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08-07-2022--We hear in this weekend’s Gospel, that Jesus was preparing our ancestors in faith for Passover.  (He does this for each of us as well.) Yet, we do not know the date or the hour, so we must make it part of our life to spend time “preparing.” To stop ourselves from the busyness of life and prepare, requires faith. (Also, it requires patience.) Indeed, our faith, helps us to “prepare.” Remember this beautiful definition of faith … “faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.”

7-31-2022--18th Week in Ordinary Time Recently, I was told by an elderly Priest, it would “profit all of us” if we have a bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Indeed, it’s a valid point, to discern what our ancestors in faith lived through and how it’s related to what we live through today.

7-24-2022--July 24, 2022 – Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time We hear a famous, beautiful, and yet ever simple question, “Lord, teach us to pray.”  Consider for a moment, why would they ask that?  Scholars teach us, our ancestors in faith who are asking the question desire to pray with the same closeness and confidence that they witness in Jesus.

7-17-2022--Sunday, July 17 – Sixteenth Sunday in OT   I have shared often with you, the famous Fr. Michael Schmitz teaching, that is, “we are wired for God.”  Indeed, that is the emphasis of this weekends sacred readings.  “There is need of only one thing” … to live in the presence of the Lord.  

7-10-2022--15th Sunday in Ordinary Time   A brief reflection on Saints God sends us…   Teachers of our faith tell us, “the measure of God’s judgement of the world at any given period of history is the ‘size of the Saints’ he sends to assist us in our time.”  

7/7/2022 -- Fr. Craig and the staff will NEVER ask for donations using gift cards and NEVER via text or email. Please be careful.

6-26-2022--Dear Friends, As we are nearing the end of June. Some good news, we as a Parish are at 24% toward(s) our CSA goal. Meaning, we have received $16,610 dollars towards our goal of $68,100.00.

06-19-2022--On Friday, June 24 we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. We will begin that Friday before Mass, with a time of silent prayer. At Mass, we will hear from the 15th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, it is the timeless parable of the lost sheep. Jesus addresses those listening, “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?

06-12-2022--To open our soul to His Love and to receive graces In June, we will hear the story of St. Peter. (Still in Sacred Scripture, called “Simon, son of John.”) As you know, Simon-Peter says, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” We are called to enter into PRAYER and imagine, being on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias, where our Lord Jesus asks Peter, three times for a “profession of love.” We must remember, Jesus’ ways are NOT our ways. Consider, whenever our Lord Jesus, in Sacred Scripture asks questions, it IS NOT to “gain information.” Jesus does this in order to open Simon-Peter’s soul (and even each of our souls) to His Love and to give graces.

06-05-2022-- Each year at Pentecost, we reflect on the POWER of the Holy Spirit. Servant of God Luis Maria Martinez teaches us, “Christ’s Paschal Mystery was brought to completion. The Holy Spirit is present within us – we can live in freedom as adopted sons and daughters of the Lord. We are strengthened with unique gifts from the Holy Spirit.” St. Thomas Aquinas would say, “that the Holy Spirit interiorly perfects our spirit…” “the Gift of the love of God is the Holy Spirit.”

5-29-2022--If you happen to live in the Archdiocese/Diocese [also known as ecclesiastical provinces] of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha and Philadelphia, the Solemnity of the Ascension is celebrated on Thursday, May 26, 2022, this year.  All other Archdiocese/Diocese “transfer” the celebration of the sacred Solemnity to Sunday.

5-22-2022--Jesus’ self-giving love is to be the pattern of our love for others. We open up the scriptures and we first hear from the 14th Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we hear how the early church celebrated the Rite of Ordination, with one of the Apostles laying their hands upon the head of those who we designated as the earliest leaders of the ancient church.

5-15-2022--We hear our Lord at the Last Supper, telling the eleven [remaining] apostles: “As I have loved you, love one another.” ALL WILL know that you are my disciples if you love another. Brothers and Sisters – each of us know, at certain times in our lives, this command “all will know you are my disciples if you love one another” – can be incredibly difficult.

5-8-2022 -- We hear from the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas encounter some success with their early work of sharing the Good News of Jesus.

5-01-2022--In the face of Peter’s triple denial of Him on the eve of Jesus’ passion. We now enter into the 21st chapter of St. John’s Gospel, and we hear the risen Jesus ask Peter, three times, “Do you love me?” Jesus draws out from Peter a love that deepens his “contrition” and “reparation.” Jesus helps Peter to see that through being humble and seeking contrition, Jesus will GIVE him a deeper love.

4-24-22--Divine Mercy Sunday Question: Where did the feast of Divine Mercy come from? Answer: If you were born well before the year 2000, you know the feast of Divine Mercy has not always been celebrated in the Church.

4-17-2022--Happy Easter! As you know, we spend the evening of Holy Thursday, then the day of Good Friday and the day of Holy Saturday with the universal church, “waiting at the tomb of Jesus.” God-willing the aim of our prayer is to place ourselves personally “in a mode” of awaiting.

04-10-2022--Fr. Craig’s Contemplations Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord On this day, our Church prayerfully recalls the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem to accomplish His Paschal Mystery. We have spent our Lenten season preparing our hearts through prayer, penance and works of charity. Now during this most solemn week we celebrate Jesus’ Paschal Mystery (that is, His Passion and Resurrection.) For it was because of this, He enters into Jerusalem. By GRACE we are transformed into being a partaker of the Cross, so that we may share also in His Resurrection and into the light of His life.

4-03-2022--During this point in our Lenten Journey, it is good to bring to prayer the fundamental consideration that Jesus Christ’s coming implies; one-to recognize our failings and GO to Jesus and search out forgiveness.  In other words, we go to Jesus to seek out His Light and His Peace

3-27-22--Fr. Craig’s Contemplations   Fourth Week of Lent   This is Christ   Our Lord Jesus came hidden in Mary’s womb, then in Bethlehem, then hidden in Nazareth, in Capernaum and on Tiberias. The mystical life is Jesus hidden as well.  Jesus lives in our Church and His presence will be with us until the end of days. Yet Jesus teaches through the church, gives life through the actions of the church, especially in the church’s service to the poor. Servant of God Luis Maria Martinez reminds us that the Church is Christ.