Homily for John 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,and the mother of Jesus was there.Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.When the wine ran short,the mother of Jesus said to him,“They have no wine.”And Jesus said to her,“Woman, how does your concern affect me?My hour has not yet come.”His mother said to the servers,“Do whatever he tells you.”Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,each holding twenty to thirty gallons.Jesus told them,“Fill the jars with water.”So they filled them to the brim.Then he told them,“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,without knowing where it came from— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,“Everyone serves good wine first,and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;but you have kept the good wine until now.”Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galileeand so revealed his glory,and his disciples began to believe in him.

 

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In this episode, we chat with seminarians Kevin Gregus and Dan Korenchan of the Archdiocese of Chicago about their upcoming trip to the Holy Land for the nine-week study pilgrimage that is a distinctive feature of the priestly formation program at Mundelein Seminary. They talk about what they packed, what they'll be doing in the Holy Land, and what they're looking forward to about this experience that will prepare them for their ordination to the transitional diaconate in the spring.

 

Kevin and Dan will be hosting podcasts from the Holy Land, so subscribe to this podcast to follow along! You can also follow the Holy Land blog to hear more stories and see photos from all the seminarians on the pilgrimage. Sign up to receive updates via email: www.usml.edu/pilgrimage

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Homily for 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20

During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli,a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.One day Eli was asleep in his usual place.His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.The lamp of God was not yet extinguished,and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORDwhere the ark of God was.The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”

Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”“I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep.Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.“Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am. You called me.”Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” When Samuel went to sleep in his place,the LORD came and revealed his presence,calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,not permitting any word of his to be without effect.Thus all Israel from Dan to Beershebacame to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD.

 

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Homily for Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

The people were filled with expectation,and all were asking in their heartswhether John might be the Christ.John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water,but one mightier than I is coming.I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon himin bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son;with you I am well pleased.”

 

Audio courtesy of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Libertyville, Ill.

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Growing up in a devoutly Catholic household in southern Indiana, the six Etienne siblings probably never imagined that four of them would end up choosing vocations to consecrated religious life. But today, two of the siblings are married with children, while the rest have devoted their lives to serving the Church: Father Bernie Etienne ’93, Archbishop Paul Etienne of the Archdiocese of Seattle, Benedictine Sister Nicolette Etienne and Father Zach Etienne ’04.

So how did it happen? Fellow Mundelein alumni Father Zach and Father Bernie recently reflected on that question and on their experience of seminary formation and priestly ministry.

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Homily for the Oath of Fidelity and Profession of Faith

On Wednesday, December 15, our third-year seminarians signed the solemn Oath of Fidelity and made their Professions of Faith. In signing these oaths in front of God, our rector Father John Kartje, and the rest of the community, our seminarians made a public declaration that they believe all that the Catholic Church teaches and they promise to be faithful to that teaching in their ministry as deacons.

The ceremony is a necessary step prior to ordination to the Transitional Diaconate in the spring, as it documents the seminarian’s willingness to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church in the ministry he exercises. The process also includes submitting handwritten letters to their local Bishop, petitioning to receive these sacred orders. Please keep our seminarians in your prayers.

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Homily for Luke 3:10-18

The crowds asked John the Baptist,“What should we do?”He said to them in reply,“Whoever has two cloaksshould share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.”Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,“Teacher, what should we do?”He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”Soldiers also asked him,“And what is it that we should do?”He told them,“Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ.John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water,but one mightier than I is coming.I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floorand to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.

Audio courtesy of Faith Hub Chicago at St. Clement Catholic Church in Chicago, Ill.

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The angel Gabriel was sent from Godto a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,of the house of David,and the virgin’s name was Mary.And coming to her, he said,“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”But she was greatly troubled at what was saidand pondered what sort of greeting this might be.Then the angel said to her,“Do not be afraid, Mary,for you have found favor with God.Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,and you shall name him Jesus.He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”But Mary said to the angel,“How can this be,since I have no relations with a man?”And the angel said to her in reply,“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.Therefore the child to be bornwill be called holy, the Son of God.And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,has also conceived a son in her old age,and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;for nothing will be impossible for God.”Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.May it be done to me according to your word.”Then the angel departed from her.

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Homily for Matthew 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.He said to them,“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”At once they left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

 

Father John Kartje delivered this homily at a private Mass with the inaugural members of our Class of 2025 Sponsors Program. To learn more about the program and how you can accompany a class of seminarians throughout their four years of theological studies, click here.

 

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Homily for Matthew 15:29-37

At that time:Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him,having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see,and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,for they have been with me now for three daysand have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry,for fear they may collapse on the way.” The disciples said to him,“Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted placeto satisfy such a crowd?” Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,gave thanks, broke the loaves,and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

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