The Word of God

01-27-2019Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Often times you will hear me refer to the Sacred Scriptures in my homilies. The Sacred Scriptures are also the known as the Bible. I wonder if most people know that the Bible IS the Word of God? Most of what we know about Our Lord Jesus comes from Sacred Scripture. Of course we also have historical writings and the Sacred Tradition of our Church as well. This mountain of information hopefully leads us to a deeper relationship with Jesus. As we are formed in the Faith, we come to know Our Lord Jesus. We not only learn about Him but we learn to love Him.

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Love that Saves for Eternity (Part II of II )

01-20-2019Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Having your child baptized is what Catholic parents do for their child. Nurturing and raising your baptized child in the faith is also vital to the spiritual life of the child. The rite of baptism makes this important connection during the celebration of the sacrament when the parents of those being baptized are reminded that THEY assume the commitment to "training them in the practice of the faith". The parents and godparents are also reminded in part of the celebration with the words addressed to them: "on your part, you must make it your constant care to bring them up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life which God gives them is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in their hearts. If your faith makes you ready to accept this responsibility... profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church. This is the faith in which these children are about to be baptized".

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Love that Saves for Eternity (Part I of II)

01-13-2019Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

One of the many blessings I have as a priest includes administering the sacrament of Baptism to newborn babies whose parents are presenting them to the Church. So I thought that as we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, it would be good to address the importance of baptism.

Today, on the banks of the Jordan, Jesus reveals Himself to John and to the people of Israel. This dramatic scene of Our Lord's baptism is the first time that He enters the public scene as an adult, after leaving Nazareth. Upon reaching the Jordan River, Our Lord is among the crowd that is listening to John the Baptist. He lines up like everyone else, waiting to be baptized by John. John the Baptist sees Our Lord approaching and realizes that there is something unique about this man. John recognizes that Jesus the One for whom he has been waiting for his whole life. John understands Jesus is the One who is greater than he and that he was not even worthy to untie His sandals.

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House Blessing

01-06-2019Pastor's LetterFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

One of the great Christmas traditions of the Church is to bless one's house to start a new year. "Chalking the door" is a centuries-old custom in which Christians gather on the feast of the Epiphany to ask God's blessing on their home. A traditional way of doing this is to take a piece of blessed chalk and inscribe above the entrance door to the home the following: 20 + C + M + B + 19. The "20" and "19" refer to the actual date. The "+" between the letters symbolize the cross of Christ. The "C M B " initials have two meanings: 1) The initials of the three magi: Caspar, Melchoir and Balthazar, the three wise kings or Magi who visited the Christ Child. 2) This is the abbreviated Latin phrase, Christus mansion benedicat, which translates as "May Christ bless the house."

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