Priestly Ponderings

“MARY, MOTHER OF LIFE” For Catholics throughout the country, the month of October is a time to reflect on the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. This year, Respect Life Month will begin Oct. 4, Respect Life Sunday, and will have as its theme, “Mary, Mother of Life.” Respect Life Reflection When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she would conceive and bear a son, Mary responded with her fiat, “May it be done to me accordi

Next Sunday, October 4 is the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. This “celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Easter of Francis of Assisi invites us to contemplate our life both personally and communally with the eyes of faith, and by doing so, perceive the divine presence and action in everything, even in the difficult and dramatic situation we have experienced or are experiencing now.” October 4 also marks within the Church a time of prayer and re

World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2026 – Every year, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees is observed to raise awareness about the struggles, rights, and contributions of migrants and refugees around the world. World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2026 will be observed on 27 September 2026, the last Sunday of September. This important global observance encourages governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to show solidarity with people who have been forced to

This week we celebrate the feasts of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Monday, September 14) and Our Lady of Sorrows (Tuesday, September 15) The pairing of these celebrations, even in their different levels on the liturgical and sanctoral calendars, properly guides us in our levels of devotion and love of our Savior and Our Lady. He is our Divine Redeemer, to be worshiped and adored. She is his first disciple and our example. Both of these

Next weekend, is the 6th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The theme of the day this year is “I will never forget you (Is 49:15)” During the masses we will offer a special blessing o our Grandparents and all the elderly of our parishes. At Holy Childhood we will have activities commemorating this day with activities at our Family Faith Session as well as our Café Sunday. All are welcome to participate. A statement From the Vatican, LEO PP.

On Thursday, September 3 of this week the church celebrates the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctoer of the Church. Pope Saint Gregory I, also known as the Great, was the Pope of the Catholic Church between 590 and 604 AD. Gregory was born around 540 in Rome. The exact date of his birth is unknown. Although the Western Roman Empire had collapsed long before his birth, many ancient Roman families still commanded great wealth and influence in the city. Gregory

I want to thank all who have already volunteered to help and I encourage -those who have not signed up to help with the picnic to do so. After the masses, there will be an opportunity to take a shift in any one of the booths. In the years since the Covid 19 pandamic, many tradtional social gatherings have changed and even disappeared. The Parish Picnic is one such event. The call to volunteer is often un-heeded and ignored. There is no doubt that a lot of hardwork by many pe

DECREE on the Celebration of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus in the General Roman Calendar In the household of Bethany the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them. Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the One who humiliated death. The traditional uncertainty of

Ten years ago, on June 10, 2016, the liturgical celebration honoring St. Mary Magdalene on July 22 was raised from a memorial to a feast, putting her on par with the Apostles. "On the one hand, she has the honor of being the 'prima testis' to the resurrection of the Lord, the first to see the empty tomb and the first to hear the truth of His resurrection. Christ has a special consideration and mercy for this woman, who shows her love for Him, looking for Him in the garden wi

There has been much news surrounding the recent consecration of four bishops for service to the The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). The SSPX was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and has long stood at the center of tensions within the Catholic Church. Its history, rooted in resistance to certain post-Vatican II developments, culminated in a major rupture in 1988 with the unauthorized ordination of bishops. Recent events these past weeks echo this history, as the SSP

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,

Tomorrow (Monday, June 29), we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Saints Peter and Paul are considered the principal pillars of the church. Peter, at this point in the narrative, is known by his given name, Simon and, we are told, he was the son of Jona and the brother of Andrew. It was Andrew who introduced Peter to Jesus. Upon this introduction, Jesus immediately gave Peter the symbolic name, Kephas, which is translated, Peter, meaning “rock” (Jn 1:42). In o

Father’s Day, that we celebrate today is an annual Sunday holiday that occurs each year on the third Sunday in June. It was created to celebrate the men who lead our families and Father’s Day reflects how we honor our heavenly Father by honoring our earthly fathers. The fifth commandment tells us to honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12); therefore, it is right and fitting to honor our earthly fathers as commanded by our Father in heaven. Even though fathers don’t tradit

Today’s readings speak about God’s love. They began with the Book of Exodus and God reminding Moses that He had chosen the Hebrew people as His people. They did not deserve this choice. He chose them out of love. He saw Abraham’s faith and responded with his love for Abraham and his progeny. The people witnessed this love when they were delivered from slavery and led through the desert to the Promised Land. God only asked them to remain faithful to Him, a response to his

On Saturday, June 13 is celebrated as the Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua. On this day there is a distribution of St. Anthony’s Bread which is a Catholic devotion and charitable act honoring St. Anthony of Padua, rooted in a 13th‑century miracle and later popularized in the 19th century. It combines prayer, thanksgiving, and almsgiving to help the poor. The tradition dates back to 1263, when a child drowned near the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua. The child’s mother praye

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST that we celebrate today, also known as Corpus Christi. This Solemnity celebrates the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The feast of Corpus Christi honors the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, affirming that Jesus is truly present—body, blood, soul, and divinity—under the forms of bread and wine during Mass. It emphasizes that in every Mass, Christ’s one sacrifice on Calvary

THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS (USCCB) approved the consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2026 to accompany the country’s 250th anniversary. At the USCCB Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, bishops voted “to entrust our nation to the love and care of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” Devoting the nation is an opportunity “to remind everyone of our task to serve our nation by perfecting the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel as taught by the

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY That we celebrate Today, is the central Christian mystery of one God in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is one God in three persons, each fully divine yet distinct in relation: the Father generates, the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (Lateran Council IV, 1215). This doctrine emphasizes that God is relational, eternal, and pe

Catholic Memorial Day is a time to honor the deceased, especially those who sacrificed their lives in service, through prayer, Mass, and reflection on spiritual freedom. Spiritual Significance As we celebrate Memorial Day as Catholics it should be more than a national holiday; it is a sacred opportunity to unite patriotism with prayer and remembrance. The day honors men and women of the Armed Forces who gave their lives, reflecting Christ’s teaching: “Greater love has no one

THE SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST The Solemnity of Pentecost is one of the great solemnities of the liturgical year and marks the close of the Easter season. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops lists Pentecost Sunday among the principal celebrations of the 2026 liturgical year, following Easter Sunday on April 5 and the Ascension of the Lord in this past Sunday. But Pentecost is not simply the end of Easter. It is the day the Church celebrates