As we know, a new Church Year has commenced as we have entered the season of Advent. Integral to the season of Advent is the Advent Wreath, which has a long Catholic tradition. The Wreath is displayed prominently in front, on the left side of the Sanctuary. It typically has four candles that are lit progressively during the Sundays of Advent. The first candle is the Prophecy Candle or the Candle of Hope.  It reminds us that we can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. (Read more…)

Today is the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year and we gather to celebrate this great feast of Christ the King. The Church wants us to reflect upon what the whole of all creation is ultimately about. Our Faith tells us that Christ will return to establish the Kingdom of God and when that time comes, the world as we know it will be transformed. This is not something to be feared but rather something we long for because it means the complete fulfillment of God’s will. (Read more…)

Our parish volunteers consist of dedicated lay men and women who do so much for our parish and our parishioners.

Pope Francis clearly appreciates those who work in some capacity for the Church. Our Holy Father said, “The mission of the Church in the world proceeds through the contribution of those who are part of it.” He also commented that “some think that there are only priests, the bosses, and then there are workers. No, the Church is all of us, everyone, each person has their role in the Church, but we are all the Church.”

Pope Francis celebrates Mass for various workers in the Vatican when his schedule permits. He also prays for those with whom he works, and when possible, interacts with them. (Read more…)

This Sunday begins National Vocation Awareness Week here in the United States. It is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the need to pray for vocations to the priesthood, religious life, and married life. People do not just decide to become priests or religious, it is the result of feeling drawn to the life and the work. It is born from a growing faith and love of Christ and the Church and the conviction that service to the Church through this vocation will not only bring joy but also better the lives of others who are drawn to Christ. (Read more…)

Today as we celebrate World Priest Day, we honor the men who have dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Let me then, today, take a few moments and reflect on the priesthood.

Sacramentally there are three key things that only priests can do:  hear confessions and give absolution;  anoint the sick; and most importantly, consecrate the Eucharist.

When you consider those three sacraments, they offer a powerful testament to the meaning of the priesthood. (Read more…)

Catholics throughout the world are invited to recommit themselves to the Church’s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice by observing World Mission Sunday on October 24th. Instituted for the whole Church by Pope Pius XI in 1926, it is traditionally celebrated on the next-to-last Sunday each October.

Today, let us join our brothers and sisters around the world who gather at the Lord’s Table to celebrate, with great joy, our common vocation as missionaries. Our prayers and concrete gestures of solidarity will help build local churches across the globe. (Read more…)