Ten Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Lent

01-31-2016Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Lent begins in a little over a week. Catholics can be asked questions about what we do during this time of preparation for Easter. Here are some possible questions and answers to help you grow in the faith.

Are parishes supposed to cover statues in their church during Lent?
Statues may be veiled beginning on the 5th Sunday of Lent and remain so through Holy Saturday. Especially in a church with a great deal of devotional areas and images, this can be a method of focusing worshippers on the central mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. The Crucifix may be unveiled after the Good Friday services.

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God’s Perfect Plan for You

01-24-2016Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today's readings speak about God's plan. Theologians, philosophers, teachers and grandmothers all want to know atsome point in their life: “Does God have a plan for me? Does my life matter to God? Does He really care about me?”

The good news is that you and I are not a mistake. The Church teaches us that God creates us for His glory and that every life is sacred. Every human being echoes some aspect of God and what is good, beautiful, and what is true. This happens especially when we use our God-given gifts for His Glory. Our Lord desires us to use those gifts for others and for the salvation of souls. Your presence in someone else’s life could be the thing that leads them to Our Lord and to heaven. We are made for God's glory and the salvation of souls. That's God's overall plan.

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God’s Mercy and Your Cross

01-17-2016Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is obvious that many people in our world are suffering. People are suffering from illness, grieving the death of a loved one, loss of faith, financial hardships, loss of a job to name a few of the many sufferings that people face on a daily basis. Yet Our Lord invites us to take up our cross (or crosses of some) and to follow Him. Why? Is there any value in carrying our cross of suffering?

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Baptism of the Lord

01-10-2016Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In today’s Gospel, we hear a strange conversation between Our Lord and John the Baptist. It is strange because John called people to repentance, to turn away from sin and turn to God. Jesus had no sins. Jesus is the Savior. Jesus doesn’t need to repent, and therefore, He has no need to be baptized. And yet, Our Lord shows up by the river and gets in line anyway. John sees him and objects, but Jesus insists on taking His place right beside the rest of the sinners.

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The Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship (Part 7 of 7)

01-03-2016Pastor's LetterMsgr. P. James Costigan

Service − The Fourth Pillar of Parish Stewardship

In the fifth and final installment in my series on The Pillars of Parish Stewardship — the 2004 document pub-lished by the stewardship office of the Diocese of Wichita — we take an in-depth look at the fourth pillar: service.Throughout Sacred Scripture, there are numerous references to service. There is the parable of the vigilant and faithful servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, “ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks” (Lk 12: 35-40). There is the story of the good Samaritan who was moved with compassion to help the victim of a violent robbery (Lk 10: 25-37). And there are several examples of Christ serving those around Him: feeding the multitudes, healing the sick, and even turning water into wine at a wedding banquet.

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