Parish Blog

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.

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I have mentioned, a Search Committee for a new principal has been formed and has met several times. FYI, the members of the Search Committee are as follows: Matt Kuhn, Chair; Vicky Tucker; Anna Allman; Cortney Neel; Jim Hidlay; Dennis Gmerek; John Theobald; Agnes Hobson and Mary Catherine Lawton. They will be working and praying diligently to find the very best person to be our next principal.

Dear Friends in Christ,

The fourth Sunday of Easter is often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, but it is also designated as the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations.” We are to pray and work especially for vocations to the permanent diaconate, the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

I came into full communion with the Catholic Church on September 8, 1998, at St. Joseph’s in Anderson. When I came in, God led me to immediately volunteer to serve in the church. Initially, I taught CCD to 9^th and 10^th graders. It was a challenge since I had never done that before. But God in his mercy blessed me and blessed our class. As time progressed, I became even more involved. Not too long after my entry into the church, I found myself serving in many different roles: I counted the offering; served as a lector, sang in the choir, served as a cantor, served on the Finance Council, and became President of the St. Joseph’s Men’s Club. Also, for several years, I coordinated a bus trip to the capitol for the annual March for Life. I remember that it got so that when I wanted to be away for a weekend, I had to find three people to replace me in my duties at the parish.

Dear Friends in Christ,

The risen Christ appears to the Apostles with a presence other than what he was in his mortal life. The apostles are surprised at Jesus' sudden appearance, his brief and substantial messages, and his goodbye. The light of the Resurrection helps them to understand the scriptures - the bread at Emmaus and the fish in Jerusalem make their presence tangible, and especially given the gift of peace as the fruit of the Resurrection.

Dear Friends 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 as changed by the Second Vatican Council. For eight days, we contemplate the same mystery and try to deepen our understanding of it in the light of the Holy Spirit.