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| People often ask about the style of our parish ministry and about the homilies. Why are they like they are?. How do we decide what to focus on? Why the length? One Sunday at the 9:15 mass, I decided to answer those questions. This talk explains the general style of ministry at St. Cyril's, and specifically how we approach our responsibility to preach the Gospel to the people entrusted to us. If any of you ever have any follow up questions, please, do not hesitate to speak to me. Fr. Mario |
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given on the Feast of the Holy Family at the 9:30 a.m. mass. |
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given on the 4th Sunday of Advent at the 11:30 mass. | ||||
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| This is Fr. Mario's homily given on the third Sunday of Advent, Dec. 13. |
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| This is Fr. Mario's homily given on the second Sunday of Advent, Dec. 6. |
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| Compare two great places of social gathering during this time of the year, the mall and the church. In the mall the Christmas season has begun and is in full swing. In the Church, it's quite a different story. Why the clash, and what's the message?. | ||||
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| We call Christ "The King." We talk about "The Kingdom of God." But do those terms conjure up images of earthly rulers? And how do we reconcile that with who Christ really is? In this homily, Father Mario separates the sovereign from ceremonial and man's law from natural law. | ||||
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| What do you know about the end of the world? How do you know who to believe? There are many views. But how do you know who to trust? In this homily, Father Mario challenges us not to get our theology from Hollywood, popular culture or society in general. Instead, before adopting a view about the end, start at the beginning by taking a stand. | ||||
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| Being a Christian means being a disciple of Christ. But Jesus tells us we cannot be his disciple unless we put God first. Family, friends, money, even our own wants must be secondary. So how is that working for you? In this homily, Father Mario explains why this is a daily struggle and how we can overcome it. | ||||
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| Many of us grew up celebrating Halloween as a time to dress up and go trick or treating. But we've never learned its connection to All Saints and All Soul's Day. In this homily, Father Mario gives us a fascinating history lesson that links Christian beliefs to a tradition hundreds of years old. | ||||
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| Did you ever wonder what Christianity has to do with the reality of your every day life? Here's the connection: Jesus is reality. That means you don't get to pack your faith away Monday through Saturday. In this homily, Father Mario explains why there are no "faith-free zones." | ||||
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Fr. Mario continues this series about how to prioritize our lives. In this section he speaks about avoiding the trap that debt can become for us. Given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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Fr. Mario begins this series in which he talks not about money, but about how we live our lives with God as our most important priority. Given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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| Because we had a mission preacher at all of our masses, Fr. Mario did not record a homily for this weekend. | ||||
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| Catholic teaching tells us that God reaches out to every single human being, regardless of whether that human recognizes the person rescuing them is the grace of Christ. So what does that mean for people who are not Catholic or even Christian? In this homily, Father Mario shows us how God goes beyond any physical church and how we, as Christians, are to encourage the good even when it doesn't look religious. | ||||
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| What does being a Christian mean to you? As a child, you might have said it means to be nice, be happy and believe in God. But has your answer matured as you have? Or have you become intellectually lazy and accepted a watered down Christianity. In this homily, Father Mario challenges us to study our faith and give a reason for our hope. | ||||
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| The mission of a church is simple; make disciples of Jesus Christ. Many of us hear that and an abstract ideal comes to mind. But there are some very real, concrete things we must do to make this happen. We must be good stewards. Father Mario shows us how the cost of a six pack of beer or a big bag of M&M's can get the job done. | ||||
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| In Part three of this homily series, Father Mario walks us through what works and what doesn't when you want to help guide someone. He reminds us that while Christians are obligated to do something, we are not God and ultimately cannot change a person's perspective or desires. | ||||
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| Sometimes it takes a crisis in our lives for us to feel the presence of God. Maybe the crisis was just a wake-up call. Whatever the situation, the most important thing is what you decide to do next. In this homily, Father Mario examines the options and how the choice you make can bring you closer to God. | ||||
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| You've probably heard the expression "Let go and let God." It sounds wonderful. But just how do you let go of your plans and allow God to work through you? In this homily, Father Mario shows us how to lose control and gain Jesus' gift of peace. | ||||
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| Do you ever feel like your life is out of control and you'll never reach your goals? You may wonder why God is allowing a certain thing to happen. Perhaps the real wonder is how God's purpose is being fulfilled in spite of your situation. In this homily, Father Mario helps us discern the difference between our goals and God's purpose and how both can work together. | ||||
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| We all know getting through difficult times is part of life. But how is God involved in all of this? The Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament can help. It's filled with people trying to make sense of life as God guides them. In this homily, Father Mario, shows us how the Bible can teach us to cope and trust. | ||||
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| Have you ever been disappointed with God? What happens to your faith when don't get what you want? Perhaps the problem lies not in the disappointment but in the desire. In this homily, Father Mario reminds us that without trust there is no faith; and faith is what allows us to see the blessings in what is denied. | ||||
