My mission is to share the wisdom and experiences gained over a lifetime dedicated to faith, service, and personal growth. In my retirement, I will use this platform to offer reflections, insights, and stories from my 80 years of life, 54 years as a priest, and 13 years as a bishop. Through openness and humility, I aim to inspire, educate, and resonate with readers, seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance in all that I write. May this endeavor bring glory to God and foster a sense of shared journey and mutual understanding among all who read.
Bishop Ray’s Blog
Finding Meaning in Each Day
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The ORDO – A Daily Remembrance
Read more: The ORDO – A Daily RemembranceThe Ordo is a book found in almost every church sacristy to help the celebrant of the Mass in two ways. Upon entering the sacristy, it is checked for the order of the celebration: color of vestments, type of feast, scripture readings for the Mass, and some brief information about the saint if a saint’s feast is being celebrated that day. So, the Ordo provides any and all liturgical information to make things run smoothly at the altar and in the ambo (pulpit). But there is also another important and most useful reason to consult the Ordo: it also contains…
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Eucharistic Revival – it’s never finished!
Read more: Eucharistic Revival – it’s never finished!The Church in the USA recently developed a three-year program to revitalize the awareness of the importance and centrality of the Holy Eucharist. Please God, its impact will have been worth all the time and effort put into it. There were events on the national, diocesan, and local parish levels. Efforts were made to deepen the appreciation of the Eucharist celebrated at our altars, adored in the monstrance, and reserved in the tabernacle. The celebration of the Eucharist is the heart and soul of who we are as Catholics. It is the center of our lives as followers of Jesus.…
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Preparing for a homily for Sunday Mass requires prayer and more prayer
Read more: Preparing for a homily for Sunday Mass requires prayer and more prayerHomily at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Bayside, September 11, 2024 Preparing for a homily for Sunday Mass requires prayer time and more prayer! After doing this for more than 55 years as a deacon, priest, and bishop, I’m grateful to God for the opportunity to offer reflections on God’s word to God’s people. The homilist is in a unique position to speak words that both comfort and challenge the listeners. It is a privileged opportunity to preach God’s word! Before delivering a homily, my practice has always been to whisper a prayer asking that I might speak what God…
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Annual Retreats – Time to Re-charge the Battery
Read more: Annual Retreats – Time to Re-charge the BatteryOne of the greatest spiritual gifts that we can ever receive is precious time away from the busyness of life and an opportunity to really be “alone with God.” Throughout my life, I have had an opportunity to make an annual retreat. It has been a great blessing to lay aside the worries, cares, and concerns of a busy pastoral life, and devote time to spiritual growth; listening to God‘s voice and prayer; asking for His presence and His strength; opening up to the Holy Spirit in times of decision and transition; and moving forward under the direction of God‘s…
Bishop Ray's Blog 