the Gospels that innocence is a prerequisite for Heaven. What is innocence, how does it differ from naivete, and how do we cultivate it in our lives and in the lives of our kids and grandkids? In…
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All of our readings this weekend feature the theme of envy: "sorrow at another's good fortune." Today we discuss when envy is good and when it is bad, and three profound antidotes to such a deadly sin, so that we can live lives of joy and peace!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Like salt and pepper, lightning and thunder, Romeo and Juliet, so Faith and Works should always go together. St. James puts it best when he describes a "living faith" - a firm belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior, which is then lived out in lives of holiness. But a living faith often includes the Cross, which is what makes it so challenging!…
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Aflame 114 - Assumption Homily - Body on Earth, Soul in Heaven
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When Mary lived on earth, her mind and soul were already in Heaven - desiring God, living holiness. Because of how her desire for God consumed her entire being, it is fitting that her immaculate body would partake of the divine life of Heaven that she so ardently longed for. We, too, while we live on earth, can live with our hearts in Heaven - so t…
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The radical claim of Christianity is that, through grace, we become adopted sons and daughters of God. But so many of us struggle with family wounds, loneliness, and the alienation of sin. If so, this consoling message of God's Fatherhood should give us courage - we have a good Father in Heaven, a new family in the Catholic Church, and the grace to…
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Looking at the Crucifixion from Medical Science
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We hear every week that Jesus died for our sins. But what was crucifixion, really? What made it so horrible? What were the actual, physical sufferings that Jesus endured for us and for our salvation? Understanding the medical reality of Christ's Passion helps us to understand the depths of His love for us - a God who was willing to shed every drop …
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We've seen the Disney-esque trope: a young person feels stifled by their traditions, and for love or adventure decides to rebel against their parents and their culture. Conflict ensues, but in the end, the parents realize that their offspring were correct: their culture and their traditions prevented their happiness. Is this what Jesus is criticizi…
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Some men are called to give it all for Christ, being conformed to Him in a unique manner through the gift of the priesthood. What about those mysterious priests? Learn all about how they are called to image Christ and be a true father to His people!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Aflame 111 - The Sanctifying Power of a Difficult Marriage
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Marriage is fantastically difficult. It puts two imperfect people together, for life, with all of their sins and weaknesses and insecurities. What could God have been thinking by concocting such a relationship? Only that it has the immense power to sanctify us and teach us how to love. Even difficult marriages, with all of its suffering and pain, c…
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Marriage is more than just a natural relationship or a convenient partnership - it is a Sacrament given by Christ, ordered to the procreation of children and the mutual sanctification of spouses. Hear how the graces given in this Sacrament can make you holy!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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The Eucharist can make us saints - so why do so many people receive Him frequently, and still remain unchanged? Perhaps it is because we do not have the right dispositions! What characteristics and virtues should fill our soul to receive Him, not just worthily, but fruitfully? Love, faith, desire, purity, and reverence - these unleash the immense p…
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Dash Through the Creed 20 - Theology of the Body
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Before we begin speaking about the beauty of Matrimony or the Priesthood, we need to speak about understanding love. John Paul II left us a beautiful insight on love, called the "Theology of the Body". Here, we break it down into a very easily-understood lesson on the nature of love - what it is, and what it is not. Tune in to hear the life-giving …
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Aflame 109 - The Eucharist Is the Life of the Soul
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Every authentic spirituality must be Eucharistic, since the goal of spirituality is union with God - and there is no better way to be united to Him than to receive and worship His Body and Blood. Truly, the Eucharist is the Bread of Life, for if our souls are to be alive, they must feed upon Him Who is the Life!…
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This great Sacrament of Confession has fallen out of favor in the Church recently - but needs to be rediscovered as the "second plank of salvation after the shipwreck of sin", as the Church Fathers called it. A good Confession gives us peace of mind, restores us to grace, and re-opens Heaven to us. How do we make a good Confession, and why should w…
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The deep desires of the human heart cannot be fulfilled by the empty trinkets of this world. Rather, our poverty of love, our hunger for God can only be fulfilled in the small white Host that is elevated at every Mass, for there we find God incarnate!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Dash Through the Creed 18 - The Mass
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The Mass is the greatest act of worship we can offer the Father - then why do we often find it so boring? Perhaps because we don't know what's going on, far beyond what our senses can perceive! Tune in to learn how to "get more" out of the Mass - by learning how to give of yourself to God, thereby opening yourself to the gift of Christ's True Prese…
