Dear Parishioners,

We are halfway through our Journey to the Cross this Lent as Pilgrims of Hope. We have together opened our hearts to the Lord by uniting our sufferings, challenges, temptations, weaknesses, and sins to the Cross... trusting that it is through His wounds that we are healed. This season is a time of conversion. The path to a deeper relationship with the Lord is always one of trust and surrender, and the Cross is what gives us hope and strength.

Dear Parishioners,

We are well into the journey of Lent – entering into our third week. The evening talks by Bishop Wall were a blessing – taking time to open our hearts to the way the Lord speaks to us through the Saints. We are all called to be imitators of Him and their example helps us to embrace our own call to holiness.

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend, we begin our Lenten Parish Mission/Retreat. Over the years, parishes have often invited a priest to preach the weekend Masses and then provide several nights of spiritual talks to help us grow in the Lenten season—preparing ourselves for Easter.

This year, I am pleased to welcome Bishop James S. Wall, the Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup. Bishop Wall and I attended seminary together and worked closely as brother priests here in the Diocese of Phoenix. The topic, “The Saints and Virtue”, is meant to provide us stories of these witnesses and how we too are called to virtue and public witness of our faith in today’s world.

Dear Parishioners,

Our Lenten journey has begun after being marked with Ashes this past Wednesday. As we walk the Lenten path this year, we will focus on being Pilgrims of Hope – Journey to the Cross. Hope in the Cross seems strange to nonbelievers. For Christians, we never look at the Cross without remembering that His suffering and death led to the Resurrection and new life. In some ways, we look through the Cross and to the gift of eternal life. Easter is our hope.

Dear parishioners,

This is the last Sunday before Lent 2025. We start our journey on Ash Wednesday – March 5th. Lent, if embraced well, can be a time of growth in the awareness of God’s loving presence. I encourage you to start getting ready to take the 40-day journey of renewal. God always invites us to go deeper and this Lent is no different. Find some way to help you stay alert on the journey.