“I came so that they might have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus came to give us life. Have you ever stopped to ponder the effect of the Eucharist in your life, and the life it brings to each of us whether we are fed physically by the bread of life (Body of Christ) or sit in silence before the Eucharist?

October is a wonderful month to celebrate our Blessed Mother. Oct. 7 marks the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and Oct. 13 is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, two amazing celebrations that bring the Mother of God into focus as the triumphant queen of heaven and earth.

One of the most satisfying moments in my two years as bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester was the dedication and consecration of the gorgeous chapel in our new chancery office.

St. Jeanne Jugan, foundress of my community of Little Sisters of the Poor, was a woman of few words. She left behind no letters or other writings but she did impart little bits of advice to the young Little Sisters among whom she spent her final years.

The National Eucharistic Congress held in Indianapolis this past month might be considered the high point of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival that began in 2022 on the Feast of Corpus Christi and will continue throughout the church’s 2025 Jubilee Year. So, while we take joy in all that has happened up to this point, it’s important to remember our work is not yet done.

Four years ago, Pope Francis inaugurated the “World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.” He proposed that this day would be observed each year on the Sunday closest to the July 26 celebration of Christ’s grandparents, Ss. Joachim and Anne.

“Dad, I’m sorry I haven’t been in better touch.” We were sitting on the porch late at night, two blocks from the beach, with the waves and sounds of the boardwalk within earshot.