Dear Family!

My sincere thanks to all of you for participating in our Lenten Penance Service. Special word of thanks to all the parents who brought their children at 4:30pm for confessions. We thank all priests who helped us with confessions: Fathers Abraham Orapankal, Walter Wiktorek, Damian Tomscek, Luke Mary Fletcher, and Gilbert Starcher. We also thank our PCL Escarlen Duran and Confirmation Coordinator Deacon Rob for coordinating the event along with the Faith Formation Catechists. Thank you all!

Dear Family!

Just like the ‘Burning Bush’ experience, the Elects (people who are preparing themselves for the sacraments of Initiation) are experiencing God’s presence in their personal lives. As they go through these ‘three scrutinies’ we witness a lively congregation supporting and praying with/for them. Scrutinies are a series of liturgical rites that are part of the Lent, for the spiritual benefit of the elect.

Dear Family!

All three years in the Season of Lent we have particular themes that we reflect and pray about. In the first Sunday of Lent in all three years, we focus on the temptations of Jesus. In the second Sunday of Lent in all three years, we focus on the Transfiguration event.

Luke alone talks on the details of the actual conversation between Moses, Elijah, and Jesus.

Dear Family!

On Ash Wednesday we reflected on the symbolism of the ashes among other things. As the ashes and sackcloth together reminded people of repentance and reconciliation in the Old Testament, it also symbolized a desire to be free from sin. In our Christian understanding, ashes cannot take away sins as they are a Sacramental and not a sacrament.

Dear Family!

In my last week’s note, we were reflecting on the conclusion of the first part of the Season of the Ordinary Time and welcoming the Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday (March 5th ). On Feb 26th, our diocese held a special day of prayer at the Cathedral to pray for our Pope’s health. It is never too late; you could do it at any time - Please remember our Pope in your personal prayer.

Dear Family!

As we come to the close of the first part of the Season of the Ordinary Time after the 8th Sunday (next weekend) and begin the Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday (March 5th) the Gospel especially continues to focus on ‘Discipline of a Christian’ in the Sermon on the Plain (Luke’s Gospel). This Sunday the emphasis is on ‘speech’. The Christian Discipline requires that our speech be one of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness as opposed to divisive and judgmental.

Dear Family!

The Gospel writer Matthew drew parallels between Jesus and Moses. The Gospel is organized around five discourses just as the Torah is organized into five scrolls. The Sermon on the Mount could be compared to Moses' experience on Mount Sinai. Luke's theology and theme focuses on the universality of Jesus. Jesus' concern for the gentiles and social outcastes is the main focus in the Gospel of Luke.

Dear Family!

The word for fish in Greek is Ichthus which is a symbolic word used by the early Christians. It can be read as an ACROSTIC, a word formed from the 1st letters of many words. Ichthus has the meaning of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the Savior. They could not openly practice their religion as the persecutions were on. Ichthus was their secret sacred symbol used to recognize another believer. Fish is another word for Jesus.

Dear Family!

This Sunday instead of celebrating the 4th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we commemorate the Solemnity of The Presentation of the Lord. The point of this feast is summarized in the instructions of the Roman Missal, “Today is the blessed day when Jesus was presented in the Temple by Mary and Joseph, outwardly he was fulfilling the Law, but in reality, he was coming to meet his believing people”. This day marks the 40th day after Jesus’ birth.

Dear Family!

This Sunday, the Universal Church celebrates the ‘Word of God’ Sunday. Cardinal Sarah wrote of it as Prefect for the Congregation of Divine Worship in 2020, “The Sunday of the Word of God, instituted by Pope Francis and to be held every year on the third Sunday of Ordinary Time, (Motu Proprio Aperuit Illis of Pope Francis, 2019) reminds us, pastors and faithful alike, of the importance and value of Sacred Scripture for the Christian life, as well as the relationship between the word of God and the liturgy:

Dear Family!

January 18th-25th every year is devoted to praying for Christian Unity. More on this topic in the Memorials & Feast section of the Bulletin. As we step into Ordinary Time, we are still getting to know the personality of Jesus. Jesus begins his public ministry with his mission statement ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…to bring good news to the poor’.

Dear Family!

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is the last celebration of the Christmas season and on Monday we begin ‘Ordinary Time’. Every year we celebrate the Ordinary Time twice: Once before Lent and the longest one after Lent & Easter. As I explained to you earlier that there is nothing ordinary about these coming Ordinary Time weeks.

Dear Family!

As the Spirit of Christmas continues to fill our minds and hearts, we celebrate this beautiful feast of Epiphany. The Catechism teaches us that “The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world” (CCC528). The Catechism also teaches that Epiphany also celebrates two other major events in which Jesus’s messianic identity is revealed: Jesus’ baptism and Jesus at the wedding in Cana.