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"Out of Darkness" Stories Behind the Songs, Part 2
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The second half of the album features more songs rich is musicality and theology. Dive into the stories behind the songs of Fr. Joseph Gill's newest release, "Out of Darkness", which debuted in June of 2024! The album can be found on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCki07thX3bL4Zjbt7awzCOQ), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/3lAQ1GQ…
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Dash Through the Creed 17 - The Eucharist, Part 2
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Our Church calls the Eucharist the "source and summit" of our Faith. We examine today the history of Eucharistic belief, and the many beautiful aspects of Our Eucharistic Lord!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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"Out of Darkness" Stories Behind the Songs, Part 1
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Fr. Joseph recently released a new album of original Christian rock music, "Out of Darkness". Here you can preview some of the tracks and hear Fr. Joseph explaining the stories behind the songs on the album! The album can be found on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCki07thX3bL4Zjbt7awzCOQ), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/artist/3lAQ1GQ…
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Dash Through the Creed 16 - The Eucharist, Part 1
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Now we come to the very heart of our Catholic Faith - the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. He is truly present there, but how can we believe it when our senses tell us otherwise? Tune in to grow in faith and appreciation for Christ's True Presence!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Jesus gave His Apostles the ability to cast out devils, cure the sick, reconcile sinners, and preach the Gospel. He gives that same authority to the Church today - not just to priests and bishops, but to parents and to every individual believer as well. How can we live out of the spiritual authority we have been given, so that we can help Christ in…
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This great Sacrament of Confirmation is NOT a graduation from Church - rather, it is a commissioning to take the Gospel to the ends of the world. How does this Sacrament empower us with the grace to go forth and preach (and live) the Name of Jesus? Tune in to discuss the hidden power of the Holy Spirit - and your own charisms!…
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We know that Christians are called to holiness - but what is holiness? Does it mean praying all day, practicing extreme penances? Can we, with our weaknesses and frailty, actually be holy? How do we go about achieving it - or rather, how does God do it within us? Holiness is the reason why we were created, and the great fulfillment and joy of every…
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Dash Through the Creed 14 - Baptism, Part 2
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We continue our discussion of the great Sacrament of Baptism and speak about how best to live it out in our lives!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Those who go through any transition in life - whether hitting 40 years old, or graduating high school - often pause to examine their life. What's the point of it all? Why have I striven and stressed, toiled and sweated - just for the things of this earth? The only thing that can redeem the meaninglessness of our existence is Love - love of God, and…
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The foundation of all other Sacraments - the one that opens the door to everlasting life - the one that makes us a member of the Church, an adopted child of God, takes away original sin - of course it's Baptism! Come and hear how powerful this Sacrament is, and tap into your own baptismal grace!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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This created world is good, beautiful, and powerful - because it reflects the Hand of Him Who created it. As we enter into the summertime, it's good to view the visible creation with a spiritual eye towards the invisible Creator!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Dash Through the Creed 12 - The Sacraments
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We are blessed to have seven "touchpoints" where we encounter God's powerful work - they are called the Sacraments! What makes something a Sacrament? How does it give us grace? Tune in to hear about the Big Seven which continue Christ's work in the world today!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Christ spent three years preaching, and thirty years as a humble, obscure laborer. In doing so, He is teaching us the beauty and value of a hidden life - away from the eyes of the world, but precious in God's sight. All Christians are called to cultivate a desire for hiddenness, that we may be invited into intimacy with God's Heart!…
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Dash Through the Creed 11 - The Four Last Things
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Our lives will all come to an end...what then? Thankfully, our Lord and His Church give some guidance as to what will happen when we close our eyes for the last time. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Judgement...all of these are realities that the saints witness to, and Christ speaks about. Tune in to learn all about the end of this world and the beginning…
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The name "Devil" comes from the Greek word meaning "Divider or Scatterer" - and indeed, he is having a field day on social media dividing the world and scattering our attention from what really matters. Social media is only a tool, but it is a dangerous one that can destroy those who don't know how to handle it properly. What are the dangers, and h…
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Dash Through the Creed 10 - The Church, Part 3
