“Your presentations are well-researched and approved…..I have never heard a complaint but many, many compliments.” - Father Michael Duffy , pastor, St. Jude’s and Immaculate Conception Parishes, Louisa County, Virginia Soft sermons? These aren’t sermons at all! They are interesting bits of religious history, less-familiar stories from the Bible, Physics and Astronomy, and speculations by an author whose background is science. The topics go very well if you have a little wine to sip while you’re reading them. If you are a Catholic, you may find some items here that seem curious, such as a few of the Rules of Benedict, or the unique way that St. Ignatius meditated, or whether Jesus had a sense of humor, or whether some miracles of the saints were whimsical, but nothing here to challenge your basic beliefs. If you are not a Catholic, I hope you will be entertained as well as enlightened and informed by the perspectives that Catholics can sometimes put on things. This book is intended to be enjoyed as a pleasant read, even at the beach. All sides of any controversy are respected. One cautionary note: this book is “non-threatening,” but it does include events and places where many people were most definitely threatened, and where many people suffered. Happily, though, and by the grace of God, they involve situations that most of the readers of this book (including me!) have not personally experienced. You can read about them objectively. They are things to learn from, not to suffer through. It was fun to put together the suggested wines to go with these readings and to figure out why they might be appropriate for each topic. If you don’t care for the suggested wines (and, yes, a few of them are serendipitous, and some are absurdly expensive), then any other wine that you enjoy will also do. Cheese, crackers, olives, or fruit are all extras. As you wish, believe or don't believe the ideas presented in each of these “sermons,” but believe in the wine. FYI: These “sermons” all originated as presentations made to the parishioners at two churches in Louisa, Virginia. They have been condensed, purged of recognized mistakes, and improved when possible. The QR codes include most of the slides used in the presentations. "Your presentations are well-researched and approved.....I have never heard a complaint but many, many compliments." - Father Michael Duffy , pastor, St. Jude's and Immaculate Conception Parishes, Louisa County, Virginia "In preparing for this sermon, I am reading a book, which was a Christmas gift from a friend. Her father, Doctor/Professor Larry Kavanagh is the author, and he has his degree in Space Physics. He also is a Catholic Adult Education Teacher at his parish in Virginia..." - Father Jack Lau , Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Church, Oakland CA. (excerpt from sermon on Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2024) "You truly make a difference spreading the good news and digging deep into the facts and records enlightening people like myself who would never have known. I thank you for what you do. Please don't stop." - Mike Conlon , parishioner "While I am home bound from recent surgery, I could think of no better way to spend my time than with my friend Larry Kavanagh. It brought back so many wonderful memories of his and Judy's adventures." - Betty Moody , Parishioner