Fr. Michael Rodriguez

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is of paramount importance for every person. Our Lady told Lucia of Fatima: “My The Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God. Our Lady's Admirable Heart is a furnace of love for the Blessed Trinity and for the Church and each one of us. We unite our heart to hers so that we can love and adore God as she does, even doing so with her own heart. St. Peter Chrysologus, Church Doctor, explains that God is so pleased with the holiness and purity of Mary’s heart, that He wills that this heart draw forth from Him the grace [...]

God is holy, true and pure. God made man to walk in holiness, truth and purity – and thereby save his soul. Any attack upon holiness, truth or purity is a real attack on God. Man is today in grave danger of damning his soul to hell by the sins of blasphemy, heresy and impurity. Four hundred years ago,Our Lady of Good Success warned that, in the latter half of the 20th century, these three sins would extinguish the light of faith in nearly all men’s hearts. In our times, Our Lady has confirmed and emphasized this same message at Fatima (1917). It is terrible and tragic that [...]

Two brief sermons. [Aug 1] The account in 2 Maccabees 7 shows how seven sons and their mother suffered terribly for God’s holy law. It is unusual to have Old Testament personages honored in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, yet four reasons moved the Church to do so. [Aug 2] St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church, provides excellent teaching on prayer, holy Common, and preparation for death.

The Gospel presents three very important questions, and they must be answered in the order presented to remain in their correct context. [1] Master what must I do to possess eternal life? [2] What is written in the law? [3] Who is my neighbor? Eternal life depends on keeping both the true faith and God’s commandments. It is not enough to just say “Lord, Lord” or “Love, Love.” Following the Golden Rule without faith is not true love. Christian charity is always in reference to God and eternal life, that is the good of the soul. This is what we need most in our families and society. True Christian [...]

A string of four brief daily sermons on: [1] Christian Sanctity; [2] St. Dominic; [3] Our Lady of the Snows; and [4] St. Jean Marie Vianney.

St. Lawrence, Archdeacon of Rome, was martyred in 258 AD under Emperor Valerian. Pope St. Sixtus II was martyred three days before him, and St. Romanus, a soldier he converted, one day before. Three internal fires burned within this wondrous martyr: (1) The greatness of his faith, (2) ardent love of God, and (3) a true and pure knowledge of God.

We can glean three very important, and truly Catholic, spiritual lessons from today’s gospel. These three spiritual truths are of great practical help in our personal sanctification and in facing the terrible crisis of faith within the Church today. [1] Fix your mind and heart on eternity. [2] Strive in all things to conform yourself to the holy will of God. [3] Meditate upon the grandeur and majesty of God and your own misery and nothingness. One of the distinguishing characteristics of society in our time is mockery and hostility towards the things of God. Our faith is opposed to the world and so we must be very wary of [...]

Four of the greatest disciples of the Sacred Heart are the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Apostle, St. Gertrude the Great and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The Sacred Heart is the principal sign of the infinite Love of our Savior. All devotion to the Sacred Heart is given to Christ Himself and we therefore ought to offer supreme worship to the Sacred Heart. The aim and purpose of such devotion is to make our hearts like unto His own. We wish to reciprocate the love of Our Lord and stir up in our souls appropriate acts enlivened by that Love, such as acts of adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, [...]

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is the devotion of all devotions. From 1673-1675, Our Lord disclosed the marvels and unfathomable secrets of His love to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. This devotion has seven principal aims: [1]Love; [2] Reparation; [3] Veneration; [4] Confidence; [5] Increase of Love for the Father, [6] Establish the Reign of His Sacred Heart; and [7] Pour out the Treasures of His Sacred Heart. The first four are affections to arouse within our own heart. The latter three are fruits of this devotion, its ultimate ends. Essential to this devotion is that we contemplate the Sacred Heart. Only thus will we grow in our love and reparation towards Him. We can learn the heart [...]

First Holy Communion Sermon. Using the examples of Bl. Jacinta Marto of Fatima and Mother Mariana of Quito, we recall fundamental truths regarding Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our Lady, the Mother of God, brings her Son to us. In the love of Christ, we can endure all suffering. If we remain faithful to our baptismal vows, then by God's grace, we shall attain eternal salvation.