Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As the summer comes to a close, I’d like to highlight some of the things we’ve done here at St. Pius in the last few months and say a few words of thanks to those who made it possible. Vacation Bible School Our first ever Vacation Bible School, led by Kerry Sweeney and a team of very dedicated volunteers, introduced 30+ kids to some of the great stories of the Bible and gave them a chance to come together for a week of faith, music, games, and friends. We can’t wait for next year!…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Last weekend I departed for a week of vacation in Montana, and will return Sunday afternoon, August 22, unless I have been eaten by a grizzly bear, something I am resolved to avoid. This week away has been long-anticipated and needed, and I am grateful for a few days to recharge. For priests, vacations are made possible by other priests who are available and willing to cover the pastoral needs of the parish. My thanks to Fr. Silva and Fr. Blatchford for being available all week to celebrate Masses! I look forward to seeing…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Last weekend after one of the Masses, a parishioner alerted Fr. Blatchford that they had found a Host, broken, stuck in the pages of a hymnal. They did exactly the right thing! Father was able to take care of the Eucharist appropriately and ensure that any possible particles of the Sacred Host were accounted for. I am grateful to this parishioner and to Father for reverently approaching a difficult, spiritually unsettling situation. This story should make us all pause. The Eucharist was desecrated in our church. There are accidents, when, for example, someone unintentionally…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Elijah is worn out from his work as God’s prophet in the first reading (1 Kings 19:4-8) today. In his exhaustion, he prays for death, but instead, the Lord invites him to sleep and eat. Strengthened by the food God provides for him, Elijah is able to walk forty days and forty nights to God’s holy mountain, Horeb. This is another name for Mount Sinai, the place where Moses was for forty days and forty nights, and where he received from God’s hand the Ten Commandments. Mt. Horeb/Sinai is the place where God makes…read more