Father David J. Bonnar
Never Stop Praying for Increase of Vocations
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In my 32 years of priesthood, I have been blessed to spend 25 of them as a parish priest and 16 as a pastor. There is nothing I enjoy more than being in a parish. What is most exciting is just being at the intersection of people’s lives and watching them respond to God’s grace. Read More
‘How Are You?’ Takes New Meaning during the Pandemic
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How are you? That is a greeting we utter throughout the day, often spontaneously without a second thought. But in this COVID-19 time, this expression has a whole new meaning. How are you? Honestly, how are you doing in the midst of this pandemic? For many of us, I am sure that we are doing Read More
Life-Changing Times
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These last six months have been life-changing. During this pandemic, we watched normalcy as we knew it just slip by. Who would have ever imagined a time in which our churches would be closed, parking lots would be empty on Sundays, and we, as priests, would be unable, or at the very least, restricted from Read More
The Other Side of a Transfer
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One of the facts of life of being a priest is that, from time to time, we will be transferred. During the last 10 weeks, I have been living in transition. It all began with a phone call from the bishop informing me of my transfer. I am now writing to you from the other Read More
Transfer a Ritual that Calls for Celebration, Even during Pandemic
Father David J. Bonnar Comments Off on Transfer a Ritual that Calls for Celebration, Even during Pandemic
Rituals have been among the many casualties of this ongoing pandemic. Rituals define, express, feed and celebrate some of the realities of our lives. On the surface, these repeated actions may seem ordinary, but many of them point us to what is extraordinary. Perhaps the greatest loss of ritual in this time centers on the Read More
Joyful Celebration of the Growth in the Church
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Life, in many ways, is all about growth, which might best be defined as progressive development that yields fruit of one kind or another. One of the simple joys of life is watching growth take place. And growth can often be ritualized in celebration. For many years, my dear dad had a vegetable garden. Since Read More
Updating Your Will
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If ever there is a month in the year to just wind down, catch one’s breath and think less about work, it is July. For so many of us, July signals rest, vacation and fun. I hope you take some time to do all of the above this month. Whether it is at the beach, Read More
Longing to Receive Jesus
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Have you ever longed for something? Thirty-six years ago, I boarded a jumbo jet at New York’s JFK Airport on my way to Rome where I would spend the next four years preparing for the priesthood. In those days, we were not permitted to come home until after our second year. I was already beginning Read More