Harvest

As he approaches the second anniversary of his ordination to the permanent diaconate, Deacon Michael Augustino says he feels privileged to have the opportunity to serve God.

Fourth of July celebrations are known to end with a bang, but in Freeport, they start with a sizzle. 

People always laughed when a seminary classmate of mine said: "Things always look darkest, just before they get pitch black." They chuckled because they appreciated the irony of the statement.

The occasion is the Annunciation, when the archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, inviting her to be the Mother of God. Mary’s yes–her faithful fiat and great amen–has resonated throughout two millennia

The week after Easter of this year, I made a trip to visit a friend and classmate from seminary. As we were driving to lunch after Mass one day, my friend put a question to me that took me by complete surprise.

While the closure of the Monastery of the Precious Blood is still keenly felt by many in the Diocese of Portland, two beautiful pieces from the monastery’s chapel will now grace another faith community.

Unity, friendship, and charity.  They are the principles at the heart of the Daughters of Isabella, an international Catholic women’s organization, and they are words to live by for members of St. Thomas Circle 546 in Madawaska.

“This is what we call the base fabric, so that is what we lay down on the base. Then, everything else would be an accent.” It’s not often that you hear a priest sharing sewing tips with parishioners, but that is what you’ll find happening at St. Peter the Fisherman Parish in Machias.

“It’s not easy.” Ask Michele Guillemette of Waterboro what it takes to raise a family in the Catholic faith in today’s world and that is what she will tell you. 

The beautiful season of summer has arrived. It has taken a while, but here we are. I hope it means that you will have a chance to enjoy the beauty of Maine

Sr. Francine, my sixth grade teacher many years ago, was a woman of conviction who could drive a point home like a nail gun.

In Kris Kristofferson’s poignant song, “Me and Bobbie Magee,” there is the haunting line, “Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose.”

Many of my fondest memories growing up took place in our family kitchen.  In many ways, we were a “kitchen” family. 

“O God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son, have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity, grant we pray that we who keep the Lord’s Resurrection may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life.”

A new ministry at the Parish of the Holy Eucharist in Falmouth seeks to open doors for those in their community who have special needs.

Imagine the possibilities.  That is what Catholic Charities Maine is hoping emerging entrepreneurs will be able to do through a new creative marketplace called “Fikiria.”

“One month, 19 days.” Even before Lent arrived, Jocelyn Carr of North Yarmouth was counting down the days to Easter.

Father Gabriel Muteru cheerfully calls out to anyone he sees passing by his office at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish.

“Hey there. How ya doing?” Dixie Shaw, the director of Hunger and Relief Services for Catholic Charities Maine, cheerfully greets driver after driver as they pull up next to a truck loaded with boxes of food.

Obedience is often thought of as suspect in our culture either because it is associated with being unnecessarily submissive or unduly authoritarian.

During 1970, I spent a semester in Rome. Just before Christmas, 20 priests from my group were given an audience with Our Holy Father, Pope Paul VI.

Easter is a moveable feast.  This year, we celebrate the vigil on April 20. Harvest will arrive just before we enter the holy season of Lent which prepares us for the joy of Easter.

Sometimes sitting in the front is good, and sometimes sitting as far back as you can is good.  On my recent trip to SEEK2019, a gathering in Indianapolis of some 17,000 Catholic college students, I had the opportunity to do both.

It’s early on a Sunday morning, and there is a flurry of activity in the hall of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Westbrook. 

“A beautiful, beautiful story.” That is how Melissa Skahan, vice president of mission integration at Northern Light Mercy Hospital, describes the gift that the McAuley Residence in Portland

Freezing rain is falling, but that hasn’t stopped nearly 60 college students from strolling and steering their way to the Newman Center on the University of Maine campus in Orono.

Parise Rossignol, a shooting guard for the University of Maine Women’s Basketball team, has long held a love for the game.

Deacon Richard Huot says it is hard to put into words what it has meant to be a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church in Maine.

In the Rite of Ordination of a Bishop, the sacrament is conferred when the ordaining bishop lays his hands on the ordinand’s head and then offers the ordination prayer.

Dear Father Joe: I’ve read a lot of talk online that, according to a recent study, most Catholics don’t understand Church teaching about the Eucharist or don’t believe in it.

In 1992, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was published and promulgated by Pope John Paul II.

Here, I will offer a few thoughts on how this document guides pastoral ministers faced with challenging situations which, at first glance, seem to be without ideal or quick solutions.

In the past 20 years, Sister Dale Jarvis, RSM, has visited Haiti 10 times, traveling there from Portland on three occasions just within the past year.

When I was a seminarian, I had the opportunity to visit a seminarian friend in his native Puerto Rico. 

Soon after we begin the new year, we will celebrate the holiday honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year, we mark it on January 21.

In the past 20 years, Sister Dale Jarvis, RSM, has visited Haiti 10 times, traveling there from Portland on three occasions just within the past year.

“I love kids. They’re so much fun.” Mary Ellen White has been in the classroom for 33 years but has never lost her passion for teaching.

Why would you want to settle for less when a life with God promises so much more? 

At age 2 ½, Emmitt Tice is a boy bursting with energy. “He’s such a handful. He is the busiest kid,” says Katina, his mother, laughing.

Adidas. Converse. New Balance. Nike. Each fall, you will find pairs upon pairs of new sneakers lining tables in the hall of St. Mary Church in Bangor.  

In this article, I will explore what Pope Francis teaches in The Joy of Love about the family as a means and as a school of reconciliation.

Saint Andre Home's CourageLIVES is the first residential treatment program in Maine dedicated to helping women who have been victims of human trafficking.

November is a month in which we celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. We remember the canonized saints and, indeed, all who have died.

Our Church is sorely wounded. This summer, a succession of horrible stories confronted us -- difficulties caused by human sin and the failure to deal properly with that sin.

You may not be aware of it, but you have long had a quiet but powerful advocate.

A prayerful and caring man.  That is how those who know him describe Deacon Darrell Blackwell.

“Everything I thought I never could be, I am.” That is how Tanya Salazar describes her life now, five years after she first reached out to Catholic Charities Maine’s Counseling Services. 

With her infectious laugh and unpretentious manner, it is no wonder that those who meet Sister Carol Martin, PFM, quickly feel at ease.

Our calendar year begins on January 1, yet, many feel that the year begins when school opens and summer leisure winds down.

Having been assigned to various faith communities as a priest in the Diocese of Portland over these last 25 years, I have had the privilege of meeting many people.