Luke begins: “Once when Jesus was praying….” The “praying” is a Lucan touch. In Luke’s Gospel Jesus characteristically prays before important events or before a major decision. This tells us that Luke himself was a man of prayer.

Bishop Edward K. Braxton celebrated one of the liturgies at the Catholic Media Conference this year, held in St. Louis June 1-3.

Being welcomed into a gathering makes all the difference in whether we feel comfortable or ill at ease. Imagine hearing someone say: “You’re not welcome here.” As a reporter attending various meetings over the years, I have been unceremoniously ejected from them occasionally, and when it happens, it’s a bit jarring.