2nd Sunday of Lent

02-28-2021Gospel Reflection© LPi

A pregnant woman was walking in the store and met an old friend. Her friend exclaimed, “You are absolutely beaming!” The new life God placed in her womb radiated throughout her body. It was brightly visible on her face and in her eyes. Transformation and change usually happen from the inside out. It is very rare that simply imposing structure from the outside does any good. Yes, it is true that routines and habits can change when things are done differently. But, for this change to last there has to be an interior renewal and metamorphosis as well. Simply regulating behavior and bringing someone into conformity with accepted protocols doesn’t mean their heart and soul come with them.

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2nd Sunday of Lent

02-28-2021Pastor's LetterFr. Dan Connealy

Happy Sunday!

This Sunday’s first reading is taken from Genesis 22 where we hear the marvelous account of Abraham following God’s command to sacrifice Issac on a mountain in the land of Moriah. As Abraham lifts his hand to sacrifice Isaac he is stopped by the angel of God. Because of his obedience God blesses Abraham in abundance with descendants as numerous as the stars. In the Gospel we find another mountain but on this one we hear the account of the Transfiguration. We move from the sacrifice of Abraham’s beloved son to the glorification of God’s beloved Son.

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Lent: The Campaign of Christian Service

02-21-2021Pastor's LetterFr. Dan Connealy

Happy Sunday!

We have begun the great season of Lent, the “campaign of Christian service”, as the Church so wonderfully calls it. It is a “campaign of Christian service” because in these 40 days we live even more intentionally the vocation of what it means to be Christian. That is, we live devoted to fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Fasting so that our bodies may be deprived for a little while of nourishment or delicacy so that we may yearn more for Jesus Christ alone. Prayer, so that we can enter more deeply into our relationship with the living God, which we hope to share forever in Heaven. Almsgiving, because no one is a Christian alone. The plight of our brothers and sisters is our plight as well, and so we offer alms in various ways during Lent to unite ourselves more closely to all Christians.

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What is Ash Wednesday

02-14-2021Pastor's Letter

What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is a day of penance and fasting that begins the season of Lent. Every year Catholics remember and relive the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the miracles witnessed by the early Christian community. Lent is the period where we focus on Jesus’ call to conversion and giving ourselves to God, culminating in Jesus’ ultimate and forever sacrifice in his Passion.

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Looking Ahead to Ash Wednesday

02-07-2021Pastor's LetterFr. Dan Connealy

Happy Sunday!

We are closing in on the liturgical season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is February 17th. We will have Mass at 6:30am, 8:30am, and 6pm. There will also be a liturgy of the Word service at 12:00pm with the distribution of ashes. This year, the Vatican has announced a different procedure for the distribution of ashes. Robert Cardinal Sarah, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, issued the decree that says the prayer, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return” is to be said once over the entire congregation. Then as people come up in line, ashes are to be sprinkled on the top of the head without saying anything.

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5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

02-07-2021Gospel Reflection© LPi

If I only knew then what I know now, how different life would be. This sentiment, expressed in myriad ways, is found on every human being’s lips at one point or another. Life may have brought us to a vulnerable place where we see some of the poor choices we made and the effects they are having. Perhaps we fell into some destructive and dysfunctional relationships or behaviors and are finding how they held us captive. Our zeal and passion for life may have drifted away and we are waking up to the reasons apathy has taken hold.

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