June 14, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the Gospel this weekend, the heart of Jesus is moved with pity at the sight of the crowds. So moved, our Lord tells the Apostles to pray for laborers for the harvest, to pray that God would raise up ministers who would shepherd His sheep. With that prayer intention in mind, Jesus sends the Apostles out with authority over unclean spirits, the power to heal disease, and the instruction to proclaim the Kingdom. Though the crowds need more shepherds to guide them, Jesus does not wait for more shepherds before sending the Apostles out on mission.

This is why we pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life at every Sunday Mass. There is always a need for priestly ministry and for the evangelization of the nations. And as we pray for vocations, we will also note that there are always men stepping forward. On Saturday, two men were ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Bridgeport. They, like the Apostles, are being sent out to make the proclamation, to carry out the mission. Thank God for these courageous men! And even as the Church in the Diocese of Bridgeport rejoices to receive these new priests, we should be mindful of our Lord’s command to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers for the harvest. We need more priests, plain and simple. So let us all take up God’s call and pray for that rich outpouring of laborers to work the harvest of the Lord.

Peace,

Fr. Sam