Tag: Fall

Around the Parish – October 29, 2023

Written by on October 28, 2023. Posted in News, Around the Parish.

Normally we have adoration in our parish on First Friday, but due to another commitment in the Diocese, I am unable to hold this holy hour this month. We will resume our monthly holy hour on Friday, December 1.

A blast was had at the corn maze last Sunday. Pictures of the fun can be seen in our bulletin this weekend.

A reminder that this Wednesday is a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses for All Saints Day will be at 8:00am and 6:00pm. Please make sure you attend mass for this Holy Day.

On Thursday, we celebrate All Souls Day. On this special day we remember and pray for all the deceased. This special day is reserved for all the holy souls in purgatory as they are made clean before they enter into the joys of Heaven. Our masses for All Souls Day will be at 8:00am and 6:00pm. At 6:00pm, we will in a special way pray for the deceased from this past year. Please join us in praying for our beloved dead.

Next Sunday, daylight savings time ends, so the clocks fall back one hour on Sunday November 5 at 2:00 am. Make sure that you note the time change or else you might make it to mass an hour early!

I want to take the opportunity to really encourage our parish community, especially our high school age students and our young adults to consider participating in the Divine Mercy Encounter retreat on November 10-12. This retreat was and is an important part of my spiritual journey and one that is worth spending the weekend at. All ages 15 and up are invited and encouraged to attend. It is a wonderful weekend to experience the love of God and have a time to socialize with other people in the faith. At this moment of crazy in the world and in our lives, I think now is the perfect moment to step away and take some time with God to reconnect to what is most important. Join me this special weekend away at Saint Joseph Church in Erie. More information is found in this weekend’s bulletin.

Here’s a couple of thoughts for your week: Don’t stop because you are tired; stop when you can be proud of your accomplishments. Cherish yesterday, plan for tomorrow, but live in today. The road to success is always under construction.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Around the Parish – October 22, 2023

Written by on October 21, 2023. Posted in Around the Parish, News.

Join us next Saturday after our 5 pm vigil mass for a delightful pumpkin carving extravaganza! Please RSVP to ensure we have enough pizza and pumpkins for everyone, and if you can, bring a little something to share. Our evening will culminate with a heartwarming screening of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” Your presence will make this gathering all the more special. We can’t wait to see you there!

As we approach the celebration of All Souls Day this year, we extend a heartfelt invitation to all to contribute a picture of your dearly departed loved ones to grace our sanctuary. You may drop off these cherished mementos following the Sunday Masses over the next two weeks or at any convenient time during the week in the sacristy after mass. To ensure all pictures fit, kindly limit the size to 5×7. Don’t forget to label your photo with your name and contact information to ensure its safe return. These portraits will remain in our sanctuary until the weekend of November 5.

While on your way to the grocery store, if you can spare a moment, we kindly request your support for our Sharing Shed Thanksgiving distribution. Your contribution would be greatly appreciated based on the first letter of your last name: A-D – Stuffing Mix, E-H – Canned Vegetables, I-M – Instant Potatoes, N-Q – Cranberry Sauce, R-U – Macaroni & Cheese, V-Z – Sweet Potatoes. Your generosity will brighten the holiday season for those in need within our community.

Here’s a couple of thoughts for your week:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

Cling to your faith and press on, for it’s in the storms of life that you’ll discover the strength of your anchor. With unwavering trust in God’s promises, your perseverance will carry you through, and you’ll emerge stronger and more resilient than ever before.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Around the Parish – October 15, 2023

Written by on October 14, 2023. Posted in Around the Parish, News.

We are coming up on the Holy Day of Obligation of All Saints Day. Our Mass schedule for All Saints will be Wednesday, November 1 @ 8am and 6pm. Masses for All Souls Day will be Thursday, November 2 @ 8am and 6pm. At the 6pm mass, we will have our annual memorial of all the deceased of our parish in the past year. Included in the bulletin is a list of all our beloved deceased. If you wish to include anyone from outside the parish in our list, please email the parish office including the name of the deceased and the date of their death.

With this celebration of All Saints and All Souls days, we recognize these special celebrations that are surrounded with much mystery and mysticism. A way that we as humans have come to understand these celebrations can be seen in the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico involves the creation of an ofrenda or “altar of the dead” to honor deceased loved ones. This elaborately decorated altar features photographs of the departed as a central focus. Candles and marigold flowers illuminate the ofrenda and guide spirits back to the living world. Incense purifies the environment, and sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar) serve as colorful decorations. Favorite foods and drinks, including the special Pan de Muerto bread, are provided for the spirits. Personal items, religious symbols, and papel picado (decorative paper) may also adorn the altar. The ofrenda is a heartfelt way to remember and honor the deceased, creating a connection with them during this unique and culturally rich holiday.