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| When you hear the Gospel story of Jesus feeding thousands with five loaves and two fish, do you think free food? It may sound ridiculous. But how many times have we mistaken spiritual hunger with physical hunger. Sometimes we just don't get it. In this homily, Father Mario helps us to refocus so we know what we're really hunger for. | ||||
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| It is the one question all of humanity ask at one time or another. How can a good God allow bad things to happen? In the last part of this homily series, Father Mario takes a closer look at the two kinds of evil and how our response to each may help us find the ultimate freedom. | ||||
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| Can doubt bring us closer to Christ? Doubt may have a negative connotation. But it is our response to doubt that carries the moral weight. In part two of this homily series exploring tough questions, Father Mario shows us the role of doubt in carving out our character and ultimately increasing our faith. | ||||
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| You may have heard some say, "Aren't all religions the same?" You may have also heard others say, "Isn't Jesus the only way to salvation?" Who is right? In the first of a three part homily series, Father Mario explores how God's love is present to all whether they recognize it as such or not. | ||||
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There were thousands of teens, loud bands and dancing. But this was no ordinary high school party. It was a celebration of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Father Mario did not deliver the message in this homily. Instead, he invited teens to share their life-altering experiences following a weekend trip that became a first step in a life-long journey. |
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| How many emergencies are you faced with each week, each day? The New Testament appears to show Jesus ignoring what we would consider emergencies, like sickness and death. In this homily, Father Mario explores how trust and true discipleship can allow us to do the same thing. | ||||
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. You may have occasionally seen the sign in front of St. Cyril's which reads "Heaven is an acquired taste. So is hell." So what are you training your palate to appreciate? It has eternal consequences. In this homily, Father Mario reminds us what diet we need to feed the spirit. | ||||
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday, June 7, 2009. Does the awesomeness of God ever confuse or terrify you? It should. In this homily, Father Mario invites us to take a step back and observe the mystery of the One who is responsible for everything and everyone in history. | ||||
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| This feast day reminds us of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Father Mario's homily examines whether excitement and sentimentality are always sure signs the Spirit is present; or, can the Spirit be present even when we are unaware? | ||||
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| Father Mario's reflection of the link between our celebration of the Ascension of the Lord and our observance of Memorial Day. Jesus taught us our own personal survival is not what's most important. Standing for life sometimes means giving one's life. Military men and women imitate this act of charity. We recognize both during this Easter Season. | ||||
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Fr. Mario speaks on Faith, Reason and what it means to call ourselves "Catholic". Given at the 11:30 mass on May 17, 2009. |
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:30 mass on May 10, in which he reflects on what it means for our church to be apostolic. | ||||
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| In a free society, freedom of choice is celebrated. But is being Catholic just another option or an awesome opportunity? In the first of a three part series, Father Mario examines how Catholics experience God through scripture, tradition, the church, sacraments and ceremony. It's the fullness of divine revelation because being Catholic means never throwing anything away. | ||||
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3rd Sunday of Easter Think about your wants and desires. Are they uniquely yours? Or do they greatly resemble that of your family, friends and coworkers? And why do you want those particular things? Maybe your community of family, friends and coworkers have a monolithic world view. Or maybe, you're all suffering from a case of collective ignorance? In Fr. Mario's homily, we discover the one thing that will really satisfy what's been missing. |
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| 2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday). Are you a seeker or a taker? If we're honest, we're all a good helping of both at one time or another. But how does this affect our relationship with others? And more importantly, how does this affect our relationship with Christ? Fr. Mario peels back the layers to reveal what's really driving our lives and which direction leads to a final destination of truth and mercy. | ||||
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| Unfortunately, no recording was made of Fr. Mario's homily this weekend. We apologize for any inconvenience. | ||||
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| Unfortunately, no recording was made of Fr. Mario's homily this weekend. We apologize for any inconvenience. | ||||
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 8 a.m. mass on the 4th Sunday of Lent. | ||||
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| The conclusion of this series, given by Fr. Mario at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| Recorded by Fr. Mario at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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If you only had one month to live, how might you live differently than you are now living? This is part 1 of a 4-part series that we are having here at St. Cyril's. Given by Fr. Mario at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. |
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| Fr. Mario's Homily, given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:30 mass, in which he discusses our committment to the Diocesan Services Fund. | ||||
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Fr. Mario's explanation of the good work that our contributions to the Diocesan Services Fund allows us to accomplish. Given at the Life Teen mass on Sunday afternoon. |
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| Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| Part 3 of our series on Sexuality, given by Fr. Mario at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| Part 2 of the Sexuality series given by Fr. Mario at the 11:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| Part one of our 3-part series on Human Sexuality. Given by Fr. Mario at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||
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| This is Fr. Mario's homily, given at the 9:30 mass on Sunday morning. | ||||