Dear Brothers and Sisters,
As an Arizona desert dweller, you know the importance of drinking water… and lots of it. During those hot summer months, there are few things as refreshing as a nice cold beverage to quench our thirst. Not only do we enjoy a cool beverage on those hot days; we absolutely must hydrate our bodies or we will not last very long in the summer's heat.
The woman in today's Gospel is thirsty. But as we read the whole story, we discover something that she herself is not aware of just yet. We come to see that this woman is thirsting for something much more than water. She is thirsting for something much more valuable than water. And she also learns what happens when you try to satisfy your real thirsts with something non-authentic.
READ MOREThanks to a generous donor, our beautiful new outdoor Stations of the Cross arrived a few months ago. They are a powerful reminder of the suffering Our Lord endured for our salvation.
As I have stated often about our sacred additions, we are adding art that is meant to raise our minds to God and strengthen our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Whenever I have shown people our new Stations of the Cross or our beautiful Church, they see things that often inspire them.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
“Lent is a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death. This season urgently calls us to conversion. Christians are asked to return to God “with all their hearts” (Joel 2:12), to refuse to settle for mediocrity and to grow in friendship with the Lord. Jesus is the faithful friend who never abandons us. Even when we sin, he patiently awaits our return; by that patient expectation, he shows us his readiness to forgive (cf. Homily, 8 January 2016).
READ MOREFrom the chapters On Charity by Saint Maximus the Confessor, abbot (Centuria 1, cap. 1, 4-5. 16-17. 23-24. 26-28. 30-40: PG 90, 962-967) Without love everything is in vain
Charity is a right attitude of mind which prefers nothing to the knowledge of God. If a man possesses any strong attachment to the things of this earth, he cannot possess true charity. For anyone who really loves God prefers to know and experience God rather than his creatures. The whole set and longing of his mind is ever directed toward him.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
Many of you know about the Charity and Development Appeal, the CDA. It is our one annual appeal that supports so many in our community. What you may not know is that the CDA is often the basis for many of our organizations who help seniors, the homeless, those who have lost jobs, women who have been abused and of course, families in crisis.
The CDA is love and faith in action. Through the Charity and Development Appeal, your gift will go farther and help more people. It can help more than one parish, more than one program and more than one agency. I invite you now to make your pledge to the CDA. If you have already completed a pledge or made a gift online, thank you for your support! You do not need to complete a pledge card today.
READ MOREAs I was typing this column for the bulletin, I received a phone call to visit one of our parishioners in thehospital.
With most phone calls of this sort, there is usually a series of health problems associated with aging. I amhonored to be able to visit those who are ill and in need of God’s mercy and love… especially when I can celebrate the sacraments of Confession, Holy Communion, and Anointing of the Sick with them and their family. There is usually a beautiful peace and experience of God’s goodness that accompanies thesevisits.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
We all want to be happy! When I say happiness, I mean real fulfillment that brings real and lasting joy. Our Lord explains in the Beatitudes what true and lasting happiness is AND how we can live each day with true an lasting happiness. Our Lord is teaching us how to be happy! Our Lord is giving us - really offering us a pattern of life, a way of life that promises to make us truly happy. Below is an examination of conscience based on the Beatitudes. I hope they will help you find the peace and happiness you were made for by Our Merciful and Loving God.
READ MORESparing Others
David
Wisconsin, United States
I was involved with a woman who was separated from her husband while in the Navy. I grew up with an alcoholic father and a mother who never hugged me as a child - so I was very confused between sex and love.
Shamefully, I knew I would never marry the woman who I would encourage to abort my children. I wanted to be a good father (unlike my drunk father) but just not at that time or with that woman - I had a lot of living to do. I was so selfish, knowing in my heart it was wrong, but telling myself it was legal. I convinced her to do something she didn't want to do and will forever be sorry to her as well. She came to me sometime later and simply asked for money to pay for a 2nd abortion - the quicker we took care of it the less we would think about it, I told myself.
READ MOREDearest Zackary
Paul
California, United States
Dearest Zackary,
This year would have been your 25th birthday. I apologize and ask for your forgiveness for the “would have been” in that statement. I know you have forgiven me, and I know you are in the presence of Jesus, who has also forgiven me. I ask for strength from Jesus to find a way to forgive myself.
You are probably asking why it has taken me 25 years to write you a letter. I have no excuse. From the beginning, out of convenience, I just put you out of my mind and deep into my unconscious. Out of convenience I didn’t put up a fight for you. As you know, as you look at my heart, it is no longer convenient. You have seen me and your mother struggling both consciously and unconsciously over killing you out of convenience.
READ MOREThey Have the Right to Live
Rosa
Rhode Island, United States
My name is Rosa Rivas, I want to thank God for his love and mercy because without Him I would not have a testimony.
Until two years ago I was living in darkness and in sin. At age 17, I started using drugs, alcohol and was promiscuous; everything revolved around my addiction. I did not care about anything or anyone. I currently have two living children, both with special needs. Even though God sent me these two children who needed all my love and attention, I kept living in my world of darkness and sin and, without measuring the consequences, at age 25, I had two abortions. Since I did not want to sacrifice my addictions I preferred to sacrifice my babies.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
60 million. That’s an unbelievably high number. And it’s an approximate number of human beings who have been lost to abortion in the 44 years since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision (January 22, 1973) that legalized abortion. That also means that 30 million mothers and have fathers have carried grief over the loss of child, sometimes without being able to identify what is causing so much pain in their lives. As a pastor, I find this to be heartbreaking.
READ MOREDear Brothers and Sisters,
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. As we begin this new calendar year, we are reminded of God’s amazing love for us today. God calls us His adopted sons and daughters and Mary is our true mother. What does it mean to be called God’s adopted children? Why is Mary our true mother?
READ MORE