May 31, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The triune God is the foundational mystery of our Catholic faith. When we use the word “mystery” in the Catholic Church, it is often misinterpreted. For Catholics, mystery is not a word we use to shut down conversation or inquiry, nor is it meant to be a way to avoid difficult ideas. Rather, mystery is a word of invitation, and a challenge to deep thinking. When confronted with a mystery (think of Sherlock Holmes facing a new case), the move is not to shrug our shoulders and walk away, but rather to begin examining everything, searching for information, and trying to think through the puzzle. Just so with the mysteries of our Catholic faith! We are invited and encouraged to think seriously about God, and to come to see the vast intellectual tradition present in the Church’s theology.

Over the years here at St. Pius, I have been very grateful to see that the mysteries of our faith are engaged with such sincere enthusiasm. Whether it is in the various small groups, the periodic lecture series we have had, or even in simple questions posed in conversation, the desire to know and understand what we profess as Catholics is very evident. I am glad that so many parishioners have had the courage to ask questions and the openness of heart to receive answers.

Whenever we confront mystery, we will also confront the limits of our logic and intellect. In the Catholic view, though, these limitations do not mean an end but are rather a simple fact. For this reason, the Church invites us to continue our pursuit of knowledge and our contemplation of mystery. This is why we do things like Eucharistic adoration. Time spent in the Adoration Chapel helps us to grow in understanding, even as we appreciate all the questions that still remain. Kneeling at the altar rail allows us to recognize the mysterious gift of the Body of Christ given to us, even as we adopt a posture of submission that reminds us that we don’t have all the answers. In our practice of the faith, mystery and knowledge stand side-by-side. Mystery invites us to seek more. Jesus is faithful and when we seek, we will find, when we knock, the door will be opened. May all of us continue to seek the Lord, engage the Mystery, and find the peace promised to those who believe.

Peace,

Fr. Sam