Around the Parish – September 6, 2026
Published on September 5, 2026
A Time to Start New
September has a way of feeling like a new beginning.
Students return to school, families settle back into routines, religious education begins again, and parish life starts to pick up after the summer months. With all of that beginning again, this can also be a good time for each of us to ask: How is my prayer life?
For many of us, prayer is something we know we should do, but it can easily get pushed aside by busy schedules. Sometimes the hardest part is simply knowing where to begin.
So this September, I want to encourage everyone in the parish to make one small commitment: begin, or begin again, a daily habit of prayer.
It does not have to be complicated. Start with ten minutes a day. Pray with the Scriptures. Spend a few minutes in silence. Pray the Rosary. Listen to a reflection on the drive to work. The important thing is simply to make room for God each day.
One of the resources available to our parish is Hallow, the Catholic prayer app. Through our parish subscription, parishioners have access to a tremendous library of guided prayer, Scripture, the Rosary, daily reflections, meditation, music, and many other resources designed to help us grow in prayer.
If you have already signed up for Hallow, I encourage you not simply to have it on your phone — use it! Choose a prayer or series and make it part of your daily routine.
If you have not yet signed up through our parish subscription, I especially encourage you to do so. We have made this resource available because we want to help every member of our parish develop a deeper and more consistent relationship with the Lord.
As a new school year begins, perhaps this can be a new beginning for us spiritually as well.
Ten minutes a day. One small commitment. One new beginning in prayer.
You may be surprised at what God can do with it.
Here’s a Few Thoughts for Your Week Ahead
You do not have to get everything done today. Just do the next good thing. Be the kind of person who makes someone else’s day a little easier. A little patience can save a lot of unnecessary frustration. Some things are worth doing slowly.
Pax et Bonum,
Fr. Andy
The Power and Tradition of Mass Intentions
The Mass is considered the greatest prayer of intercession in the Church. This is because it is the perfect offering of Christ to the Father, making present the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection. Traditionally, a Priest may be requested to offer a Mass for a specific intention, even if the requester cannot be physically present.
Offering Masses for the Deceased:
Having a Mass offered for a deceased person is an ancient and commendable practice. A Mass is offered to pray for the departed, that they may find peace in heaven. Since each Mass holds infinite value, requesting one or several Masses is of tremendous benefit to the person prayed for, as well as their family, who can take comfort in knowing that their intention is united with the prayers of the Church.
The Mass: Center of Christian Life:
Every Mass is a precious gift from God. It is the center of the Church’s life, known as “the source and summit of the Christian life,” because in the celebration of the Mass, we are brought back to Jesus’ Last Supper, the first Mass. We consciously recall the love of God poured out for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. At each Mass, all the intentions of God’s people, both living and deceased, are included. As Pope Paul VI noted in his motu proprio “Firma in Traditione,” the faithful, moved by an ecclesial and religious sense, join their own sacrifices to the Eucharistic sacrifice, participating more intensely and supporting the Church’s needs, especially its ministers.
Requesting a Mass Intention:
Anyone may request a Mass Intention for a living person, a deceased person, members of a family, or a special intention appropriate to the celebration of the Eucharist, such as World Peace, Vocations, or Respect for Life. The Church allows only one intention per Mass.
Offering a Mass Stipend:
The normal stipend offering for a Mass is $10. However, a Mass Offering can be more or less than the suggested amount, depending on the financial position of the person requesting the Mass. Envelopes for Mass intention requests are available at the entrances of the church. These envelopes can be placed in the collection basket or returned to the parish office. The requester may also ask for a card to be sent to notify someone that a Mass Intention has been requested (one card per intention). Please note that the name of the person(s) requesting the Mass is not announced.
