Parish Blog

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States—a moment to give thanks, to remember, and to ask God for renewed moral clarity. The Church’s prayer for our nation begins by placing every civic good under divine truth: “open our hearts to the truth of his Gospel, that your peace may rule in our hearts and your justice guide our lives.” (Roman Missal, 3rd ed.) In this anniversary, we ask that the promise of liberty be lived not merely as a political idea, but as a responsibility rooted in God, human dignity, and the common good.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, after choosing the twelve, Jesus sends them to preach and instructs them. He warns them about the persecution they may likely suffer and advises them on their attitude: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” (Mt 10:28)

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Christ trusted His apostles to reveal and introduce “salvation” to all His people. He calls us in a personal way, awarding us redemption and conversion. Such tremendous gifts mandate sharing the Gospel throughout the world. A priest is called to be “servant, victim, brother, listener and friend.” (Terence Cardinal Cooke) Above all, a priest must be a good Father. Not everyone can carry out such a demanding task; nor is it a responsibility that can be easily mastered. Men are being called now, more than ever for the “the harvest is great.”

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

It is with great joy that we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through the consecrated bread, Jesus chooses to remain with us for all eternity, as he had so promised after the miracle of the multiplication of loaves. He delivered on that promise on the evening of Holy Thursday. In every tabernacle in the world, Jesus Christ is present within the Eucharist, the very same Christ who suffered, died, and rose, for each one of us.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, it does us good to hear John's Gospel reminding us again that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This Sunday, in the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, God is worshipped, loved and served, because God is love. In God we find love, and whatever He actively does He does it for love. God loves. He loves us. This great truth transforms us and makes us more Christ-like. God’s love deeply affects our personal relations, making them purer and helping us to grow in holiness.

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.