Dear Family!

It was a great privilege to celebrate the funeral of our oldest parishioner, Lillian Marczi. She was 103 years old. At this time, we prayerfully remember and pray for her family and friends. May her soul rest in peace!

Dear Family!

“As this world (Earth) is not for those who are without wealth, so that world (Heaven) is not for those who are without kindness” (Thirukkural 247 written in my mother tongue around Jesus’ time). This is the focal point of this week’s liturgy. We continue to take great care on our financial security, we work hard at it. Do we take enough care on our spiritual security? This paves way to reflect about an important social evil of our time - Financial Slavery.

Dear Family!

The theme of the liturgy this Sunday focuses on ‘Forgiveness and Mercy.’ “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. (Martin Luther King Jr)” God wants to go any length to bring the sinner back to a loving relationship with himself. God is the light that dispels the darkness from us, the darkness of sin, hatred and indifference that we exchange with God and people. God is the love that eliminates our hatred and heals us to wholeness and holiness.

Dear Family!

In the Gospel, Jesus’ words could have caused havoc to the people who read the Bible in English when he said, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

Dear Family!

Last week in my homily I preached about us sharing the evangelizing ministry starting from our homes where the image of Jesus or the Crucifix holds the most reverent attention and a constant reminder that Jesus is the Head of our households. Since the Catholic Church is predominantly ministered by the “Fifty plus” community, our evangelizing ministry must take note of the recent seventeen catechesis of Pope Francis about ‘Old Age’.

Dear Family!

Last Sunday, in the evening mass I asked the congregation what their favorite Scripture Passage was. I am sure you all have one or more as your favorite passage. If you never had one in the past, I strongly encourage you to get familiarized with the Bible (Remember Pope Francis establishing the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time to be celebrated as Word of God Sunday). I also encourage you to write to me about your favorite Bible passage as to how it relates to your life and faith.

Dear Family!

It was a joy in meeting you at all masses last weekend. It was a joy to meet Father Pat after 13 years as his sister, Maryann was my friend before Father. It was a joy also to meet all the deacons at mass and of course Father Gilbert, our Parochial Vicar, whose Priestly Anniversary is on the 22nd of August.

Dear Family!

‘You’ - This is my first word I reflect on as I start my ministry. God has sent me through the blessing of our Bishop to you. You are my first priority as to why I am here. You and I become a family today. I thank God for giving me a larger family this time. I thank you for your readiness to welcome me as your pastor. This sense of gratitude runs through me today, my prayers, continue everyday of my ministry and reflect in my love for you and in my service to you.

It’s hard to believe that this is the last column I will write for the bulletin in this parish. Over the past thirteen years I have used this space to share parish news, instruct you about the faith, and tell you about things going on in my life. Today, I write to say thanks.

I wrote these words while I was watching the Yankees game on TV last Sunday. As I watched, it occurred to me that the Yankees won the World Series the year I arrived here. While they are having a really good year, I won’t make any World Series predictions for them, especially with the Mets also having a good year and even the Phillies in the mix for the playoffs. Indeed, if I predicted anything, and that team lost, someone would be convinced I ‘jinxed’ them!

I wrote these words last Friday morning, having spent the previous evening with many of our Altar Servers and their families. We enjoyed an outing to the Iron Pigs baseball game, as a thank you to the servers for helping our priests at Holy Mass. Being with so many good families made for great conversation and a good time. I am very thankful to the young people who serve Mass so faithfully in our Church, and to their parents who support them in that ministry.

I hope you all enjoyed a great Fourth of July. I can’t tell you about mine, since I had to write this article before it happened! That happens when holidays fall in such a way that affects the Bulletin Company’s schedule.