A Note from our Pastor 6-4-23

A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR

DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST:

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY: This weekend we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The observance of this Solemnity is a reminder that as Catholics we believe that there is One God with Three Divine Persons: the Father, Jesus the Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Remember when we use to refer to the Holy Spirit as the Holy Ghost?

Ultimately, our understanding of the Most Holy Trinity is that God is within His very nature a unity of persons. The love of the Father for the Son and the Son for His Father is the Holy Spirit. You can appreciate why our understanding of marriage reflects this belief. The love of a husband for his wife and a wife for her husband is open to the creation of a child as an expression of their love for each other.

As we celebrate this Solemnity the church is not only reminding us of this fundamental Catholic belief but our charge to make His presence known throughout the world, especially, within our families, our neighborhoods and parish.

I pray that as we focus our spiritual attention on The Most Holy Trinity this weekend that our parish will continue to grow as a shining example of a community of faith and friendship with each other.

NEXT WEEKEND: SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST:
As we mentioned last year at this time, a spiritual program of Eucharistic Revitalization began on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The American Bishops made the decision to focus our attention on our belief that the hosts and wine consecrated at the Mass, through the words of the priest, speaking in the person of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit, are transformed into the real presence of the Resurrected Christ. The Eucharist (Holy Communion) is not a sign nor symbol of Jesus but the real presence under the sacramental appearance of bread and wine.

Recent studies indicate that many Catholics do not believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, that it is simply a sign or reminder of His Body and Blood. To address this the American Bishops have called for a period of Eucharistic Revitalization over the next three years. Through Holy Hours, Benediction and Eucharistic processions, our Bishops are hoping to revitalize this most fundamental and foundational Catholic belief.

Next weekend, to continue the efforts of Eucharistic Revitalization, we will have a procession with the Blessed Sacrament throughout the Church at the conclusion of the 4pm, 10am and 12pm Masses, which should last about 10 minutes. I am asking that everyone who comes to these Masses next weekend to remain for this procession as a reflection of your belief and love for the Eucharist.

STRIPING OF OUR PARKING LOTS.  I am so grateful to our parishioner, John Marazita, of Pro Striping, LLC, for the wonderful work he did this past week in restriping our parking lots.

Up until that point the individual parking spaces were so difficult to see along with the handicap spaces and sections where the sidewalk dips to allow for easy access for carriages, wheelchairs and parishioners with walkers or canes.

A Note from the Pastor 11-20-21

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This weekend we celebrate the great Feast of Christmas followed by the Feast of the Holy Family. What joy we feel as we now enter the Christmas Season which continues until January 9, 2022, when we will celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!

With this Feast we are reminded of God’s great love for all of us as He brings to fulfillment the promise that He made to our ancestors in telling them that he would send them a “savior.” In the fullness of time, Jesus was born of Mary in the town of Bethlehem to fulfill what the prophet had foretold, “And you Bethlehem are by no means least among the tribes of Israel for from you shall come a savior.”

Let’s ponder this inspirational poem on the ultimate meaning of Christmas by Howard

Thurman who wrote:

“When the song of the angels is silent, When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are again tending their sheep, When the manger is darkened and still. . .
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To rebuild nations,
To bring peace among people,
To befriend the lonely,
To release the prisoner,
To make music in the heart. . ..”

Howard Thurman points to the great challenge of Christmas; that is, to let the meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ become real in and through each one of us. After all, isn’t that what it means to be Jesus’ disciples in the world today? The best way we can live out our baptismal call is to become more like Jesus and to bring him to others. May our celebration of his birth this year stir us to this deeper commitment! Let the work of Christmas begin!

As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, we are also reminded that we make the Holy Family present in the love, compassion and support we give to each other. I remember a lesson that I was taught as a young student many years ago. What makes the Holy Family holy is the presence of Jesus in it. That is true to this very day! Merry Christmas, everyone! Let us celebrate the presence of Jesus among us, in our church and in our families.

Summer

I welcome our parishioners who are regularly with us and extend warm greetings to those visiting with us for the first time or here with a relative or friend.