Homily #110915 ( 13min) Play – This is a Mass of thanksgiving offered by Fr. Alan Bernardine Wharton, F.I., a newly ordained Priest for the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. Fr. Alan is in the US to obtain a visa for Argentina where he is ultimately headed to join the mission there.
Ave Maria!
1st Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9 – Responsorial: Psalm 31:2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20 – G0spel: John 19:25-27
Mass: Audio (MP3)

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Homily #141020b ( 11min) Play – Fr. Alan Bernardino Wharton gives his first homily at Bloomington after having arrived from our mission in Brazil. He reflects on the need to be detached from things that we possess based on the account in the Gospel of the man who asked Jesus if He could tell his brother to give him a share in the inheritance. Father points out that it is not so much of how much we possess or how little, but that we don’t cling to what we have in our abundance nor crave for more in our poverty.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Paul of the Cross – Form: OF
Readings: Monday in the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
1st: eph 2:1-10
Resp: psa 100:2, 3, 4, 5
Gsp: luk 12:13-21

Audio (MP3)

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The post Oct 20 – Homily – Fr Alan: How does one Possess? first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141026b ( 17min) Play – New remains hidden in the old. And the old is revealed in the new. Fr. Alan explains this in the context of today readings where Jesus responds to the Pharisees with, You shall love your God as … and your neighbor as yourself. These are all related by the analogy of faith where the Old Testament is related to the New and the justice of God is related to the love and mercy of God and the Love we should have for God is related to what we should have for our neighbor.
Ave Maria!
Mass: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: exo 22:20-26
Resp: psa 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
2nd: 1th 1:5-10
Gsp: mat 22:34-40

Audio (MP3)

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The post Oct 26 – Homily – Fr Alan: The Old and the New first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141029b ( 10min) Play – Fr. Alan on the Gospel message that only a few will be saved and that we must strive to enter the narrow gate. He says we must not focus so much on probability, as if it is a blind  lottery with a slim chance of winning, but rather on the need to strive to enter, knowing that is is difficult and thus needs effort, but is nevertheless possible. This effort should be focused on becoming humble and childlike in the eyes of God, asking for His grace which was won on the Cross, and this requires the greatest effort all.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Wednesday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: eph 6:1-9
Resp: psa 145:10-11, 12-13, 13-14
Gsp: luk 13:22-30

Audio (MP3)

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The post Oct 29 – Homily – Fr Alan: Possibility not Probability first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141031b ( 10min) Play – On All Hallows Eve, that is Halloween or the Eve of the Solemnity of All Saints Day, Fr. Alan points out all the pointers toward becoming saints contained in today’s readings. We must focus primarily on the need to ask for God’s grace and then to cooperate with that grace.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Friday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: phi 1:1-11
Resp: psa 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Gsp: luk 14:1-6

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #141103b ( 10min) Play – Today the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate commemorate the Franciscan Deceased who are in purgatory and need our prayers. Fr. Alan highlights how there are many spiritual blessings that God gives to souls consecrated to God, but that this should not be a reason for complacency, because to whom much is given, much is expected.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Commemoration of the Franciscan Deceased – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: wis 3:1-9
Resp: psa 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6
Gsp: joh 6:37-40

Audio (MP3)

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The post Nov 03 – Homily – Fr Alan: To Whom much is Given first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141108b ( 13min) Play – Fr. Alan on the life of Bl. John Duns Scotus and how he he gave a lofty, subtle penetration of the divine nature and the centrality of Christ’s Incarnation as the very reason for God’s gratuitous act of love in in creating the universe. This maximized Christo-centrism, in turn, provided the theological basis for the Immaculate Conception of Mary, leading to its proclamation as a dogma of the Church in 1854. For more on the Primacy of Christ go here, and read this:

Ave Maria!
Mass: Bl. John Duns Scotus – Feast – Form: OF
Readings: Saturday in the 31st Week in Ordinary Time
1st: phi 4:10-19
Resp: psa 112:1-2, 5-6, 8, 9
Gsp: luk 16:9-15

Audio (MP3)

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The post Nov 08 – Homily – Fr Alan: Scotus the Subtle Doctor first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141109b ( 17min) Play – Fr. Alan on the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St John Lateran which is the Cathedral of the Church of Rome. Fr. Alan emphasizes how it is a symbol of Christ’s body, a symbol of unity under the pope and also a symbol of Mary who is, herself, also a symbol of the Church.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (alt) – Feast – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: eze 41:1-2, 8-9, 12
Resp: psa 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-11
2nd: 1co 3:9-11, 16-17
Gsp: joh 2:13-22

Audio (MP3)

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The post Nov 09 – Homily – Fr Alan: Lateran, Symbol of Christ, Mary and Unity first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141111b ( 09min) Play – Fr. Alan on how God has established order in the universe and if we live a virtuous life with a real desire for doing God’s will, to follow his commandments, we will have a peaceful, just and fruitful society.

Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Martin of Tours – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Tuesday in the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time
1st: tit 2:1-8, 11-14
Resp: psa 37:3-4, 18, 23, 27, 29
Gsp: luk 17:7-10

Audio (MP3)

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The post Nov 11 – Homily – Fr Alan: God’s Order of Virtue first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #141113b ( 13min) Play – Fr. Alan on the life St. Frances Xavier Cabrini who was a missionary nun to the Americas only one hundred years ago. He focuses on her virginity which was consecrated to God and how this fruitful purity gave spiritual life to others, and he contrasts this to our modern culture of death and its connection with impurity.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Thursday in the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time
1st: phm 1:7-20
Resp: psa 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Gsp: luk 17:20-25

Audio (MP3)

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The post Nov 13 – Homily – Fr Alan: St. Cabrini and Culture of Life first appeared on AirMaria.com.