“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). As the new year approaches, I have almost on queue begun to take inventory of what changes I should be considering for 2019, you know, making things better in […]
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of […]
Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, “Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” (Luke 1: 41-42) The simple, yet majestic […]
This third Sunday of Advent is referred to as “Gaudete Sunday”, meaning we should rejoice, that the new born Savior will be coming soon. On the advent wreath, a pink or rose-colored candle is lighted this day, signifying our joy in the coming Lord, who will atone for our sins and make salvation possible. Again, […]
“At that time, Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you. Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to the little children” (Luke 10:21). Having a childlike faith is not about possessing some sort of adolescent or mindless […]
A number of photos from the 1950’s and 60’s with author Joe Herzberg, growing up Catholic in Augusta GA.
“The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God” (From Luke 20:27-40). In […]
As I was reflecting on this morning’s Liturgy of the Hours prayer, I was drawn to a sermon attributed to St. Augustine of Hippo, about prayer. Called “Let us exercise our desire in prayer”, St. Augustine explains that God knows what we want, but wishes us “to exercise our desire through our prayers, so that we […]
Last week during a morning Mass I was pleased to see Bishop Kevin Boland, who is emeritus bishop of Savannah. Boland was one of the many priests who came from Ireland to Georgia as missionaries in the late 1950’s through the early 1970’s. Bishop Boland taught briefly as St. John Vianney Seminary, which I attended […]
With the steady drum beat of new revelations of scandal and lack of accountability of the part of Catholic church leaders, the fatigue is palpable, with increasing numbers among the faithful wondering aloud, how long before the church is somehow purified and freed from this awful taint? While we hear from the hierarchy about an […]
A cradle Catholic, growing up in the deep south in the 1950’s and 60’s, Joe Herzberg has been a lifelong student of his faith, which included three of his teen years at St. John Vianney Seminary in Savannah, Georgia…
My work with The Salvation Army has brought me to a more thorough understanding of the issues and solutions in helping those struggling with housing instability, leading to homelessness. One key factor has stood out as an obstacle to stability, which is the vicious and unrelenting pain of having anxiety, depression, and severe types of psychosis, as well as alcohol or other forms of substance abuse. While challenging enough, when these problems involve children in families on the edge of instability, the work to resolve becomes even more intense, as I learned from a recent meeting with our local DFACS team in Augusta.
