Fr Don’s Blog: Native Pilgrims
WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANNOVEMBER 12, 2022 NATIVE PILGRIMS As little school children put on the silver belt buckled black hats of Pilgrims or colorful feathered head gear of Native Americans to sit in circles with paper turkeys traced from their handprint and to...
Fr Don’s Blog: Rebuild My Church
WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANNOVEMBER 8, 2022 REBUILD MY CHURCH When Giovanni Bernadone (who we know as Francis of Assisi) rejected his father’s business to live among the poor in the thirteenth century, he walked the hills of his homeland, wandering into the little...
Fr Don’s Blog: Days of the Dead
DAYS OF THE DEAD The twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel gives us an image of the final judgment. There, Jesus tells us that we will be separated much like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. Those chosen for the heavenly flock will be the ones who saw...
Fr Don’s Blog: Food Request
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANOCTOBER 21, 2022 FOOD REQUEST In speaking with staff and volunteers at Saint Therese Little Flower (STLF) Parish this week, I learned that our food pantry shelves are nearly empty, while the...
Fr Don’s Blog: The Penske File
/ UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN OCTOBER 20, 2022 THE PENSKE FILE In a particular Seinfeld episode, George has a job interview with a company president who is leaving town. George shows up the next workday, but no one there knows that he was...
Fr Don’s Blog: Idealogy
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANOCTOBER 11, 2022 IDEOLOGY People deal with difficult moral issues all the time: racism, immigration, abortion, invitro fertilization, medical care, homelessness, drugs, homosexuality, war and...
Fr Don’s Blogs: Basket of F-Words
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANOCTOBER 4, 2022 BASKET OF F-WORDS In past generations religion guided faith, shaped culture, and influenced art and entertainment. Now culture tends to guide faith and influence religion in...
Fr Don’s Blog: Sacramental Marriage
h UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANOCTOBER 3, 2022 SACRAMENTAL MARRIAGE A parent recently approached me about a daughter who was engaged to a guy who had been married before and is intimidated by the church’s annulment process. ...
Fr Don’s Blog: Never on Sunday
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANSEPTEMBER 21, 2022 NEVER ON SUNDAY The National Football League (NFL) is doing something that churches across America have not been able to do: deal with issues of racism, matters of justice, and...
Fr Don’s Blog: Hillbilly God
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANSEPTEMBER 11, 2022 HILLBILLY GOD A future disciple, hearing about Jesus for the first time, asked his buddy: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Jesus was a back hills barefoot carpenter who...
Fr Don’s Blog: Labor Day Faith September 1 2022
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANSEPTEMBER 1, 2022 LABOR DAY FAITH This weekend, as we consider the work of our hands and labors of love, I invite you to consider some opportunities to transform faith into life-enriching work...
Fr Don’s Blog Synodality Now August 29
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANAUGUST 29, 2022 SYNODALITY NOW! When I drive by Serenity Funeral Home on Bannister Road at Troost Avenue on my daily commute, I think of Frank Costanza from Seinfeld fame. In one episode, Frank...
Fr Don’s Blog: A Seamless Garment August 24
BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNAN AUGUST 24, 2022 Seamless Garment When Jesus died on Mount Calvary, the soldiers stripped off His garment and cast lots for it. Because it was a seamless cloth, they determined that it should not be torn and divided. As...
Fr Don Blog Broken Hearts August 13
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANAUGUST 13, 2022 BROKEN HEARTS I think it was G. K. Chesterton who once quipped that there should be a ninth Beatitude and it should read: “Blessed are the broken-hearted, for they provide a...
Fr Don’s Blog: Housing Wisdom Aug 1 2022
UPON THIS ROCK BY FATHER DON FARNAN WRITTEN BY FATHER DON FARNANAUGUST 1, 2022 HOUSING WISDOM Rockhurst University’s motto, Sapientia Aedificavit Sibi Donum, translates as “Wisdom has built herself a home.” The plot of land between Troost Avenue and The...