Author: Deacon Richard D. Shewman

The fullness of ministering to the people of God in a particular community is the responsibility of the bishop.  However, even from the beginning of the church it was clear…

The deacon is an ordained minister in the Catholic Church. Ordination implies a permanent commitment, a stable role in the Church and sacramental grace. There are several important words in…

What is diaconal ministry like in the early years of the 21st century? Deacons are ordained to ministry of the Word, the Altar and Service. Ministry of the Word and…

The young Christian community in Jerusalem grew by leaps and bounds during the first few years after Pentecost. People were attracted by the teachings of Jesus which were shared by…

The Diocese of Chalan Kanoa is planning to start the formation process for another group of deacon candidates in the near future. In preparation for the formation program, I thought…

A few weeks ago, Michael, one of my sons, was vacationing in Hawaii, on the big island. The tour guide suggested that they take a short cut through the mountains…

Maybe I’m getting old, but the world seems to be crazier now than it was a few decades ago.  Just a few week ago there were two mass shootings in…

The Book of Genesis tells us that we are made in the image and likeness of God. The problem is trying to figure out what that means. It certainly implies…

What does it mean to be pro-life in the 21st century? Pope Francis has reiterated the basic Catholic understanding that the dignity of life must be respected from conception until natural…

I gave a homily recently on the Our Father prayer that Jesus taught to his disciples. I wanted to expand on that homily for an ATW reflection, as it is…