This weekend, during all Masses, we will celebrate World Marriage Day to honor the husband and the wife as head of the family – the basic unit of society; and to salute the beauty of their faithfulness.

The annual observance of the marriage day takes on new meaning these days as the sacrament and institution and meaning of marriage are facing crucial new challenges from within and without.

More than ever, couples are experiencing problems arising from a widespread mistaken understanding of what marriage truly is; and unity and indissolubility are being replaced by personal fulfillment. (Read more…)

Today is Scout Sunday, when we recognize Scouts and the blessings that Scouting brings not only to our congregation but to our nation and the world. Since the inception of the Scouting movement at the beginning of this century, religious faith has played a major role in character development of Scouts, which is one of the primary aims of both the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of the USA. “The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America is…to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness,” while “The mission or purpose of Girl Scouting is to inspire girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism, and service that they may become happy and resourceful citizens.”

These goals are more critical today than ever before. (Read more…)

This weekend we will say goodbye to the month of January and hello to February, the shortest month on the calendar. That’s 1 winter month down, 2 to go! Though some will look for a forecast of the remainder of winter by observing a large burrowing rodent, for Catholic Christians February 2 marks something more important than “Groundhog Day.” It is the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation, commemorating the time when the infant Jesus was brought to the Temple in Jerusalem by Mary and Joseph 40 days after His birth. (Read more…)

On Saturday, January 14th, fifteen children made their First Sacrament of Reconciliation. What a joy and privilege it was to see them at this Sacrament!

We also encouraged the whole family to come to church with the child and to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation too. I’m pleased to say that I was able to hear the confession of some families that morning.  This was a great example not only to the children in the family, but indeed, to other children and adults present in church – including myself. (Read more…)

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who worked so hard in decorating and preparing our church for Christmas.  Many people have told me how much they enjoyed the Christmas Service.

Thank you to Pat Prakopcyk, Lisa Sforza, Nancy Coletti, and Glenn Ricketts, our musicians who make our services and liturgies throughout Advent and Christmas so special and prayerful for all of us.

Thank you to our Ministry Heads and all the Ministers: Rob Preston for coordinating all our Readers; John-Joseph Bober for coordinating our Extraordinary Ministers of Eucharist; Rich Kopf for coordinating the Ushers; and our Sacristan Margaret Rocca here at St. (Read more…)

Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. This is one of the Feasts of the Manifestations of Christ to others after His birth. But the manifestations were accepted by those who were witnesses. And those witnesses would give witness to others. Our world today is in great need of people who will witness for their faith in Christ.

When we leave Church on Sundays we are called to go home and “make known” what we have heard, seen, and received. (Read more…)