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You are the salt of the earth, …the light of the world. (Mt. 5) Are we living this vocation in our families, friendships, and other relationships? If we ignore our circles of influence and “travel across land and sea to make one convert” (Mt. 23:15), then who will speak to those we have abandoned? Saint (Mother) Teresa of Kolkata’s response to one who wanted to move to India to serve with her was similar: “grow where you are planted.”

When does Christmas end? The answers - plural! - might surprise you. Depending on who you ask, the Christmas season ends...

The reading today ends with the words of the Father over the Lord Jesus. These words are huge and should be prayed about in depth for every one of us. That’s why I included the next verse above. The first thing Jesus does is He goes to the desert (wilderness) to get away from everything and think about what the Father is doing in Him.   Have you ever let these words, spoken over you in your Baptism, to sink into the core of your being?

In his Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, Pope Francis has asked the universal church to give special focus to Saint Joseph for the year of 2021. As the husband of Mary, the mother of God and thus the foster father of the Lord Jesus, Joseph deserves our attention in a particular way. This call for a year of St. Joseph marks the 150th anniversary of his being named   universal patron of the church. As such a patron, it means every single one of us is able to seek his support.

So many emotions, the heights and the depths, are swirling in the hearts of the faithful nowadays throughout our country and our world. This great day of celebration of Christmas, in the midst of the most severe pandemic in living memory, offers us a unique perspective on what is important in life. While the secular view has its own perspective on what it deems “essential,” with the eyes of faith we are able to see the deeper meaning of life in the story that begins in a manger – with centuries of prelude through the patriarchs and prophets...

With Christmas in under a week and COVID spiking, we estimate larger crowds but manageable ones for the great solemnity. We do intend to use the overflow areas in the gymnasium and perhaps Payne Hall as needed. Pray that it all works well and please help things to be successful by extending patience and mercy.

Happy Gaudete Sunday! The Latin word for "rejoice!" is the first word of the entrance antiphon for Sunday's Mass. With this Christmas soon upon us, we will all rejoice at the near end of 2020, the year of the worst pandemic in living memory...

Please study this and pray with the parish plan to learn how God wants you to be a part of this important work for your own personal discipleship and for the benefit of your parish family and local community to whom we are called to serve and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the back of church you should find multiple display boards that give a visual update to our renovation plans for the church.

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ! This month, I thought I’d share with you some Advent trivia that you can spring on your friends at all of your (virtual) Christmas (er, Advent) parties.

Big news: our pastoral plan is finally ready! For the past year a group of twelve has been developing a three-year plan for our parish. Based on the results from the Catholic Leadership Institute’s Disciple Maker Index (parish survey) and the parish site-visit, which included interviewing many people in the parish, the “envisioning team” worked through the hiccups of 2020 to establish a vision and set goals for our parish.

In light of today’s solemnity, let us reflect on the immediate precedent of our encounter with Christ the merciful judge, when we end our earthly days and go to Him. Use this meditation from St. Francis of Sales‘ Introduction to the Devout Life in your personal prayer time (10 minutes recommended).

We have just finally received the Vatican’s internal investigation document outlining the highest level scandal of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church: that of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, D.C. This report, two years in waiting, is over 400-pages in length. It details events from four papacies, beginning with Pope St. Paul VI. It seems to spread the blame to every period of the Church since Vatican II. This is big news...

I’ve been thinking a lot about what kingdom we are focusing on and building, as St. Augustine reflects on in that important work: City of God. An article I read this past Monday spoke perfectly to our contemporary situation...

Happy feast of All Saints' Day! This Solemnity actually replaces the 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time, which is an occurrence for Catholics that comes around every couple years or so with                    different solemnities and feasts. It is a joy to glance towards heaven and consider all the faces that are there which we do not know of here on earth. Not only will we meet the canonized saints, but so many others - a "great multitude," Revelation tells us!  

Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ! The Church dedicates the month of November to remembering our beloved dead and commending them to God’s infinite mercy...

The challenges of living in the midst of a pandemic continue to manifest themselves for our parish and local community. With cases back to our highest level, it is imperative that we work as Christians for the weakest among us by mitigating spread, even while continuing in responsible ways to embrace the most important aspects of being human: faith, relationships with family and friends, and pursuit of the good (both personal and common)...

Fr. Terry shares some of the USCCB's summary of Fratelli Tutti, the Pope's latest encyclical.

Our "big sister" St. Thérèse teaches us the powerful simplicity of being a witness of God's work in our lives.

Daniel offers you a glimpse into the month ahead, pointing out any noteworthy feasts, devotions, or prayers that may help you and your family to enter more deeply into the seasons of the liturgical year and bring the prayer life of the Church more fully into your own ‘domestic churches.´

Fr. Terry reflects on our beloved patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux.