Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Fr. Nonomen
Fr. Nonomen: A Collection
An old pastor once told me he would rather preside at a funeral—even the most tragic funeral—than at a wedding, any day of the week. Now I know just what he meant.
Setting the Table
I cringe when a priest begins Mass by asking everyone to shake hands and introduce themselves to the folks around them. To me, there is something false and forced about that, a simulacrum of the friendly gesture it is intended to be. It’s too little, too late. Parish hospitality must begin long before people are parked in their seats. It entails a lot more than ripping open a bag of Oreos and serving them with coffee after Mass.
They Only Look like Zombies
I called up some buddies and asked if they ever experienced this kind of thing. To my surprise, many had. Most chalked it up to “last chance” Mass syndrome—gotta go somewhere, anywhere, stop the car, let’s duck in here—and simply accepted it for what is was, not letting it trouble them a bit.
Six & Six | Commonweal Magazine
In some parishes, they dread it. In others, it can’t come soon enough. It is the year a parish community gets a new pastor. Like many others, our diocese sets terms for pastors. A priest is appointed to serve for a six-year term, after which he may elect to stay on for another six. After two terms, he must move on. No choice. No whining. You either throw a teary-eyed party for Father Wonderful, or you tell Father Nightmare to beat it out the back door. I detest this policy.
Not Ours to Mend
When Regina Garvey phoned to say that John had died that morning, I was speechless. I heard my voice repeating so sorry so sorry so sorry, but my mind was scarcely functioning. Days later, words continue to elude me. Born in 1944, three years before his father and an uncle founded the small but distinguished publishing house, Templegate, John Garvey was twenty-nine when he began writing reviews and articles for Commonweal.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Fr.
Contact Fr., search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack