Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This is the rare year in which, with Christmas Day falling on a Sunday, the season of Advent lasts a full four weeks. We always mark four Sundays in the season, but these full weeks of preparation and prayer give us a slightly different perspective. There is always a sense of joyful anticipation as Christmas Day draws near: if you like 1950s era Christmas music, you might have Lu Ann Simms singing in your head that she just can’t wait ‘til Christmas. Exciting for our younger selves, the imminent coming of the feast of…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Though calendars are abundantly available and I look at mine repeatedly throughout the day, the season of Advent always seems to sneak up on me. Maybe it’s because I’ve had the chance the last two years to visit my parents, brother, and future sister-in-law for Thanksgiving, which means a few days away from the parish. Maybe it is simply that a November start date, though it is completely normal, for whatever reason always feels too early. Whatever the reason, Advent seems to arrive unexpectedly. In a certain way, that’s kind of the point. The…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, With the Solemnity of Christ the King, we mark one final solemn celebration on the liturgical calendar before the end of the season of Ordinary Time and the start of the season of Advent. Jesus is truly King of the universe, the Lord and ruler of all. Unlike any earthly monarch, though, Jesus is perfectly just, benevolent, good, and worthy of our loyalty, our service, and our love. In his book “Extreme Ownership,” former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink outlines a leadership philosophy that calls on the person in charge to take active and full…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Church dedicates the month of November to prayer for the dead. At the same time, November always coincides with the final weeks of the liturgical year as we anticipate the new year with the arrival of the Advent season. This means that we simultaneously remember in prayer those who have died and reflect liturgically on our own ultimate end. The final goal for all of us is eternal life in heaven, the perfect peace of union with God, and on the last day, the resurrection of the body. Praying for the dead is one of…read more

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The hope of the resurrection characterizes our Catholic understanding of death and the life to come. The last things (death, heaven, hell, purgatory) are important points of reflection for us throughout our lives, and in a special way, the Church invites us to consider the reality of death in the month of November, as we pray for the souls of our beloved deceased. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches “By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has opened heaven to us. The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession…read more