Category: Uncategorized

Charlie Kirk

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Grief, Justice, Uncategorized

Our first priority is the salvation of Souls. Our conjoined priority is the restoration of our humanity.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may the Perpetual Light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen.

As for Tyler Robinson, repentance and renewal. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing (1 Jn 1:9).

Amen.

Very sad. Nobody deserves death for political statements. May he rest in peace. His theology was basicaĺly sound. This is what makes him an enigma.

Enigma of Christian Nationalism

For me: his theology is sound.  His poly-religion was terrible and divisive. He exhibited moral theology without the Theo, empathy being the pathos of God. His personal and public personas were in deep contradiction.

For others: he gave voice to the grievances of so many on so many topics. His conclusions were a mixed bag of spot-on and wacky as the wackos he reviled. But most substantially he used moral theology to justify his objectionable poly-religious views. And gives poor intellectual permission for others to do the same.

I wish he had lived and not suffered this fate.  He was privately likable and publicly as to true theology, anathema. He had the potential to be great. Rest in peace. Divine aid for his family.  And freedom from the frenzy.

It comes as no surprise the twin knee-jerk opposing reactions: 1) martyr of truth, and; 2) ‘serves him right’. Both equally vile, gutteral responses.

Christ’s sword is nothing like the rhetoric. I fear for the young associated and spiritually maimed by Turning Point. The Gospel of compassion is made an empty promise.

Critical thinking, once taught, is abandoned. Freedom FROM and Freedom TO are to be kept in a healthy tension not flopped over as if enough religious violence isn’t enough. Questioning citizenship,  scholarship,  speech, and morality into a narrow band of thought- unsustainable. The worst is abandoning public ethics as if the high moral standard declared is built on the absence of ethical conduct.

Peace be with you,

Deacon Gerry

Eucharistic Freedom

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Uncategorized

Check out this story from The Palm Beach Post: Lake Worth’s ‘Father Frank’ to say Mass outside Alligator Alcatraz The Mass will mark the Rev. Frank O’Loughlin’s 60th year as a priest, all of them spent serving farmworkers and immigrants across southern Florida. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/lakeworth/2025/08/15/priest-who-serves-immigrants-to-say-mass-outside-alligator-alcatraz-frank-oloughlin/85423440007/

Shallow deeds of adults corrupt the youth – Plitka djela odraslih kvare mladež

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Uncategorized

Translated:

In today’s society, we often forget how much young people learn by observing, not just by listening to advice. Children and young people absorb adult behavior like a sponge – their actions, words, attitudes, and even superficial actions that adults do not attach importance to. Shallow actions of adults, such as gossip, insults, irresponsibility, superficiality in work, greed, or obsession with material things, leave a deep mark on youth. Young people observe and learn: if adults do not care about the truth, if their external appearance is more important to them than their inner values, if they behave without dignity and honor, they adopt these same patterns as desirable or normal. In this way, the shallowness of adults undermines the foundations of young generations. Instead of inspiring them to growth, wisdom, virtue, and true goodness, it directs them toward superficial goals – popularity, power, and short-term pleasures. Therefore, a great responsibility rests on every adult, whether they are a parent, teacher, leader, or casual passerby in the lives of young people. We show with our lives what is right and what is wrong. If we want a healthy, stable and moral youth, it is necessary for each of us to reconsider: what am I actually teaching those who come after me with my actions? Therefore, the education of young people begins with the education of adults. Our actions, no matter how small or insignificant they seem to us, are for them signposts that can lead to wisdom – or destruction.

U današnjem društvu često zaboravljamo koliko mladi uče posmatranjem, a ne samo slušanjem savjeta. Djeca i mladi ljudi upijaju ponašanje odraslih kao sunđer – njihova djela, riječi, stavove, pa čak i površne postupke kojima odrasli ne pridaju značaj. Plitka djela odraslih, kao što su ogovaranje, vrijeđanje, neodgovornost, površnost u radu, pohlepa ili opsjednutost materijalnim stvarima, […]

Shallow deeds of adults corrupt the youth – Plitka djela odraslih kvare mladež

Pentecost Is Personal

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic, Pentecost, Uncategorized

Greetings on this the Pentecost Sunday – Mass during the Day
Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23

Summary

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (Jn 20:22-23).

Reflection

The Holy Spirit comes as a personal friend to each and every one of us, each in our own station.

Upon Jesus himself

The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism by John the Baptist: John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’ (Jn 1:32-33).

Upon the Disciples (10 of the 12) in Private

[Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. (Jn 20:21-23).

Upon the Apostles in Public

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim (Acts 2:1-4).

Upon the People

Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” (Acts 2:8-11).

Upon You

In your Confirmation you share this blessing in proportion to the Person of Jesus (dove), Disciples (tongues of fire), and the Ministry of Proclamation (and receiving the blessings of the Holy Spirit).

Personal Reflection

Happy Pentecost! The Lord gives you himself as gift! The Dove of Peace, the Flame of Love and the Peace (Friendship) of God.

  • Gifts coming from the person of God: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
  • Fruits that result: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060825-Day.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

Becoming fully awake

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Uncategorized

Greetings on this the Second Sunday of Lent
Readings: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:17—4:1; Luke 9:28b-36

Summary

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. [The disciples] becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. A cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent (LK 9:28b-31, 32b, 34b-36a).

Our gospel portion today is about knowing – be awake to – the Glory, the Exodus and the Divine Work ahead (crucifixion) in Jerusalem. A knowing that is so deeply felt that it renders us silent.

The Readings

The first reading from Genesis, brings us the certainty of promise and blessing – large (in scope), expansive (demonstrative), voluminous (quantity).

The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness (Gen 15:5-6).

To which we can say, be fully awake – The Lord promises and he delivers.

The second reading likewise offers the certainty of promise and blessing. Changing our very selves from a bodily process of decay to a glorified body as witnessed in the Transfiguration.

He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.(Phil 3:21).

To which we can say, be fully awake – The Lord promises and he delivers.

The responsorial is another way offers the certainty of promise and blessing. Like Abram, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John, we seek to see his face and for him to journey with us (the Tent is a resting place when on a journey).

He will conceal me in the cover of his tent; and set me high upon a rock. “Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”; your face, LORD, do I seek! (PS 27:5a, 8).

To which we can say, be fully awake – The Lord promises and he delivers.

The Transfiguration

In this account of the life of Jesus Christ, we can see his glory and hear the Father’s voice.

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” (LK 9:35). We remember from Jesus’ baptism the same voice: and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”(LK 3:22).

To which we can say, be fully awake – The Lord promises and he delivers.

Being Woke for Jesus

This is the revelation of faith. The Transfiguration allows us to be aware of the glory, power and honor due the Lord – yes – but more the invitation to join him on his exodus and he joining our exodus from slavery to freedom. Freedom beyond freedom.

Look up at the sky and count the stars!

Being Woke for Justice

Sorry, it must be said. We must be woke for justice and combat injustice with mercy and prayer. 99.99999999% of the WOKE agenda is spot on Jesus’ way. The other 0.00000001% is nonsense. Popular culture is not wrong (even if a bit crazy). If you remain overcome by sleep then birds of prey swooped down and took the glory from you.

Personal Blog writings on the Transfiguration

https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2020/03/12/transfiguration/
https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2023/08/06/the-mission-happens-to-have-a-church/

Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031625.cfm

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry