News - March 2021 RSS Feed

On this day the church recalls the entrance of Christ the Lord into Jerusalem to accomplish his Paschal Mystery. The memorial of this entrance of the Lord takes place at the beginning of all our Sunday Masses through the procession or the “solemn entrance” - this year we are doing the second option for the sake of better spacing of the congregation. The use of palm branches is another reminder of Christ’s entrance, which we hold to join in the crowds of that day. The liturgy reminds us today that it was for one primary purpose that Christ entered Jerusalem: to win our salvation by his Passion and Resurrection...

It has been a benefit to be a part of the presbyteral council for Bishop Rhoades alongside twelve or so other priests of our diocese. It allows me to get a wider picture of all the thoughts and perspectives that go into the decision-making of our divinely-appointed shepherd, who represents Jesus the Good Shepherd for us all. One of the discussions was very pertinent for us all and I think very helpful for us all to hear clearly...

Laetare Sunday comes at a time of Lent when some years (most?!) we need a “pick-me-up,” Lent can be challenging for many reasons, and even discouraging, feeling like this school of hard knocks is leaving us rather tenderized. If at this stage of Lent you  feel a little discouraged by the way things are going, hold on to hope. This Sunday’s rose vestments are saying to you, "Hang in there!"

An invitation to confession: This season of Lent is a time for returning to the Lord, so I want to help you prepare for a good Confession. In the story of the Prodigal Son (worth reading! Luke 15: 11-32) we see a perfect summary of the heart of the Father seeking to reconcile with the soul lost in its own sinful wanderings. St. Augustine defines sin as incurvatus in se, “curved in upon itself.” In doing so, we will experience ruptures of communion with God and others as our souls “turn their backs” to those around us. The Father wants freedom for us, and that is what Confession is about.   Please be aware of two special nights of Confession this month. One is this Tuesday from 6-8pm. Every church in the diocese will have Confessions. So if you live closer to another parish and want to be more “anonymous” for Confession, try that parish during those hours.

Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ! I would like to comment briefly on four notable celebrations coming up on the liturgical calendar this month.