This year, for the celebration of All Souls Day, we wish to invite everyone to bring in a picture of their deceased loved ones to be placed in the sanctuary. We ask that you drop off a picture of your loved one either following the Sunday Masses these next two weeks, or any time during the week in the sacristy following mass. We ask that your picture is no larger than 5×7 so that we can adequately fit everyone’s pictures. Please make sure to put your name and contact information on the back of the picture so as to make sure the safe return of the portrait. These pictures will remain in our sanctuary through the weekend of November 5.

On November 5, we will have a special Family Faith Formation day where Antonio and Nelly Sosa-Ramirez along with their family will be presenting the understanding and history of Dia de los Muertos and how we can celebrate this very Catholic and very spiritually rich holiday in our families and our community. Please plan on attending this special day!

Here’s a couple of thoughts for your week: Remember, breakdowns can create breakthroughs. Sometimes, things fall apart so that other things can fall into place. Sometimes you have to fight through your worst days in order to earn the best days of your life. Don’t give up!

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Around the Parish – October 8, 2023

Written by on October 7, 2023. Posted in Around the Parish, News.

This Monday, October 9, is a national holiday of Columbus Day, and therefore our parish office will be closed. We hope all of our students and families who are off from school and work this Monday enjoy their extra day!

As mentioned in the bulletin last week, we will begin a seven week look at the different relics in our church. We are blessed to have seven different relics in our church, two of which are located inside the main altar of our church. This week, we take a look at Saint Maria Goretti.

A reminder to our parish families, all students and their families are invited to our annual trip to the Cool Springs Corn Maze. Lunch will be provided after the 11a mass. Transportation will not be provided, so all families will need to find their own transportation. The parish will pay for the students participating. To sign up, please visit the Faith Formation office or call the parish office by October 19.

Here’s a couple of thoughts for your week: Just because your life may not have turned out the way you’d planned, it doesn’t mean that it won’t turn out OK. It’s hard for a person to beat depression, but it’s even harder for depression to beat a person who never gives up. The most beautiful thing in the world is a smile that has struggled through tears. Today, you don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to know what to do next.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Around the Parish – October 1, 2023

Written by on September 30, 2023. Posted in News, Around the Parish.

In the northern hemisphere, the arrival of fall heralds a profound transformation in the natural world. As the vibrant colors of summer give way to the warm and earthy hues of autumn, we are reminded of the cyclical nature of life and the inevitable passage of time. It is during this season that we are particularly attuned to the signs of death and decay that surround us. The once-lush foliage now falls to the ground, decaying and returning to the earth from which it came. The days grow shorter, and the chill in the air serves as a harbinger of the approaching winter.

In the Catholic Faith, this recognition of death and decay in the natural world is closely tied to the observance of All Saints Day on November 1st. All Saints Day is a time when Catholics honor and celebrate the lives of the saints, the holy men and women who have gone before us and serve as examples of faith and virtue. It is a day to remember those who have lived lives of great holiness and have now found eternal rest in the presence of God.

The connection between the changing seasons and All Saints Day lies in the symbolism of death and rebirth. Just as the fallen leaves will eventually give way to new growth in the spring, so too do the lives of the saints inspire us to strive for spiritual renewal and transformation. In the midst of the autumnal decay, we are reminded that death is not the end, but rather a transition to a new and eternal life. This season of reflection and remembrance encourages us to emulate the saints’ virtues, seeking to lead lives of faith, compassion, and service to others. In doing so, we hope to one day join the ranks of the saints in the heavenly kingdom, where the eternal spring of God’s love and grace knows no end.

In the Catholic Church, we hold the lives of the saints in high regard, so much so that we sometimes keep relics of saints. Relics hold a significant place in the Catholic Church as tangible connections to the lives of saints and the divine. These physical remains or objects associated with saints, such as bone fragments, clothing, or personal belongings, serve as powerful reminders of the faith’s rich history and the lives of those who have exemplified devotion.

In the next few weeks in our bulletin, we will be talking more about Saints and Relics as we prepare for the celebration of All Saints and All Souls. We will talk about the specific relics present here in our church for veneration, and the lives of those particular saints.

Here are a couple of thoughts for the week ahead: Never forget that walking away from something unhealthy is a very brave thing to do – even if you stumble a little on your way out the door. Stop beating yourself up. You are a work in progress, which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Fall Bible Study

Written by on September 2, 2023. Posted in Parish News, Faith Formation News, News.

Walk through the Liturgy with Bishop Barron and you’ll be transformed through insights on this most privileged and intimate encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ.

See how the Mass brings us out of the fallen world and into the heavenly realm, how it resonates with a call from God and a response from his people, the Church, and, most importantly, how we are intimately joined with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus through the Holy Eucharist.

The Mass will help you understand how to fully, consciously, and actively participate in the source and summit of the Christian life.

We will gather on Thursdays, September 21-October 26 at 6pm in the Faith Formation Center Conference Room.

Click Here to Register!

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