Author: Rev. Francis J. Hoffman

Rev. Francis J. Hoffman

Rev. Francis J. Hoffman, "Fr. Rocky" is the Chairman and CEO of Relevant Radio and a priest of Opus Dei.

Lenten Lessons on the Mass 11: Kyrie Eleison

March 2, 2026February 19, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lesson

It’s Greek for “Lord, have mercy.” Today’s Lenten Lesson: Kyrie Eleison Kyrie Eleison is Greek for “Lord, have mercy.” After we confess our sins at the start of Mass, we then beg God for mercy. The opening scene of the 1963 film “Lord of the Flies” shows British prep school boys in uniform marching in […]

Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments 11: The Sponsors (Godparents)

March 2, 2026February 18, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments

Lesson 11 The Sponsors (Godparents) While it is not essential for the validity of Baptism to have a Godparent, or Sponsor, the Church asks us to have Sponsors, and the Sponsor for Baptism is later invited to be the Sponsor of the child for Confirmation when that time comes. The role of the Sponsor […]

Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments 10: More on the Sacrament of Baptism (Part II)

February 28, 2026February 18, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments

Lesson 10 More on the Sacrament of Baptism (Part II) Welcome back to the Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments. Today I will tell you the rest of the Ritual for Baptism. We left off yesterday with the priest, parents, and godparents tracing the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baby. That […]

Lenten Lessons on the Mass 10: Mea Culpa

February 28, 2026February 19, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lesson

Remember how Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony begins? Today’s Lenten Lesson: Mea Culpa Do you remember how Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony begins? Beethoven’s Fifth begins with just four notes. But he repeats it over and over, because anything worth doing is worth overdoing. The same thing happens in the Confiteor when we repeat just four syllables: mea culpa, […]

Today’s Mass for February 27, 2026

February 27, 2026 Podcasts, Today's Mass

Today’s Mass for Friday of the First Week in Lentfrom the Chapel of the Proclamation in Lincolnshire, IL. https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/134e18ca-7af8-403f-a7eb-ad7f01861f48/b186c27f-c05f-4af5-8068-adf10181d42a/b72b32cf-4a34-428c-8a62-b3fe0126b57c/audio.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSShttps://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/134e18ca-7af8-403f-a7eb-ad7f01861f48/b186c27f-c05f-4af5-8068-adf10181d42a/b72b32cf-4a34-428c-8a62-b3fe0126b57c/audio.mp3Podcast: Play ... Read more

Lenten Lessons on the Mass 9: The Confiteor

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lesson

It’s like washing your hands before a meal Today’s Lenten Lesson: The Confiteor You wash your hands before you eat dinner, and you take off your dirty shoes when you walk into someone’s house, don’t you? The book of Proverbs tells us that “Even the just man sins seven times a day” (Proverbs 24:16). That’s […]

Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments 9: More on the Sacrament of Baptism (Part I)

February 27, 2026February 18, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments

Lesson 9 More on the Sacrament of Baptism (Part I) The Ritual for Baptism provides for the baptism of one person or multiple persons. The most ordinary form of Baptism is for a newborn baby. Normally, a newborn baby is brought to the Parish Church for baptism within a month of their birth, since […]

Today’s Mass for February 26, 2026

February 26, 2026 Podcasts, Today's Mass

Today’s Mass for Thursday of the First Week in Lentfrom the Chapel of the Proclamation in Lincolnshire, IL. https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/134e18ca-7af8-403f-a7eb-ad7f01861f48/b186c27f-c05f-4af5-8068-adf10181d42a/58e5eb4d-ef8c-4e81-8e30-b3fd011adab0/audio.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSShttps://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/134e18ca-7af8-403f-a7eb-ad7f01861f48/b186c27f-c05f-4af5-8068-adf10181d42a/58e5eb4d-ef8c-4e81-8e30-b3fd011adab0/audio.mp3Podcast: Play ... Read more

Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments 8: Baptism: Matter, Form, and Minister

February 26, 2026February 18, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments

Lesson 8 Baptism: Matter, Form, and Minister Theologians who study the sacraments distinguish the Matter and the Form for a Sacrament. For Baptism, the Matter is water . . . natural water. It can be fresh water or salt water, but it must be water, not soap, not beer, not wine, not honey. Water. […]

Lenten Lessons on the Mass 8: The Sign of the Cross

February 26, 2026February 19, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lesson

Right before the Ascension, He taught us this Today’s Lenten Lesson: The Sign of the Cross We begin the Mass by making the Sign of the Cross, using the exact words that Jesus taught us (cf. Mt. 28:19 ) just before He ascended into heaven. By signing ourselves with the cross as we say, “In […]

Today’s Mass for February 25, 2026

February 25, 2026 Podcasts, Today's Mass

Today’s Mass for Wednesday of the First Week in Lentfrom the Chapel of the Proclamation in Lincolnshire, IL. https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/134e18ca-7af8-403f-a7eb-ad7f01861f48/b186c27f-c05f-4af5-8068-adf10181d42a/13cf3a40-8ef1-4fc3-a95a-b3fc0126dadd/audio.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSShttps://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/134e18ca-7af8-403f-a7eb-ad7f01861f48/b186c27f-c05f-4af5-8068-adf10181d42a/13cf3a40-8ef1-4fc3-a95a-b3fc0126dadd/audio.mp3Podcast: Play ... Read more

Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments 7: The Institution of Baptism

February 25, 2026February 18, 2026 Articles, Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments

Lesson 7 The Institution of Baptism Now that we have covered general principles about the Sacraments, it is time to look at each one of them in detail, so let’s start with Baptism and the moment of institution. Each of the seven Sacraments were instituted by Christ to give grace, but the moment and […]

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