In Preparation for Pentecost Sunday
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. (Jn. 14:26) As we prepare to come to the end of the Easter season once again with the celebration of Pentecost Sunday next week, I would like to offer some reflections on the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and in each of our lives. If you have been [...]
Congratulations First Communion Class
Last weekend and this weekend, (at the 5:00pm and 9:30am Masses), 85 of our young parishioners received our Lord in Holy Communion for the first time! This is a very important event in their faith lives as they now join with the rest of the believing community in participating fully in the Celebration of the Eucharist. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains so well: The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the [...]
Catholic Home Missions
As we continue the celebration of the joyous Easter season, we are reminded once again about the essential missionary nature of the Church. In today’s Gospel, we hear the risen Lord call Peter to “feed my lambs” and “tend my sheep.” This is the essential work of the Church – to care for the flock Jesus has entrusted to us. We are all aware of the need for continuing this work even today, which includes constant missionary outreach. But ordinarily, when we think of the Mission Church, we think of [...]
WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH
Easter is the time when we celebrate the new life that our Lord has offered us through his Resurrection. As a Church, we rejoice in this promise of new life and are eager to share this Good News with everyone. So, we are especially joyful when others join us. At our Easter Vigil Mass last Saturday, we were privileged to welcome Grace Zwaan (wife of Matthew Zwaan) into the Church as she received all three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Additionally, we welcomed James Bryan (husband of Jessie [...]
EASTER GREETINGS
Alleluia! Our Lord is risen and offers us new life! Jesus, the son of Mary, had truly died on the cross and overcame death as he rose on Easter. The resurrection of the body, the central mystery of Easter, is an essential Christian doctrine. As the apostle Paul declares so clearly: “[I]f the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (1 [...]
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and Holy Week
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” (Lk 19:37). 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 comes to offer a new way of life and claims to be who he truly is – the Son of God. This week is, indeed, what we Christians call it: Holy [...]