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Msgr. Dennis Sheehan & Fr. John Sassani:
Printed March 22, 2020: Fourth Sunday of Lent by Fr. John Sassani
Homilies given in past years
Printed March 15, 2020: Third Sunday of Lent by Fr. John Sassani
Printed March 8, 2020: Second Sunday of Lent by Fr. John Sassani
Printed March 1, 2020: First Sunday of Lent by Fr. John Sassani
Printed February 23, 2020: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. John Sassani
Printed February 16, 2020: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. John Sassani
Printed February 9, 2020: Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. John Sassani
Printed February 2, 2020: The Presentation of the Lord by Msgr. Dennis Sheehan
Printed January 26, 2020: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. John Sassani
Printed January 19, 2020: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. John Sassani
Printed January 12, 2020: Baptism of the Lord by Fr. John Sassani
Printed January 5, 2020: Epiphany by Msgr. Dennis Sheehan and Epiphany by Fr. John Sassani
Printed December 29, 2019: Holy Family by Fr. John Sassani
Printed December 25, 2019: Christmas Day by Fr. John Sassani
Printed December 22, 2019: Fourth Sunday of Advent by Fr. John Sassani
Printed December 15, 2019: Third Sunday of Advent by Fr. John Sassani
Printed December 8, 2019: Second Sunday of Advent by Fr. John Sassani
Printed December 1, 2019: First Sunday of Advent by Fr. John Sassani
Looking for older homilies? See our Archive. -
Looking to learn more about Sunday Mass?
Church Life Journal is a great resource for that! Here you will find articles about different aspects of the Mass and how to be a Catholic in the 21st Century.
We have shared a few of their articles on this page, but for more please click on the following link: https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/search/?as_sitesearch=churchlifejournal.nd.edu&entqr=3&q=mass+for+millennials
You can also read the text of our Explanation Mass, which uses 10 one-minute explanations throughout the Mass - why do we do what we do when we do it? Find out here!
The Mass for Millennials: Entrance Song, written by Jim Corcoran
The people have already come into the church (well, most of them have arrived). Individual practices are everywhere. Some genuflect before taking their pew. Some bow solemnly before the altar, then sit. Others wave to friends and family and start to make small talk while mindlessly half-genuflecting and then sitting to make a cursory prayer. In just a few moments, however, these people will be receiving one of the greatest gifts given to humanity. The Eucharist. These people will remain in their chosen pew until the time comes for them to process up to the altar of God to receive a tiny piece of what was once bread and a little sip of what was once wine that will transform their hearts and minds.
For more click here
The Mass for Millennials: Sign of the Cross, written by Grace Agolia
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”
We begin and conclude Mass with this simple and profound prayer. But have we really thought about what it means to make the “sign of the cross”?
Let’s start with the obvious. The “sign of the cross” is made by saying the Trinitarian invocation while touching one’s right hand to the forehead first (Father), then to the lower chest or stomach (Son), then to the left shoulder and the right shoulder (Holy Spirit), and closing with both our hands together for assent (Amen). Are these physical actions just arbitrarily chosen, or do they signify something? Why do we touch the forehead when we mean God the Father? Why do we touch our chest when mean God the Son? And why do we touch our shoulders when we mean the God the Holy Spirit?
For more click here
The Mass for Millennials: Penitential Act, written by Rose Urankar
Silence is not a common feature in my life. As a musician I am rarely without a song in my head, and this song can find its way out of my mind even with the slightest prompting—if a word, phrase, or chord progression resembles something in a song I love, I begin a full rendition. I’ve been known to accidentally hum in class absentmindedly, much to the dismay of my teachers. Heck, I even talk in my sleep.
For more click here
The Mass for Millennials: Glory to God, written by Carolyn Pirtle
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Lk 2: 13–14)
In the celebration of the liturgy, the Glory to God occupies a unique place. On the one hand, it is a response: we have just participated in the Penitential Act by recalling and confessing our sinfulness as individuals and as a worshiping community, and we have just heard the priest pronounce the concluding blessing “in which the forgiveness of sins is given.” The only response that makes any sense in the face of such a gift is to cry out “Glory to God in the highest.”
For more click here