"What does that look like – a life of longing without hope?" Father, look around you. This is prison!"

These are our students, and I thank God every day that I get to be their teacher and their priest.

To see Pope Francis walk my streets, therefore, did something to me that I'm not sure I can quite put into words ...

A wise deacon once told me, "We are blessed when we are chosen to live with those among whom Jesus chooses to be found."

When you get ordained to the priesthood, you know to expect a whole new set of awesome firsts. However, there are also those firsts that you don't know to expect.

Thomas cries out on behalf of all people who know the pain of separated-ness. And without even knowing it, he identifies the source of healing for that pain.