Homilies & Talks


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Once I was asked by a parishioner to provide the written text of one of my homilies. I don’t know if they were interested in what I said or if they wanted to send it to my Archbishop. I could not provide the text because I am not blessed (or cursed) with the “write it all out then read it gene!” I do research, make a 4-5 bullet outline, rehearse several times and then preach. The request made me think about recording some of my homilies and various talks and posting them online. I am trying to remember to do it! As always, I welcome your thoughts or comments.


The Epiphany of the Lord, January 8, 2023 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.

Matthew 2:6


The 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 6, 2022 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.
“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive..”
Luke 20:38

Video Version:
Audio Version:

The 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 25, 2022 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.
“If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”
Luke 16:31


The 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 3, 2022 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few”
Luke 10:2


Atlanta Eucharistic Congress 2022 – My talk on Saturday afternoon.


The 4th Sunday in Lent, March 27, 2022 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.
“We are ambassadors of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:17–21


The 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 14, 2021 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.
“But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
– Mark 13:32


The 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 1, 2021 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
– John 6:35


The 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 20, 2021 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. “He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Holy Thursday, The Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, April 1, 2021 – Given at St.Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” – John 13:14-15
NOTE: Early in this homily the security alarm in the parish went off. It was very loud in the building but not on the recording. It was silenced but came back on again and again. I am posting the printed version of the homily here. It was April 1st – so a parishioner told me it must be some kind of April Fool’s joke? Another said that it was an ‘alarming’ homily!


The Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, November 22, 2020 – Given at St.Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40


The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 20, 2020 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.   “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” – Matthew 20:16


The Presentation of the Lord, February 2, 2020 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. “My eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”


ordinary

The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 22, 2019 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.   “Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land…The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!”  – Amos 8:4-7


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Lenten Mission 2019; March 25 – 27, 2019Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.  Our Life in Christ Through Word, Liturgy and Charity. (Note: this is the first of the three days.  The recording of days 2 & 3 were not audible.)


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The 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time & World Marriage Day, February 10, 2019 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.  ““Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” – Luke 1:4


advent

The 4th Sunday of Advent, November 23, 2018 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.  “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.”   – Luke 1:43-44


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The 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 23, 2018 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.  “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”  – Mark 9:30-37


Whom

The 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 26, 2018 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.  This homily addresses the bishop/priest sexual abuse crisis in the Church.

 


Ultreya

Talk on the Beatitudes Prepared for Atlanta Southside Ultreya  – June 16, 2018 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.


My talk at the 2018 Archdiocese of Atlanta Eucharistic Congress – June 2, 2018 – Given at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, GA.


HT

The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity – May 25, 2018 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. 


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The 1st Sunday in Lent – February 17, 2018 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. 


advent

The 2nd Sunday in Advent – December 10, 2017 – Given at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.


thx

Thanksgiving Day Mass -November 23, 2017 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. 


CRS

Address to the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women – September 23, 2017 – Given at The Peachtree City Conference Center in Peachtree City, GA

Text of Deacon Steve Swope’s Keynote to AACCW Convention

Keynote Slides for AACCW Convention 2017

The Georgia Bulletin Article Following The AACCW Convention


ordinary

The 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – July 30, 2017 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. 


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The 3rd Sunday of Easter – April 30, 2017 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA. 


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Keynote Address to the Orthodox ~ Catholic Ecumenical Gathering – March 6, 2017 – Given at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, GA.– The video is here:  Video of Keynote Orthodox-Catholic Ecumenical Gathering  The text of my remarks is here: Keynote to Orthodox ~ Catholic Ecumenical Gathering 2017


lamb

The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – January 15, 2017 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA.


advent

The First Sunday of Advent – November 27, 2016 –Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA


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The Solemnity of Christ the King & Close of the Year of Mercy – November 20, 2016This is a homily that I gave at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Peachtree City, GA supporting their December 10, 2016 CRS Helping Hands Meal Packing Event for Burkina Faso


ordinary

The 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 19, 2016 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA


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The 4th Sunday of Easter – April 17, 2016 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA


ordinary

The 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – September 27, 2015 – Given at St. George Catholic Church in Newnan, GA


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Homily for the National Association of Diaconate Directors – National Directory Institute – June 28, 2012 – Given at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH – Homily for NDI 



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