Dear Brothers and Sisters,

St. Joan of Arc celebrated the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation for over 100 of our parishioners last weekend. We congratulate them and their families. Their hard work and many sacrifices helped to make this day so special. I am grateful to all the catechists, their aides, and especially the parents for bringing so many closer to Our Lord. I also want to thank Michael and Claudia for their wonderful work.

The truth about abortion is repugnant and abhorrent. It is therefore not easy and requires courage to speak out about abortion. However, as Catholics, we must boldly speak the truth and contradict the untruths and misleading rhetoric which surrounds the issue.

Some of the myths are:

''The government should not interfere with someone's personal choice." This is neither practical, desirable or correct. If there is only one legitimate function of government, it is the protection of innocent human life and to prevent one individual victimizing another. The word "choice" might sound good, but the reality is that some "choices" are crimes and all crimes are "choices".

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. The word "Pentecost" takes its name from the fact that it comes nearly fifty days after Easter. This day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.

Pope Francis reminds us that: "The world needs men and women who are not closed in on themselves, but filled with the Holy Spirit. Closing oneself off from the Holy Spirit means not only a lack of freedom; it is a sin. There are many ways one can close oneself off to the Holy Spirit: by selfishness for one's own gain; by rigid legalism – seen in the attitude of the doctors of the law to whom Jesus referred as "hypocrites"; by neglect of what Jesus taught; by living the Christian life not as service to others but in the pursuit of personal interests; and in so many other ways. However, the world needs the courage, hope, faith and perseverance of Christ's followers."

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are blessed with so many families at St. Joan of Arc. I am always amazed at the incredible sacrifices I see parents make at each and every Mass to be a good parent. As I see moms and dads bring their little ones to religious education classes I am so grateful for their dedication and desire to share God's love with their children. The wonderful catechists at St. Joan of Arc are here to help you… BUT your role as your children's primary teacher is your gift to your children. YOU have the awesome privilege and blessing to form the future of the world IN GOD'S IMAGE!

On this Mother's Day 2016, we are reminded that motherhood is a calling by God and it is a gift from God to our world. Today we give thanks to God for the gift of our mothers… and we remember also our mothers who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace. Grant them, O Lord, we pray, a place of refreshment, light and peace.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This month of May is typically dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. Throughout the centuries, there has been some confusion about Mary and the role she has in our life. To be clear, Catholics believe that worship is due to God alone. So Catholics do not worship Mary. Catholics venerate Mary and in May we honor her with the May Crowing. To show our love for our Blessed Mother is appropriate because she is the Mother of God, the Mother of Our Savior.

There are many reasons to honor Our Lady in beautiful ways. She is the model of perfect love and obedience to Our Lord. We know that God preserved Mary from sin. Sacred Scripture reminds us that Mary conceived Our Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. As Catholics, it makes absolute sense to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is full of grace, the Mother of God and our Mother, for her "fiat" or "yes" to God made the Incarnation possible. And without the birth of Christ, we would not have salvation.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In speaking about married love, the love between a husband and wife, and the family, Pope Francis reminds the world that a love that fails to grow is at risk. As St. Paul so beautifully prays: "May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another" (1 Th 3:12). But what does that sort of love look like? Pope Francis does not leave us wondering how to love. In paragraph 133 of his Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (Joy of Love), we are reminded that: "The love of friendship unifies all aspects of marital life and helps family members to grow constantly. This love must be freely and generously expressed in words and acts" (133).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Every Sunday, after most Masses, I witness many families chatting and laughing out in the courtyard. Meanwhile, their children are running around enjoying themselves (and maybe a donut too). For me, this scene is a snapshot of God's goodness and a reflection of the Church and the joy of love. Pope Francis recently issued his long awaited Exhortation - The Joy of Love. Part of growing in holiness includes the way we experience the joy of love. Where we find love, we find joy. Pope Francis extends an invitation specifically to Christian families to know the joy of love.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Bishop Olmsted presents our culture with a powerful challenge to stand up against the forces of evil that are literally killing us. Evil forces that see Christians as the enemy are attacking all that we know to be true, good and beautiful. Our bishop's words are direct and to the point: "engage in the battle"… a battle that has eternal consequences. He opens with this challenge:

"I begin this letter with a clarion call and clear charge to you, my sons and brothers in Christ: Men, do not hesitate to engage in the battle that is raging around you, the battle that is wounding our children and families, the battle that is distorting the dignity of both women and men. This battle is often hidden, but the battle is real. It is primarily spiritual, but it is progressively killing the remaining Christian ethos in our society and culture, and even in our own homes.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The second Sunday of Easter is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Most of us have at least heard of the story of Divine Mercy brought to us by St. Faustina, a Polish nun of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, who had mystical experiences that focused on God's Divine Mercy. Part of the charism of her community includes the unique task of "cooperating with the Mercy of God in the work of rescuing souls."

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Happy Easter to all of you and a special welcome to all of our visitors! I pray as you celebrate Easter Mass with us, you may come to know the peace of God in your hearts now and always. You are always welcome to come and to thank God for His many blessings most especially His Son who has risen from the dead!

Now we have begun the season of Easter! Last evening, at the Easter Vigil, we welcomed our newest Catholics. They stepped forward to be baptized and to be received into full communion in the Catholic Church. They received the Sacrament of Confirmation and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They received the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for the first time! They formalized their commitment to Our Lord by "turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel" for the rest of their lives and hopefully for all eternity.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Lent is almost over and there is only one week to go before Holy Week. You may notice that there is a shift happening in the readings of the Mass starting today. During the previous weeks of Lent, we focused on prayer, fasting and almsgiving and refocusing our lives on the mystery of our faith. But from the 5th Sunday of Lent until the Easter Vigil, we meditate on the events that lead Jesus to the Cross. That is, we come face to face with the increasing hostility and hatred of Jesus by those who would not (and still do not) accept Him for who He is. As tensions mount, Jesus' enemies accuse Him of sorcery and blasphemy and accuse Him of being possessed by a devil.

Once in a while I step into the chapel to pray and will spot a man or a woman quietly making their way in prayer through the church praying the Stations of the Cross using a variety of devotional books as they go. That "walk" of course, recounts Our Lord's journey to the cross to satisfy the debt of our sinfulness.

Their devotional journey often takes me back to my experience as a Catholic grade school student when I prayed with my family on Fridays during Lent. It also reminds me of being a pilgrim in the Holy Land when I journeyed the streets of the old city praying the Stations with other pilgrims. It is an intense experience today as many of the stations are in the Muslim district. In addition, in such an intensely multi-religious city, most walk by swiftly and unmoved--that is, unless they wish to sell a few cheap souvenirs.