Father Maurer's blog

Qwerty sleeping on the author's chest (his spot!), with Nellie looking on in the Saint Mark rectory chapel

Goodbye to Qwerty, faithful companion of 16+ years (2008-2026)

May 10, 2026 | 9 Comments

Between homiletic references and my general willingness to talk about them in general (!), I suspect that parishioners from all of the communities I have served know that I am a cat person. I grew up in a family of cat lovers, with several underfoot at any given point in our family history. One of the lesser - although admittedly not so lesser! - sacrifices of going to seminary was not having a cat around at any given time. But as ordination drew nearer, my folks assured me that after I was ordained a priest and had space of my own, one of my ordination gifts would be helping me get a cat as soon as reasonably possibly! Happily, my first pastor - Father Tuan Nguyen of Saint Anne parish (since renamed after Pope St. John XXIII) - and my...

Line art of two angels incensing the Eucharist contained with a monstrance. The words "ecce panis angelorum factus cibus viatorum vere panis filiorum non mittendus canibus", from the words of the Corpus Christi sequence, surround the image.

Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery outside Mass at Parish Family 49

May 5, 2026 | 8 Comments

As most parishioners in the central region of our parish family know, I recently came to the realization that the (former) adoration chapel at Queen of Angels parish must be closed. Due to the seriousness of the issues, that decision was made suddenly and without any fanfare at the time (Holy Thursday). The Sunday after Easter I made a point to offer in-person explanation after all Masses and last Sunday I included a special insert in the central region bulletin (which you can read by clicking this sentence). Though those efforts speak to the heart of the issues (Church teaching & law and archdiocesan policy), there's only so much a priest can cram into a single end-of-Mass announcement and a one-page bulletin insert. It is my hope...

A photo of coffee in a glass mug on a rustic wooden table in Copenhagen, Denmark

Weekly pastor’s post (April 19 – 25)

Apr 25, 2026 | 3 Comments

When the world gets to be too crazy, I often find myself taking refuge in great stories. One of the great authors of such a story - no less personage than J.R.R. Tolkien himself - wrote a full essay on this phenomenon titled On Fairy-Stories. It is well worth reading, but a point he makes there that I find most arresting is the idea that, when we are struggling to encounter them in the real world, virtue can not only be encountered in stories but can (re)inspire the reader to bring that virtue from the realm of the imagination back into real life. In one of his letters, Tolkien also talks about this connection of the imaginative to the real, and their mutual orientation to the final - I daresay eternal! - victory: “Actually I am a...

Weekly pastor’s post (March 29 – April 4)

Mar 31, 2026 | 1 Comment

It is the eve of the eve of the Triduum, with the end of Lent practically upon us and the beginning of an even deeper entrance into & meditation on the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus - the world behind us, the cross before us. In parishes around the world and here in our parish family, there are so many opportunities for prayer, reflection, and worship. I hope you'll join in some or even all of them! There's Tenebrae tomorrow evening, Lauds (Morning Prayer) each day of the Triduum, the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper, Tre Ore and Good Friday celebration of the Passion of the Lord, and of course, the Easter celebrations starting with the most glorious Mass of the year, the Holy Saturday vigil. For those who are here...

Weekly pastor’s post (March 22 – 28)

Mar 28, 2026 | 0 Comments

Happy Lent! Today marks the final day of the last full week of the season. With the celebration of Palm Sunday, we enter into Holy Week and soon, the Triduum celebrations of Christ's passion, death, and resurrection. Over this last week - traditionally called Passiontide (which is why we cover images, statues, and the crucifix) - I have been struck by the coming together of several mysteries and celebrations of our faith. The first was this Wednesday, March 25 - the solemnity of the Annunciation - a full nine months (not a coincidence!) before the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. One of my favorite readings is from a homily In Praise of the Virgin Mother by Saint Bernard in the Office of Readings on December 20, which I think...

Weekly pastor’s post (March 15 – 21)

Mar 19, 2026 | 0 Comments

Happy Solemnity of Saint Joseph! Today was my first day back in the office after vacation and my annual retreat. I have loads of emails and voicemails backlogged alongside various things needing done in preparation of Holy Week & Easter as well as in the long-term (think Partners in the Gospel). As the day played out, various and sundry unexpected things popped up. As the day draws to a close, I realized that I had missed an opportunity to join my prayers to those of Saint Joseph: "Lord, I had plans!" That said, today HAS been pretty awesome, with Mass for the solemnity bookending the day. To boot, I discovered a neat tradition that I got to share at tonight's reception at the Mass at Saint Joseph (celebrating their patron): Pane di...

Weekly pastor’s post (March 8 – 14)

Mar 9, 2026 | 0 Comments

This week I am away on my annual retreat. In your kindness, please pray for me during this time of prayer & reflection - know of my prayers for you! Saints & celebrations March 8 - Saint John of God - The devil loves to whisper the lie that we are too broken, too fallen to be redeemed - much less become saints! John's story breaks through that lie with a shining example of howeven a rough-and-tumble mercenary (of 18 years, no less) - was chosen by the Lord to become something greater...by embracing humility & poverty, no less! Learn more about him at Catholic Insight. March 9 - Saints Forty Martyrs of Sebaste - Soldiers from all different countries, today's saints not only together refused to make sacrifice to Roman gods, but...

Weekly pastor’s post (March 1 – 7)

Mar 4, 2026 | 0 Comments

Hello from vacation! This week I am (mostly) out of town at the Emerald City Comic Con (Thursday through Sunday), with my parents & brothers joining me for the first two days. As I understand it, there are some parishioners who are also attending - and some former parishioners too! - that I hope to bump into at some point during the convention. It has been one of the great and affirming delights since ordination to realize more & more how God uses our weaknesses & struggles as well as our desires & delights to show His glory in our lives AND in ministry. I've been going to ECCC since 2014 and it has never failed that I run into folks who could use a little bit of priestly presence - and are pleasantly surprised to find...

Seated in heaven surrounded by angels, God reaches out towards Adam, himself sitting on the earth, who also reaches towards God

Making our way towards full communion with God

Feb 25, 2026 | 1 Comment

Last weekend I preached on the call of Christ and His Church to those who struggle with issues of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Especially if you find yourself in position of not being married in the Church - or know someone who is such a situation - I encourage you to read & share the post of that homily I put up last week. After having offered that homily and reflecting on the responses I received from parishioners afterwards (including the teasingly offered feedback of 'great Saint Valentine's Day homily, Father' - which I clearly did not put together ahead time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), it became clear to me that the natural follow-up was worthy reception of communion for us all! Once again, the Lord put before us in the Mass excellent...

Inviting & guiding couples towards the fullness of marriage

Feb 16, 2026 | 2 Comments

This weekend I started my homily - as I am often wont to do! - with a story "a long long time ago in a galaxy far away in the land before time". I recounted how, at some communities I was serving many years ago, I had noticed over time that a great many of my parishioners - couples, specifically - were either not coming up for communion or were coming up with their arms crossed....and never actually receiving the Eucharist. Wanting to avoid any individual embarrassment or awkwardness, I decided then to preach about marriage in the Church. I talked about how some folks simply didn't know there was a path forward to marriage, how some folks might need to look into the annulment process, and above all, how the Church - and their pastor...