Fr. Bill Peckman is a priest in the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri. He is the pastor Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Mary Parish, St. Patrick Parish, and Sacred Heart Parish.
I got to thinking tonight that we live in a world that increasingly demonizes the holy and deifies the demonic. What do I mean? Our culture deifies rebellion, promiscuity, violence, division, hate, suspicion, and the castigating of our ‘enemies’, real or imagined, all in a mad rush for the accrual...
I have seen more than a few articles as of late as to why our last three generations have been leaving the Catholic faith en masse. There are many cognizant points. As a pastor of 22 years, a member of one of those generations that departed, and a person who...
In all of the scandals in the Church and in how I can get occasionally infuriated with some elements within the Church, I can honestly say this: It has not diminished my belief in God at all. It has not diminished my belief in Christ at all. It has not...
One of the more overlooked facts from the parable of the Prodigal Son is that after the younger brother has wasted all his inheritance, he knows his father is merciful. He counts on that mercy, but does not presume upon it; he only expects his father to bring him on...
It is said that for the Catholic Church to be renewed it will take the laity. This is absolutely true for 3 reasons. 1) The laity make up the overwhelming amount of the Church. They have strength in numbers. This doesn’t mean that the Church is a democracy. No,...
Take up your cross and follow me. Perhaps those words have been greatly tamed over the years. Perhaps we see them as taking up our burdens and following Christ. But the Cross wasn’t a mere burden. The cross was means of execution. Painful execution. It would be like Jesus...
