Dear Family!

The word ‘Christmas’ dates back to 12th Century. It was two words before - Christes maesse and it became Christemasse. We understand it literally meant ‘Christ’s mass’ referred to the special service to honor the birth of our Savior. We honor God who is incarnated in our human sinful body to make it holy so that Jesus could elevate us to experience God’s image and likeness.

Dear Family!

We had a busy week in celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe festival, thanks to all the organizers and volunteers. Our Mother has done everything for us and we are blessed to get every opportunity to venerate her especially under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mother of the Americas.

Dear Family!

We are blessed to have Deacon Enoch and his wife after a traumatic experience driving to Florida to celebrate Thanksgiving with their family. I thank him for sharing their experience with us. It was published last week. God gave them back to us.

Dear Family!

In the season of Advent, larger than life personalities like Isaiah and John the Baptist certainly draw our attention to living a holy season but most importantly it is Our Mother who always plays the most important role in leading us to the heart of Jesus.

Dear Family!

The greatest treasure of Advent is Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! As the new Church Year begins, I urge you to take along the ‘Green’ (Treasures of the Season of Ordinary Time) to the ‘Purple’ (The Season of Advent)”. Yes we are back to the days of purple as the season shares certain qualities of another purple season - Lent.

Dear Family!

St. Ambrose wrote, “The superscription is written and placed above, not below the cross, because the government is upon his shoulders. What is this government if not his eternal power and Godhead? When asked, “Who are you?” he replied, “The beginning, who also speaks to you.” Let us read this superscription. “Jesus of Nazareth,” it says, “The King of the Jews.”

Dear Family!

I write to you about three things today. First is about the Committees: I am grateful to Deacon Enock and all the members of Liturgical Committee for recruiting new members for all ministries that are under this committee. A special thanks to all the new volunteers for these ministries.

Dear Family!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us, “From the beginning, Christian faith in the resurrection has met with incomprehension and opposition. "On no point does the Christian faith encounter more opposition than on the resurrection of the body.” It is very commonly accepted that the life of the human person continues in a spiritual fashion after death. But how can we believe that this body, so clearly mortal, could rise to everlasting life?” (CCC 996)

Dear Family!

I thank you for coming out to support me at my installation. It was a joy to be with our Bishop and brother priests and deacons at mass. Bishop’s message will linger in my mind and heart for a long time when he said, “Priest is a person who believes in Jesus, so when you look for Fr. Antony, you don’t ‘believe in’ Fr. Antony, you ‘believe with’ Fr. Antony to believe in Jesus Christ.”

Dear Family!

I thank all of you for your prayers and support in welcoming our beloved Bishop during my installation as your pastor. I fondly remember all our former pastors Fr. James McKee, Fr. John Smith, Fr. Cornelius O’Reilly, Fr. Robert Burke, Msgr. Patrick Connolly, Msgr. Edward Egan, Msgr. William Gilfillan, Msgr. William Lannary, Msgr. Joseph Kozak, Msgr. Joseph Sheehan, Msgr. Michael Corona and Fr. John Barbella.

Dear Family!

Last Sunday Pope Francis canonized Giovanni Battista Scalabrini and Artemide Zatti. The Pope said, the two saints canonized today remind us of the importance of walking together and being able to give thanks.

Dear Family!

It was wonderful to see all the pets you brought in for a blessing last Sunday. We thank Father Pat for officiating the Blessing of Animals as he enjoys doing it. I also got to meet our RCIA candidates last Sunday and it is our responsibility to journey with them and pray for them. The Faith Formation classes have started and our children depend on our prayers especially the children who are preparing for Holy Communion and Confirmation.

Dear Family!

Last Saturday we made a pilgrimage to the National Shrine in Washington DC to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Diocese officiated by the Apostolic Nuncio and our Bishop with many priests, deacons and people. I sincerely thank all those people who made the pilgrimage.