The Sacrament of Reconciliation

“God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Last week, 78 of our parishioners received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.  On Wednesday of this week, everyone in the parish is encouraged to attend our Lenten Penance Service, which begins at 7:00pm; several priests will be available to hear your confession.  During this Season of Lent, when we are all invited to recognize our sinfulness that put Jesus on the cross, we are also encouraged by Jesus’ clear teaching […]

2024-03-16T14:18:28-04:00March 16th, 2024|

CHILDREN, GIFTS FROM GOD

I imagine you have learned that the Alabama Supreme Court recently ruled that embryos are to be recognized as human beings.  As a result, several fertility clinics in the state have informed their clients that they will no longer be able to continue their in vitro treatments for fear of possible lawsuits.  This has caused an uproar in the media.   Allow me to offer you a summary of the Catholic Church’s very clear teaching in this regard; you will find it in our Catechism of the Catholic Church.  It begins […]

2024-02-29T13:12:35-05:00March 2nd, 2024|

THIRD SUNDAY LENT (Year B)

Exodus 20:1 – 17

Last Sunday, we heard of God’s test for Abraham after he had made a covenant with him.  This follows the reading from the First Sunday of Lent, in which we heard about the covenant that God made with Noah and his descendents.  This week, we hear the commandments that God gives to his people at Mt. Sinai as part of that covenant. We read about the ratification of the covenant and Moses going up Mt. Sinai in chapter 24; let’s read that first to prepare us for […]

2024-03-03T19:11:47-05:00March 1st, 2024|

Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa was founded on the basic principles of Saint John Paul II’s call to action in Ecclesia in Africa and the adoption of the statement A Call to Solidarity with Africa from the Bishops of the United States.

Nations throughout Africa continually face the economic and social hurdles of enormous debt, epidemics, severe poverty and political unrest.  Despite these harsh challenges, Catholicism is flourishing throughout Africa.

Your support of the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa assists in the […]

2024-02-22T10:16:18-05:00February 24th, 2024|

AS WE ENTER FULLY INTO THE SEASON OF LENT

“See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you” (Gn 9:8).  As we begin again the Season of Lent, we hear today God’s reassuring words to Noah and his family after the devastating flood.  We are all familiar with this story in the Bible which provides a moral explanation for the end of the last Ice Age.  As this story ends, we hear God assuring humanity that he will care for us; all we need to do is turn away from our sinful ways and […]

2024-02-16T14:58:13-05:00February 17th, 2024|

LENT BEGINS

It’s been a strange and unusually warm winter, hasn’t it?  With the exception of a few extraordinarily frigid days and one snow storm, it’s felt more like fall or spring than winter.  Now, spring is fast approaching.  Liturgically, Lent – which means “spring” – is almost here; it starts this week with Ash Wednesday.  Just as the natural world is reawakened and renewed every spring, each year, the Church, in her wisdom, offers us this liturgical Season of Lent, a season for reconciliation and renewal in preparation for Easter, when […]

2024-02-09T09:58:15-05:00February 10th, 2024|

NATIONAL CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

National Catholic Schools Week is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States.  Now entering its 50th anniversary year, it is an opportunity for us to recognize the importance of Catholic education and formation and to celebrate our school that has instructed and formed our children for over 100 years.  Our school has enjoyed a strong reputation as an outstanding Catholic elementary school ever since it opened in 1916.  It was originally founded to ensure that the Catholic children in this area would receive both an excellent education […]

2024-01-25T14:11:44-05:00January 27th, 2024|

REFLECTIONS ON RECENT VATICAN DECLARATION – Part 2

REFLECTIONS ON RECENT VATICAN DECLARATION

 

Part 2

 

Last week, I provided you with a summary of the recent Vatican declaration entitled Fiducia Supplicans in response to questions that had been raised over the past several years regarding same-sex couples.  As you read this summary, you will recall that it ended with: “beyond the guidance provided above, no further responses should be expected about possible ways to regulate details or practicalities regarding blessings of this type.” It sounded as if the Vatican’s Office for the Doctrine of the Faith expected that it had […]

2024-01-19T08:52:13-05:00January 20th, 2024|

THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Year B)

Jonah 3:1 – 5, 10

This Sunday, we will hear from the Book of Jonah. The passage was clearly chosen to prepare us for the Gospel, as we shall see.  We only hear from this book once every three years on Sunday – that is, this Sunday – so let’s spend some time understanding its genre.  It is listed as a prophetic book, but is unique among the prophets for two reasons: 1) it is not a collection of oracles, but a narrative; and 2) Jonah’s behavior is the opposite of […]

2024-01-18T11:13:33-05:00January 18th, 2024|

SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Year B

1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

As we return to Ordinary Time, time that is ordered for our salvation, this Sunday we will hear about the calling of Samuel to become a prophet.  You may recall the birth of Samuel to Hannah, who had been sterile (cf. 1 Sm 1:1-28).  Shortly after his birth, Hannah dedicated Samuel to God by bringing him to the temple.  We begin the season of Ordinary Time with a classic vocation narrative. For those who know the story of his early life, Samuel’s call is not much of […]

2024-01-15T11:20:35-05:00January 14th, 2024|
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