On Saturday, January 11th and Saturday, January 18th, seventeen of our First Holy Communion children made their First Sacrament of Reconciliation.  What a joy and privilege it was to see them at this Sacrament!

We also encourage 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…)

The week from January 18-25th, Catholic Christians celebrate the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.”  The purpose of this week is to remind us that Catholic Christians are called to ecumenism.    This is the Church’s commitment to the prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper, in which Jesus prayed “that they all may be one” (John 17:21).

At the Second Vatican Council, the Council decided that the realization of that unity in accordance with the prayer of Jesus was an ecumenical imperative.  (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 and Glenn Ricketts, our organists who make our services and liturgies throughout Advent and Christmas so special and prayerful for all of us.

Thank you to Mrs. Vanessa O’Keefe and the children who participated in this year’s Christmas Eve Pageant.  (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…)

As we know our Christmas Season continues, and today we celebrated the feast of the Holy Family, the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the family that makes this Season possible.  Our Holy Father Pope Francis has a great love for the family unit.  He has challenged us to strive for spiritual unity and for the strengthening of families by following the example of the Holy Family.

He stated, “Dear families, you know very well that the true joy which we experience in the family is not superficial; it does not come from material objects, from the fact that everything seems to be going well.  (Read more…)

Dear Parishioners,

The Christmas Gospel speaks to us of a family, rejoicing at a child’s birth, their lives uniquely affected by God’s presence in their midst, responding with faith and trust to their special role in the history of salvation.

The example of the Holy Family inspires us as we celebrate Christmas.  As they rejoice at Jesus’ birth, so too do we, remembering the new divine life made possible by Jesus’ life on earth.

I want to encourage you in as sincere a way as I can to remember to keep Christ “first” in all you do and say while you are going through your Christmas activities.  (Read more…)