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Today we finish our discussion on the Church by looking at the hierarchy - how can the Church claim to teach in the name of Christ? What is infallibility and what do we believe about it? Tune in to find out!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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The Eucharist is the sign of Christ's covenant with all humanity. He promised to remain with us always, and we promised obedience and love to Him. Christ has always been faithful to His promises - have you been faithful to yours?By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Dash Through the Creed 9 - The Church, Part 2
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We continue on studying about the Church - what makes her unique among all world religions? What are Her marks, and why should we belong to her despite all the scandals? Tune in to find out!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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It is thanks to Pope St. Pius X that children receive Holy Communion at the tender age of seven - but he was inspired to make it so young through the example of a four-year-old girl named Nellie Organ, whose faith in "the Holy God" in the Eucharist brought so many others to a deeper relationship with Christ's living presence in Holy Communion!…
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Dash Through the Creed 8 -The Church, Part 1
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Today we examine our Catholic Church. Did Jesus intend for there to be a Church? How can we know that the Church is the true church founded by Jesus Christ? Tune in as we begin to answer all your questions about Catholicism!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Aflame 99 - Prayer Is the Heartbeat of the Church
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The Holy Spirit wants to shower many gifts upon His Church: courage for those persecuted, powerful words and deeds from preachers of the Gospel, acts of charity and self-sacrifice, a deep desire for holiness. But all of these spiritual gifts flow from the fount: an intimate union with Jesus Christ in prayer. Prayer is the heartbeat that moves grace…
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Dash Through the Creed 1 - Is It Reasonable to Believe?
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Starting off our "Dash Through the Creed" series, Fr. Joseph discusses the first two words of the Creed: "I Believe"!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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No topic in the Church is as misunderstood as Mary. Do Catholics worship Mary? Doesn't the Rosary disobey Jesus' teachings to "not babble on" while praying? Is Mary's Immaculate Conception about when Jesus was conceived? Tune in to hear all about Mary!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Jesus' last prayer was "that Christians may all be one" - united in spirit. But sadly we see so much division among those who profess His Name. But unity matters, as it is a powerful witness to the world, and unity must be based upon the Eucharist, the teachings of Christ, and union with His visible head, the Pope. We have no fear in proclaiming th…
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Dash Through the Creed 6 - Cross and Resurrection
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We know that Jesus came to save us by dying on the Cross, but how does that work? Why was it required that someone needed to die for our sins? And - is the Resurrection a real historical event? Tune in to learn more about this pivotal moment in human history - the Paschal Mystery!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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It's so easy to look down, at this passing world, and think this is all there is. But when Christ ascends to Heaven, He urges us to "look up" and see that our destiny lies with Him in glory!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Every good story features a sidekick. And the great story of salvation history, with its Protagonist of Jesus Christ, invites us to be His friends. But what does a human friendship consist in - and how does it relate to our friendship with Jesus? How do we distinguish a real friendship from a counterfeit one? Let us seek to be friends, not just sla…
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Dash Through the Creed 5 - The Incarnation
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The very crux of human history is when God became man. We hear it so much that we often lose the awe at this mystery - God is one of us! Tune in to hear how we can understand the Incarnation in a deeper way.By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Our creed states that we believe God is "creator of heaven and earth". What happened at creation? How does it show God? Can we believe in a Creator and also believe in evolution? How does the Bible reveal creation? Tune in to find out!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Aflame 95 - The Death of a Shepherd Is Life for the Sheep
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There is a huge difference between a leader and a boss. Bosses look to reward themselves; leaders seek the benefit of others. Leaders set a vision which leads to the flourishing of those entrusted to their care; bosses rely on titles and honors. Jesus Christ shows us the pinnacle of leadership, and many of His saints such as St. Padre Pio are also …
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The Trinity is the greatest mystery of our Faith - but that doesn't mean we don't know anything about it! How do we get a glimpse at understanding how three Persons can be in one God? Tune in for the third installment of the Dash Through the Creed series!By Fr. Joseph Gill
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Much of our faith is invisible - the soul, Heaven, the power of the Sacraments. Our Catholic faith must be grounded in something more solid than what we feel and sense. Even if we don't actually experience God, we believe the testimony of those who saw the Risen Christ, who were willing to die testifying that He is alive. This gives us strength to …
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Dash Through the Creed 2 - Existence of God
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How do we know that God exists? There are good reasons for believing it! Tune in to hear Fr. Joseph discuss the existence of God - how do we know that He exists?By Fr. Joseph Gill
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