From Our Pastor

We’re happy to have Fr. Addisalem Mekonnen, the pastor of our sister parish, St. Martin de Porres, join us at all of our Masses next weekend and present the homily as we continue our 42-year tradition of sharing our faith with our sister parish.  And, as they have done for many years, members of St. Martin de Porres parish will lead us in song at the 5:00pm Vigil Mass.  This year, their men’s choir, God’s Men, will be here to lead us in lively song!  We will then host them [...]

“Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  At the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, I confirmed three new adult parishioners with the imposition of hands and the anointing of the forehead.  Last Saturday, Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez confirmed 77 of our young parishioners who attend our school or PREP.  And, that same evening, I confirmed another new adult parishioner who was unable to join us at the Easter Vigil.  This completed the initiation of all of these parishioners into the Church, which began at Baptism and was nurtured [...]

Alleluia!  This Easter proclamation that we repeat over and over again during the joyful Easter Season has a powerful meaning, one that we should all know and embrace.  It is a combination of two Hebrew words: “hallelu” (the plural imperative of “hallel”) which means “praise” and “jah,” the first half of the Hebrew word for God, Yahweh.  So, it literally means “everyone praise God!”  We should praise God always because of all the good he does for us every moment of our lives.  But Easter is the time for us [...]

“Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!  Hosanna in the highest.”  (Mk 11:9-10).  On Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we are called to join with our Lord, Jesus Christ, as he makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and then suffers derision and mockery, scourging and finally crucifixion because he claims to be who he truly is – the Son of God – and comes to offer a new way of life.  This [...]

“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 [...]

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 [...]