Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope Francis has urged us to embrace this day and truly reflect a spirit of mercy, repentance, and reconciliation in our lives. On this day, one week after Easter, we are reminded why Jesus rose from the dead; and one of the reasons was to shower the world with divine mercy.

This is what the Church has to say in part about this great feast: “During the Church’s millennium celebration in 2000, Pope John Paul II declared that the Second Sunday of Easter be known as “Divine Mercy Sunday.” (Read more…)

Dear Parishioners and Guests: HAPPY EASTER! CHRIST IS RISEN!

Easter is not about brightly colored eggs, wearing pastels, or enjoying a big meal, although it could include these. Easter is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For some it will be a sad day, because Easter is a reminder of a loved one who has died and is now desperately missed.

Death seems so cruel, so harsh, and so final.  That is what the disciples were feeling when they saw their Lord, whom they had left everything to follow, hanging on the cross. (Read more…)

Palm Sunday

Today, with Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we embark on the HOLIEST of weeks, the first and most important in our liturgical year. Each day provides a renewed opportunity to celebrate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion: This year we walk with the Lord during His final days, proclaiming the Passion according to Luke. Each of the Passion narratives has a different feel to it, as the evangelist emphasizes some subtle themes.  (Read more…)

During the weeks of Lent, the Scripture readings and Mass prayers at our weekday Masses invite us to seriously respond to the call to conversion of heart that we heard on Ash Wednesday and to continue in our efforts to enter into the season as best we can. We are called to turn away from our sinfulness and to turn towards God. The traditional Lenten penances of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are held up before us as excellent ways of responding to this challenge to faithfully live the Lenten season. (Read more…)

During the Season of Lent we have the tradition of Walking with Jesus on the way to Calvary.  It is a beautiful way to walk with Jesus and to pray in the company of fellow parishioners.

Since Lent is a penitential season of preparation for Easter, the Stations of the Cross, have become a popular devotion in parishes.

The Stations originated in medieval Europe when wars prevented Christian pilgrims from visiting the Holy Land.  In the 12th century, St Francis of Assisi devised the list of stations and started the tradition of reciting it as a type of devotional service. (Read more…)

Today we celebrate the second Sunday of Lent. Lent is the time, approximating forty days, of reflection and penance leading up to Easter. Pope Francis stated, “Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.” He said that Lent is meant to wake up Christians and to help them see that God can give them strength to change their lives and their surroundings.

One of our leading Catholic scholars has described Lent as the desert time in the Church year. (Read more…)