Fr. Brian Soliven Sermons

Something truly amazing has been happening over the past two weeks. Even though I’ve been a priest for over ten years now, thanks be to God, I have never seen anything like it.  One after another, almost like a holy assembly line, people have been coming to confession after decades away from the Church. Son and daughters of God are coming to the stuffy, little, carpeted confessional that we h...

Christianity is more than a collection of ancient dos and don'ts. Rather, at its core, Christianity is about a relationship with the Incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ. St. Peter finally understands this in our Gospel reading today as we hear the famous conversation between himself and Our Lord, "Do you love me?"  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely th...

Jesus comes to unite us in the Truth.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give

The mission of Jesus is simple -- unite the family of God back to the Trinity. He comes to restore the union we once had before the Fall of Adam and Eve. By his blood we are healed.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us con...

When we pray from the depths of our inner most heart, a pure, distilled, sense of our soul arises. All pretenses are removed. The masks come off. There's no one to impress. Jesus in today's stunning gospel, is in that very place. A window into the mysterious, unfathomable, eternal core of the Most Holy Trinity is before us.     --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies ar...

The fifty days of Easter are now drawing to a close. We can soon officially stop saying “Happy Easter” to one another, our friends and our dear family. Now people will stop thinking Catholics are weird, or at least in regards to that salutation. The pope, the Blessed Mother, relics, purgatory and all our other seemingly bizarre practices and teachings may still keep us from winning a popularity co...

Jesus makes a bold promise in today's reading from the Gospel: "Amen, Amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. " (Cf. John 16:23). Let's put it into practice!  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift...

Jesus promised us in last Sunday's Gospel reading to never leave us orphans. At no time are we ever alone, especially in the midst of the storms of our lives. This Holy Spirit that was given to us at our baptism is the source of our Christian joy, no matter how relentless the winds and rain.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listen...

In the first reading today, we find St. Paul in the city of Philippi, which will be the first church he establishes on the European continent. It's here where one of the most comedic events of Sacred Scripture takes place -- he's beaten with rods, thrown in prison, the earth quakes, and then something unexpected happens.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared fr...

“Good morning Father,” says a young man. “My name is *Michael*” (name changed for privacy). “Does St. Mary’s have a young adult group? I’ve been looking for a group of Catholic’s my age. Our culture has become more and more godless that I feel I need to surround myself with people who are like-minded. Sometimes it can be lonely …” That last sentence, “It can be lonely”, struck me in the heart. It...

In the dark, nefarious, underworld of Chicago's male prostitution, a Catholic walked in. He would bring something with him that would change the life of a young man forever.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue re...

We're made for joy. The decisions we make each day are directly or even tangential to achieving that goal. Christ gives us the secret to finding it.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the h...

Jesus makes it abundantly clear in today's Gospel reading -- " Apart from me you can do nothing. " (Cf. John 15:5). Absolutely nothing. If we want life, peace, joy, you name it, we must go to the source of life.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer e...

People often wonder why Catholic churches look different. From the Gothic architecture of Notre Dame in Paris, to the Renaissance dome of St. Peter's in Vatican City, Catholic places of worship feel and look otherworldly. That's by design.  Our buildings are meant to be a visual reminder that we are made for something more then life here on earth. We're meant for a Heavenly homeland.  --...

The whole of human history can be reduced down to one word -- Trust. Or lack thereof. The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis is one of not trusting in God's command not to "eat of the fruit". The readings in today's Mass presents the same mistake. Christ comes to restore this lost trust of ours through his every move.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely...

Last weekend, our hardworking Faith Formation team, family volunteers, the amazing sisters of Pro Ecclesia Sancta, Fr. Reji and myself had the great pleasure of serving the Confirmation retreat for over sixty of our teenagers who will be confirmed this June. When asked why they wanted to receive this Sacrament, a consistent theme emerged from the kids: “I want to get closer to God .” That’s the pe...

The best gifts are the unexpected ones. It has the power to move us to tears; I dare say it has the potential to change our lives. God offers each of us such a gift.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording...

We can stop searching for the answer to life's most pressing questions. It's found simply in your local Catholic Church. At every single Mass, the most glorious, most precious and the most perfect gift is given to humanity: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life... the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world." (...

The heart of the Christian disciple is one who trusts ferociously in God’s plan. We are asked to let go and put our trust in the hands of our Heavenly Father. After His resurrection, Jesus tells St. Peter, the first pope, “ Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someo...

***The following homily was given at our 2pm Traditional Latin Mass. The readings will very slightly*** The Resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything . Upon this one single doctrine of our Christian religion, the entire 2,000 year old edifice of the Catholic Church is built. If Jesus is still dead, then St. Paul is absolutely correct: “ if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in...

In today's Gospel, we have the famous story of the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. The scandal of the cross has rocked their faith. Even Jesus' own uncle abandons his nephew. Here we have them completely disheartened, walking away from the Jerusalem into the coldness of the unbelieving world. Yet suddenly, an unexpected visitor suddenly appears and their empty hearts become inflamed with a ne...

A life lived in Christ, is the truest of lives. Without him, we are slaves to the whims and changes of our circumstances. Without him my value depends on the approval and affirmation of others. Without him, death itself will devour me, no matter how much vegetables I eat. Not anymore! The resurrected Jesus changes everything. If Jesus is alive as we Christians joyfully affirm, it means that Jesus...

The Wednesday of Holy Week is traditionally called "Spy Wednesday". It's the day Judas conspired with the Pharisees  to betray Jesus for a measly 30 pieces of silver. What caused him to turn on his friend? Judas' sad story provides a lesson for us all.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have ble...

"The whole city was shaken", when our precious Lord entered the city of Jerusalem on the donkey (Cf. Matthew 21:10). The crowds new they were welcoming a conquering messiah, long promised by God centuries before. The time was now fulfilled. However, Christ victory will be won not by swords or armies but something even more precious.  --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian’s homilies a...

"Father", said the little eight-year old girl shortly before Mass. "Why are the statues covered?" She was referring to the large purple veils that now adorned the sanctuary, hiding all of the artwork. Passiontide, as we call it, has its earliest beginnings in the 9th century. It's meant to evoke absence and emptiness. The little girl immediately picked it up and understood that something is missin...