Living Monstrance

A priest friend of mine invited me the other day to go kayaking on the Charles River in Boston. “Sure,” I said. Even though I pretty much have lived in Boston all my life, I have never kayaked down the Charles. It was a new trip through familiar territory. So, we [...]

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I have never run a marathon in my life.  One year I began my “training” for the Boston Marathon in July.  I had new sneakers and a new dream.   Well, my training ended in November when it got much too cold for me.  So much for that.
Some of you may have run a marathon, and [...]

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For a while I volunteered at an assisted living facility in Boston and I had the privilege of taking one of the residents, Jack, for a walk. Now, Jack was blind, so I had a big responsibility. He would wait for me, and I would meet him in the lobby and guide him out the door [...]

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When I played basketball in high school, our team didn’t win much.  In my last year, we won only twice in the twenty games we played.  But there was one thing we were good at.  It’s called “taking the charge.”
What is “taking the charge”?  Well, let’s say that the other team has a very good [...]

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Since I was a young boy, I loved sports, especially basketball.  I even read the sports page every morning when I was a little kid.  I think I learned all about fractions from batting averages and earned run averages.
As I got older I really worked hard at basketball.  I loved the game.  Sometimes, as a [...]

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For Boston sports fans, this year has been an incredible year.  First, you’ve got the Red Sox winning the World Series.  Then, you’ve got the Patriots winning every game (OK, except the big one).  The Celtics have been the best team in basketball.  Now, Boston College won the NCAA hockey championship.  What more?  How much [...]

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After I first learned how to scuba dive, I decided to go diving with my friend, Ron.  Why?  Well, the first reason is that, in order to dive, rule number one is that you do not go alone.  You use the buddy system.   That way, if you have a problem with your air supply, you [...]

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For over 10 years I tutored high school students in my local town in math and physics.  It is a privilege to help out young people who are struggling with their studies.  I would go to their home and help them with their latest homework.  I met some wonderful families, and some were friends already.
One [...]

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Picture 40 little second graders running around outside at recess in a schoolyard.  Picture a basketball hoop.  Picture a basketball on the ground.  Who wants to take bets on whether any of the little ones can get that basketball through the hoop?  Good luck!
Now, picture a 36-yr-old former high-school basketball player and coach, now postulant [...]

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Mark McGwire is one of the greatest home run hitters in baseball history. Me, I played two years of Little League and never put on real cleats in my life. So what do Mark McGwire and I have in common? Let me explain.
One summer I worked as a parking attendant in the parking garage behind [...]

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