Dear Friends,
It gave us immense joy and an extraordinary blessing last weekend to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, also known as Corpus Christi. All of us who were present both before and after the Mass had that unique privilege of being in the presence of the Eucharistic Lord in Adoration. We knelt before the Blessed Sacrament with humility, knowing that we were in front of the Creator of the Universe Himself. We also were filled with joy in understanding that we were in front of our Brother and Friend who knows us so well. “Wasting time” with the Lord is a beautiful way to build our relationship with HIM!
Every parish across the US embarked last Sunday on the Year of Parish Revival, the second year of the three-year Eucharistic Revival happening within the Catholic churches within the United States. This Revival aims to create a profound renewal of our faith and love for the most precious gift of the Eucharist, which is God’s love for the world.
What a sublime mystery and absolute beauty that Jesus in the Eucharist is really, truly present!
If our senses could perceive the depths of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, we would be truly overwhelmed. As a matter of fact, we’d be blown away!
There is no beauty more alluring.
There is no melody more glorious.
There is no feeling more soul-stirring.
There is no sweeter fragrance.
There is no taste more delightful.
Jesus is all this—and infinitely more. While initially we might lament our limited capacity to recognize or fully understand the One before us as we gaze upon the Blessed Sacrament, we don’t have to grieve our human limitations as we ponder this sublime mystery. True, our human nature is finite. However, our souls are immortal—and in communion with the Triune God, our capacity to receive becomes infinite!” (Sister Alicia Torres, F.E., from the Eucharistic Revival team).
Let us, therefore, commit to striving unceasingly to make the Eucharist the center of our community, uniting within the Eucharist. This is not really new to us, as we have been promoting the Eucharistic worship and adoration for some time. All we need to do now is to RAMP UP what we have been doing, so our commitment really has an impact in our Parish family. Here are some ways that we can enhance our participation in our Lord’s Eucharistic life and our relationship with Jesus Christ:
- Celebrate Mass with active participation in the Holy Eucharist every Sunday and on Days of Obligation, without fail.
- Do your best to attend at least one Mass on a weekday. You might choose an occasion (yours or that of others) to help you do this: birthday, wedding anniversary, the death anniversary of a family member, etc.
- Intentionally set aside time to visit our Eucharistic Lord in the Adoration Chapel.
- Invite one or more of your family members or a friend to come to Mass with you and/or to visit the Blessed Sacrament. Consider this: “’We ... have a pretty high number of non-Catholics coming to adoration regularly. And then over the years, they decide to enter the Church. It’s been really amazing.' So says Marie Putbrese, a Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) missionary at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri." The article concludes: "Young or old, college-age or young adults, anyone of any age, searching Catholics or even non-Catholics looking for peace and the Lord’s enlightenment — all can surely find what they are looking for at Eucharistic adoration too."
- Watch Bishop Barron’s videos on The Mass.
We will be giving each of our Parish families a book titled, “This is my Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival,” by Bishop Barron. It is crammed with inspirational information, explanations, and passionate exposition of the truth, glory, and wonder of the Eucharist. Among the many gems in the book is the Bishop’s unfolding of the theme of special meals in the Bible and the connection with our Eucharistic meal celebrated in the Mass.
We will also have a 40-hour Adoration and Eucharistic Procession at an appropriate time before this Year of Parish
Revival concludes in July next year.
The Holy Mass draws us out of the fallen world and introduces to us a slice of the heavenly realm. The Eucharist is a most privileged and intimate encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us resolve this year to journey into the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist. Let us spend time in Adoration, pondering this most amazing gift of Jesus’s Real Presence in the Eucharist. Let us make every effort to join intimately with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus and allow him to transform our lives so that we may become a truly Eucharistic Community. May we let the Spirit of our Lord reinvigorate our community through his Real Presence, set our hearts on fire with his love, and lavish new graces on our community. May our encounter with Eucharistic Lord propel our Parish into a new chapter of faith and mission.
This weekend we celebrate the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time. St Paul invites us to “boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5: 11). In the Gospel according to Matthew (9: 36-10:8), we see Jesus’ compassion as He is moved with pity at seeing His people troubled and abandoned. He then calls the Twelve and sends them on a mission to go forth and bear witness to the reign of God by their healing works.
This Sunday we take time to celebrate Father’s Day. We salute our fathers, both living and dead. Matthew Kelly, reflecting on the greatness of fathers, observes the following: “The greatest men. Where are they? The greatest men will never be famous or rich. They won't win medals or elections. They will simply get up each day and go to work to keep food on the table for their family, get on their knees and pray, and give their lives for those they love. Quietly. Without recognition.” Fathers reflect the heart of God who bears us up on eagle wings. Happy Father’s Day to all of our fathers!
We are very proud of our 46 teens and 9 adults who were confirmed by Bishop John Noonan on Saturday, June 17, 2023. I take this opportunity to thank the parents and those confirmed for their commitment to receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. A huge thanks to Ronnie Rodriguez and his crew of dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to pass on the faith to our younger generation. Thanks to Fr. Vincent and our staff Schonda and Kelli for their monumental effort in bringing this batch of young people and adults to their “day of reckoning.” May the Spirit of the Lord breathe anew in the hearts of those who were confirmed that their faith may be renewed.
Have a Blessed Week!
Fr. John