Author: Bishop Kelly

The modern city of Nazareth is the largest Arab city in the State of Israel. There are approximately 40,000 ethnic Arabs living there, 70% Muslim and 30% Christian. The city is in the north of Israel, not far from the Sea of Galilee. As we …

Last month, before the Christmas Break, I conducted a very unscientific poll of a randomly selected group of students. I asked them when are the 12 Days of Christmas, are they the days before December 25th? Most of those whom I asked said they were …

During the middle of his short Presidency, John Kennedy decided to send nearly 10,000 American soldiers to South Vietnam.  Although there was a military conscription in place, the President did not use it, but sent men who were already in the Reserves or National Guard.  …

The world seems to be in a mess.  There is a continuing escalation of hostilities in the Middle East; Europe is dealing with a massive refugee crisis; here in America, we are being terrorized by mass shootings.  Closer to home, this month of December brings …

In the beginning, according to the Book of Genesis, the world was a wild and disordered place. It was, in other worlds, total darkness. Then God said, “Let there be light” which brought order and calm to the world. But God did not eliminate darkness, …

One of the important elements of religion – especially ancient religions – is geography.  Where one encounters God is as important as what one does.  Thus, mountain tops are most often the place closest to God.  Even in modern times we speak of God in …

Jesus has finally arrived in Jerusalem. After a journey of 120 miles, he sees the city for the first time. On a hill, called the Mount of Olives, he encounters the place where his destiny – and ours – is about to be fulfilled. A …

I am currently reading a fascinating book. It’s called The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their epic quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It’s written by Daniel James Brown. I haven’t finished it yet, but when I do it will be …

Veterans’ Day 2015 It was a ceasefire, an armistice, an end of four years of fighting. All fighting was to end at 11:00 a.m. on Nov 11th, 1918. Most of it did, but not all. Almost 7,000 men would be killed before the day was …

One of the loveliest of all the people in the Bible is the widow in today’s gospel. We do not know her name, but what she did on one particular day caught the eye of Jesus and she has been remembered ever since. In Luke’s …