Would there be enough evidence to convict you of being a Christian?

In this homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter, Fr Sam challenges us to take a long, honest look at our discipleship. Christianity is not a cultural label or comfort-zone lifestyle. It is radical, self-giving love...seen most clearly in the Cross.

Drawing from Christ’s command to love as He loved, and St Paul’s bold witness in Antioch, Fr Sam invites us to reject "comfort-zone Christianity" and embrace faith that transforms lives. He shares practical steps for making our faith convincing: through the Catechism, acts of service, and a life rooted in prayer.

This is a message for Catholics who are ready to live the Gospel not just with words, but with action. Because the world doesn’t any old Catholics. It needs witnesses!

So, ask yourself: Is your Christianity convincing?

Connect with Fr Sam: https://www.frsamfrench.com

What do mothers and priests have in common with Jesus the Good Shepherd

In this homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Fr Sam reflects on a beautiful convergence. It is both Good Shepherd Sunday and Mother’s Day, a chance to see how the self-giving love of Christ is mirrored in the vocations of motherhood and priesthood.

Drawing from John’s Gospel, Fr Sam unpacks what makes Jesus the Good Shepherd. It is not sentimentality or soft imagery, but the courageous love that lays down one’s life for others. That same love is visible in the quiet heroism of mothers who sacrifice for their children, and in priests who give their lives to serve the people of God.

This is a message about vocation, love, and the power of prayer. It is a call to see beyond the superficial and rediscover the deep beauty of lives lived for others. It is also a moment to give thanks for the new hope stirring in the Church, as more men respond to the call to serve as priests, and as families continue to raise children in faith and love.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we honour the hearts that lay down their lives for the sake of others.

Thank God for good mothers. Pray for good priests. Follow the Good Shepherd.

Connect with Fr Sam: https://www.frsamfrench.com

Why do we stay in the Church when the failings of its leaders are so public and painful?

This week, Fr Sam reflects on the image of the boat in the Gospel of John. More than just a fishing vessel, it becomes a symbol of the Church itself. When the apostles try to fish on their own, they fail. But when they listen to the voice of Jesus, the net overflows. It is a powerful reminder that without Christ, the Church is empty. With Him, it is alive.

Fr Sam speaks candidly about the pain and disillusionment so many feel when the Church seems lost or broken. He shares his own experience of entering the priesthood in a time when trust in the Church was at its lowest. But he reminds us that we are not here because of the human leaders who sometimes falter. We are here because Jesus chose this boat. And when His voice is followed, the mission of salvation continues.

This homily is an invitation to see the Church not as an institution of control, but as the vessel Christ Himself steers. It is a call to remain faithful, to pray for our leaders, and to trust that God still works through the net of the Church to gather the world to Himself.

We stay in the boat not because it is perfect, but because Christ is in it

Connect with Fr Sam: https://www.frsamfrench.com