Dear Friends in Christ,

Today Saint Mark presents us with an avalanche of needy people who approach Jesus the Savior seeking health and healing. As unlikely as it seems, a man named Jairus, the head of the synagogue, made his way through the crowd to ask for healing for his little daughter: “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” (Mk 5:23)

Dear Friends in Christ,

It is a fact that many of us have family or friends that struggle with same sex attraction. As I have said before, we must love them, pray for them and lovingly speak the truth to them. It is critical then that all of us should be aware of the ministries of Courage International.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, Jesus gives us two parables about farming: the parable of the scattered seed, and the parable of the mustard seed. These were images that people listening to Jesus could relate to, since most of them spent their days in the fields planting, caring for the crops and reaping. Our Lord told these parables using something they knew —agricultural work— in order to teach them something they did not know about: the Kingdom of God!

Dear Friends in Christ,

It’s June of 2024, and again we see, all across our nation, that President Biden, dozens of agencies of the federal government, NASCAR, major league baseball, and countless corporations are aggressively pushing “Pride Month.” We are told that we are to accept and promote the sinful lifestyles associated with the LGBTQ+ agenda.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, we solemnly celebrate the Eucharistic presence of Christ among us, the “gift par excellence”: “This is my body… This is my blood.” (Mark 14:22, 24) May we evoke in our souls the “Eucharistic Wonder” as encouraged by Pope Saint John Paul II.

In their Passover meal the Jewish people commemorated the history of salvation, the wonders God bestowed upon his people, especially the liberation from the slavery in Egypt. In this commemoration, each family ate the Paschal lamb. Jesus Christ becomes the new and definitive Paschal lamb sacrificed on the Cross and eaten in the Eucharistic Bread.

Dear Friends in Christ,

If you have driven down Richland Avenue or York Street past our school, you’ve seen the progress we are making on our new STEM Center. We are now approaching 80% complete! And the good news is that the cost is projected to fall within our original estimates.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today the earthquake that shook the entire universe and turned humanity upside down is happening once again. The coming of the Holy Spirit.  It's true that Easter Sunday will continue being the center of history; but if there had never been a Pentecost, Easter would only be an event of the past. The Holy Spirit makes Christ real, continual, and contemporary in every age.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Music is integral to the fulness of Catholic worship. And for centuries, the Church has upheld the organ as the principal musical accompaniment. Because of the stationary character of organs, their size, and their expense, the development of the organ, its use, and its repertory have been intimately intwined with worship and liturgy of the Church.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today we celebrate the last Sunday before the solemnities of the Ascension and Pentecost, which close the Easter season. Throughout these Sundays, the risen Jesus has revealed himself as the Good Shepherd and the vine to which we must be connected as branches, and today he opens his Heart to us completely.

Certainly, in His Heart we can only find love. What constitutes the deepest mystery of God is that He is Love. Everything He has done from creation to redemption has been out of love. All that He expects from us in response to His actions is just love. Therefore, His words resonate today: “Abide in my love.” (John 15:9). Love asks for reciprocity; it is like a dialogue that makes us respond with increasing love to His initial love.