Dear Parishioners,
The Gospel reading from Mark is one of my favorites that I think provides good insight into the spiritual life and our growing relationship with God. The man who approaches Jesus possesses a deep desire for happiness in everlasting life, he is following all the commands, but something is missing. Jesus recognizes this and invites him to sell all he has, give to the poor and follow him. The man walks away sad because he is possessed by his possessions – they are what he thinks brings him happiness. He is not willing to take the next step by letting go. Surrender and trust are key in the Christian journey.
READ MOREDear Parishioners,
This weekend kicks of Respect Life Month in our Church with the Gospel of Life annual collection. The US Catholic Bishops teach, “The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia.
READ MOREDear Parishioners,
Truth, beauty and goodness are considered transcendentals, which means they are deep properties of being, present in all things created by God. As humans, we long for all three to help bring meaning and connection to our lives. Truth is objective and we must search for it in a world that often embraces subjective truth.
READ MOREDear Parishioners,
The first day of fall is today, Sunday 22nd. Parishes often function on an academic year, which means we start to get busy in September with various activities and continue to be in full swing until late spring. We, as a community, are blessed with a long history of family and individual involvement and that continues. Be sure to look over the bulletin each week and as always I encourage you to get involved, become part of a group, come to one of the many opportunities to pray together, sign up to FORMED and explore the numerous teachings available. Continue to Learn— Grow – Be Formed!
READ MOREDear Parishioners,
This past week was a wonderful experience with our children and parents in formation programs and choir back on campus. Many of our adult formation experiences have also started up after a bit of a break over the summer months. On top of that, we have the opportunity to learn at home through the Augustine Institute FORMED Catholic content that is free for parishioners. We have started a 16 series Symbolon program to help us grow in our knowledge and love of Jesus and His Church.
READ MOREDear Parishioners,
September 8th is the day we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Mother. Because it is a Sunday – we celebrate the Sunday liturgy and honor her in a special way. One of the prayers for the liturgy states, “Come, let us celebrate the birth of the Virgin Mary; let us worship her Son, Christ the Lord.” We see in this prayer that all things point to her son. The same is true for us – all that we do should in some way points to Christ, who gives us new life.
READ MOREDear Parishioners,
This weekend we celebrate Labor Day, a national holiday, recognizing the dignity of human labor. The Church has always supported the inherent dignity to work and to provide for daily living. Labor Day for the Church worldwide is the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1st. It is the “World Labor Day” and Pope Francis wrote the following on the Feast in 2013, “Work is fundamental to the dignity of a person. Work, to use an image, anoints us with dignity, fills us with dignity, makes us similar to God, who has worked and still works, who always acts…” This Labor Day let us give thanks to God for those who labor in factories, fields and various professions that help to foster a healthy society that values the dignity of human labor and the gift of the individuals laborer.
READ MORE