Parish Blog

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. Easter Sunday is of course the center of history; but if there had never been a Pentecost, Easter would only be an event of the past. The Holy Spirit continues Christ’s saving work in every generation.

This is how the Church was born: the Apostles were together in prayer, when a violent wind came, and tongues of fire settled on their heads.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The disciples fully believed that Jesus’ farewell was forever. They would never again see Jesus with their human eyes and so their hearts were full of sadness and nostalgia. However, I’m sure they remembered His promise: “I will be with you always, until the end of the world.” Christ is going away, but he's also staying? How were they supposed to understand this paradox?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The spiritual works of mercy are concrete acts of charity aimed at the needs of the soul. The Catechism teaches that the works of mercy are “charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities,” and that the spiritual works include “instructing, advising, consoling, [and] comforting,” as well as “forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently.” (CCC, 2447)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Corporal Works of Mercy are concrete actions by which the faithful of the church come to the aid of a person’s bodily or material needs. The Church calls them “corporal” because they assist people with their material necessities, and they are ways of meeting Christ present in those in need.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last week in my letter, I reminded everyone of requirement for obligatory attendance at Mass and I outlined some of the reasons for it. In brief, the Sunday Mass is obligatory because the Church teaches that Sunday is the principal day of the Christian life and the center of worship for which she has a grave duty to protect and order our lives toward God.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In this “Year of Catechesis,” I will from time to time, be reminding you of certain key points of our rich Catholic faith.

One of the key precepts of our faith is obligatory attendance at Mass. Mass on weekends (on Sundays, and also on holy days of obligation) is obligatory because the Church teaches that Sunday is the principal day of the Christian life and the center of worship for which she has a grave duty to protect and order our lives toward God.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, on the Second Sunday of Easter, we complete the octave of this liturgical season, one of the two octaves —together with Christmas— that remain in the liturgy renewed by the Vatican Council II. For eight days, we contemplate the same mystery and try to deepen our understanding of it in the light of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, “is the day the LORD has made!” This is the expression of Psalm 118:24 that we shall be singing throughout Easter time. That phrase is a celebration of our Christian faith. The Father has resurrected Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, in whom He delights, because He has loved us to the point of giving his life for all of us.