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A Vincentian View Fr. Patrick J. Griffin, CM “More” At the center of the Queens’ campus of St. John’s University stands the eleven year old Church of St. Thomas More. The majority of the funding for the Church came from an alumnus of the Law School, and he also...
A Vincentian View Fr. Patrick J. Griffin, CM “I Feel Your Pain” I had the honor of speaking to the Trenton Diocesan Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul on June 4. The topic offered to me made me think about the little park which rests within the confines of...
In college, I had one course in Art Appreciation. Since my own background for understanding art left much to be desired, this course proved valuable. One remark remains with me: Once an artist finishes a work, he has lost control over it; now it belongs to the...
For some months, the Daughters of Charity in the NY area had been in touch with me on the issue of preparing a memorial service for Fr. Richard McCullen, CM. Sr. Julie Cutter, DC, and Sr. Catherine Prendergast, DC, and I became the members of a planning group which...
A Vincentian View: “The Gift of the Spirit” The readings in the Scripture for these days have directed our attention more than once to the gift of the Holy Spirit which Jesus promises the Christian community. On this past Sunday, we heard: “The Advocate, the holy...
Vincentian View: “Three Things which you didn’t know about Easter” We are halfway through the Easter season, and it is a good time for a short test. 1. Did you know that Easter is the pivotal celebration of the Christian calendar? Though Christmas might seem to hold...
“The Journey” On this past Sunday, April 3, eighteen of our St. John’s University students completed the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program. I confess to be touched and honored to have been there for this last step. I had been there for the...
In this “Year of Mercy,” a consideration of the lessons which the Father teaches in the parable of “the Prodigal Son” cannot be denied. Sometimes, when I speak to groups of parents about this story, they place blame on the Father. They say: “He was too lenient and...
A Vincentian View The Transfiguration “A Sense of Perspective” When one travels on a plane, one sees that there are different kinds of people. I can identify two groups: there are “window people” and there are “aisle people”—I do not think that there is any such...
“A Child Among Us” Considering Consecrated Life My grandnephew Wes (Weston) was born on December 12th, 2014. Last year at Thanksgiving he was a big bump in the center of my niece-in-law, Lili. Thus, at Thanksgiving this year, he was not quite one year old, being two...
