Rev. Hezekias Carnazzo

As mother and shepherd of our spiritual lives, the Church places before us the holy season of Lent, opening the way for repentance and reform. How our human nature revolts against such ideas! Sitting on our comfortable couches and enjoying the luxuries of modern life, our fleshly nature cringes at the least encroachment or inconvenience. […]

CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN! It has become our annual custom at the ICC to post a well-known and well-loved homily of St. John Chrysostom on Easter. I love to use the sermon below as the paschal blessing at my family Easter table and encourage you to do the same. I hope the

Something strange is happening: There is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began.

Dear ICC Friends, As we begin the great journey of Lent, I want to share with you an excerpt from a homily by Saint John Chrysostom on the true nature of fasting.  Saint John was known by the nickname “Golden Mouth” because of the powerful words he delivered.  I encourage you to print this three-page

Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Tree.  He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.  He who wraps the heaven in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.  He who in the Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face. 

As with any great event in our lives, there are some preparations which may be done at a more remote time, and some which can only be done more proximately.  Our preparations for the Passover of the Lamb of God are no different.  Before Lent, we began to pack our bags for our forty day

Soon all faithful followers of Christ will lay prostrate before His holy passion.  Soon the Body of Christ, the Catholic Church, will be nailed to the Holy Cross with her Savior.  Soon all of us who have made the great journey of Lent will stand in the cool mist of Easter morning to see for

Today the Church of God reaches the middle of the great journey of Lent.  With the help of the wisdom of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, let us reflect upon our journey thus far, always keeping before our eyes the glorious day of the Resurrection of God. Give thanks, Brethren, to the

Having entered upon the great and glorious journey of Lent, we again turn to the wisdom of Holy Mother Church. Seated this week at the feet of our spiritual father in Christ, Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Father of the Church, let us gather jewels of knowledge, so that throughout these forty days, we may

Having been anointed with holy ashes last week, we now fix our gaze upon the cross of the Son of God, and guided by the light of the paschal fire, we begin our preparation for the Resurrection of the Savior of the World. No one will reach the hoped-for day of the Resurrection, who has