Sunday, December 22, 20190349Silence and absence are two attitudes that are capable of straining a relationship. In our everyday relationships — between a man and a woman, or a husband and a wife, or among relatives, friends, work colleagues and even community members — if there is a prolonged silence or an unexplained absence, the relationship is headed for...
Monday, November 18, 20190335We are all unique individuals, which means that the factors that make us happy depend on who you ask. But, without a doubt, being grateful is one element that boosts happiness.
The ability to acknowledge a good, and to say thank you, is itself a virtue. It is a virtue because, in a world of many troubles, insatiable wants and...
Monday, October 7, 20190520By Father Jacob Dankasa
Special to The Texas Catholic
When I was growing up in Nigeria, soccer (popularly known as football in the rest of the world) was the ultimate sport. I flipped channels each time I saw American football played on ESPN because I didn’t understand it. After I came to America, it took me some time to understand...
Friday, September 20, 20190356The award winning 1997 movie, “Titanic,” was epic for many reasons. For some it was a story of young love; it reminded many of the catastrophic accident of the Titanic, the ship of dreams that led to the loss of many lives. Whichever way one sees it, Titanic was a very transfixing movie. It was one of the most fascinating movies I...
Thursday, August 22, 20190602At St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Richardson, there is a small gathering place called the Forum. People meet, relax and study in the Forum, with coffee, donuts, cookies and Wifi. But I am most impressed by what often takes place in the Forum among some of the older members of the church community after the morning masses.
Friday, July 19, 20190356
By Father Jacob Dankasa
Special to The Texas Catholic
In my ministry as a priest, I have the privilege and responsibility of reflecting on the scripture and sharing my thoughts with the people of God in the form of a homily or sermon. Scripture passages are windows through which we peek into our lives.
One beautiful passage...
Tuesday, June 18, 20190391Reflecting on the story of the healing of the paralytic (Mk 2:1-12) brings out many lessons. It tells us about the forgiving power of God, but it also presents us with a model of an authentic act of friendship. Four men brought a paralytic to Jesus for healing. When they could not find a way to get into the room where Jesus was, they did...
Tuesday, May 14, 20190263I first came across the coined word “comm-YOU-nication” when reading the book How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes. She describes the word as a communication technique that emphasizes the YOU first, before the ME, in a conversation. According to her book, the ability to listen to the other person enhances effective interaction. She...
Friday, April 12, 20190325One of the hardest virtues to practice is forgiveness. It’s even more difficult when we consider the different degrees of hurt and pain we have to endure when we are offended. The difficulty in forgiveness arises mostly because of human anger and resentment, which are often long-lasting in the human mind. These lingering feelings of...
Thursday, March 14, 20190630When I was serving as parochial vicar at St. Joseph parish in Richardson, I observed something about the trees in the courtyard that amazed me. If you’re familiar with the layout at St. Joseph, you know that between the church and the rectory is a courtyard. From my room I could look through the window and enjoy the beauty of the...
