“Please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth.” (2 Kings. 5:17).  What a curious request we hear at the end of this Sunday’s first reading.  Elisha, the great prophet in Israel, had just cured Naaman, the great army commander of the Arameans, of leprosy.  Why would Namaan want this pile of earth from Israel?  You will recall that the people at that time believed in local gods.  They believed that these local gods ruled over particular lands.  That’s why various Old Testament books speak of the gods of […]

This weekend, we join with the Church Universal in celebrating World Mission Sunday with its theme: “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples”.  As we continue to celebrate this Jubilee Year, the late Pope Francis called everyone in his 2025 World Mission Day Message to prayer, reminding us that prayer is not only the “primary missionary activity,” but also the key to “keeping alive the spark of hope lit by God within us.”

Our Holy Father delivers his Mission Day Message in February in preparation for World Mission Sunday which is observed […]

After the celebration of the Eucharist itself, what better Eucharistic event is there than our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion?  It’s a great opportunity to linger with our Lord, recalling all that he has done for us and preparing for our eternity with him.   Our annual Forty Hours Eucharistic Devotion will begin next Sunday after the 11:30am Mass and conclude with a 7:00pm Mass on Tuesday.  I encourage everyone to join in this wonderful devotion!

As you know, we believe that, when we celebrate Mass, we participate in the Paschal Mystery: […]

“Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has poured out into our hearts.” (Rom 5:5)

You may recall that the late Pope Francis introduced a Jubilee Year that began last Christmas Eve.  It will come to a close on 6 January 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.  During this Jubilee Year, Pope Francis called us all to be “pilgrims of hope.”  This hope is not just an idle wish but, as one of the theological virtues, it is the confident assurance that God’s love will prevail […]