Pastor's Corner

Recently, Pope Francis announced the next gathering of bishops from around the world, called a synod, which will take place in 2023. Ordinarily, every four years, the Holy Father proposes an important topic for the global Catholic Church to consider. A synod is a purely consultative process. It informs the Holy Father about the many issues related to the topic and offers recommendations on how to approach those issues as a Church going forward.

On Sunday, October 10, our parish Knights of Columbus sponsored a Mass here at Holy Family Church for All Affected by Addiction, which invited folks to pray for and support individuals, family members and friends who are coping with the effects of various forms of addiction. It included a very moving witness talk by Brooke Fleming who shared how AA and dependence on God helped her face her alcohol addiction.

Recently, someone emailed me wondering if I they could receive a “blessing” before they go to the hospital in a few of days to undergo brain surgery. They were hoping it wasn’t too late to make such a request, and they could come to the church when it was convenient for me. I replied – certainly, and that I could give them more than just a “blessing.” I could provide the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. They said they weren’t sure their situation was serious enough for that. Well, we arranged for them to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick after Mass the following weekend. And, a woman in her nineties recently cancelled an appointment to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. She left a message saying that she didn’t feel the need for my visit at this time since she was getting stronger and feeling much better from a recent health setback.

Since the Month of October is when the Church celebrates the Month of the Holy Rosary, I offer below instructions on how you can pray the Rosary, which, at her apparition in Fatima, the Blessed Mother Mary urged that we pray it daily. Rosary beads and the prayers of the rosary can be obtained on the table outside of the Chapel.

Today is Respect Life Sunday, which kicks off Respect Life Month. Each October, the Church in the United States observes Respect Life Month as a time to consider more deeply why every human life is valuable and reflect on how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. With our prayers, advocacy and action, each of us can make a difference in this effort. Last Monday, Pope Francis spoke to the Members of the Pontifical Academy for Life and said that to understand what abortion is, it helps to pose two questions: “Is it right to eliminate, to take a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to hire a hitman to solve a problem? That's what abortion is."

WELCOME! We welcome in a special way folks who have not been back to Holy Family Church for a while. Whether it’s been because of COVID, loss of habit, busyness, doubts about the faith or some other reason, we’re glad you’re here with us! Each of us is on a unique journey in life. Every week here at Holy Family we celebrate His presence with us every step along our way. As a family of faith, we value each other’s presence as fellow companions on the journey.

This weekend, Deacon Art Keefe concludes his weekly ministry here at Holy Family. It coincides with his 25th Anniversary as a Permanent Deacon (Sept. 14), all of those years assigned to our parish! He has been a “Senior Deacon” for the last three years, which entitles him to reduce his responsibilities. However, he has pretty much carried on as before. However, now, he will greatly reduce his ministerial activity and enjoy a bit more time to himself. On behalf of our staff members and parishioners, I extend to Deacon Art our heartfelt congratulations and prayerful best wishes on celebrating his 25th Anniversary as a Deacon, and for good health and peace in his retirement.

Some people might think mistakenly that you are not paying attention because you look around a lot. Well, that’s ok according to this beautiful reflection by Rachel Macy Stafford.

Noticers

"My daughter handed me her school progress report. Although it displayed a steady stream of positive check marks, there was one check mark standing dejectedly alone from the rest.

This Labor Day weekend causes us to consider the importance of labor for the operation of our society, the opportunity that a job provides a person to use their gifts and make a living, and the tragedy experienced by those who lose their jobs and become desperate to find new work. The pandemic has only exacerbated the situation. More than just a civil holiday that offers us a long weekend to enjoy, I invite you to use this occasion to prayerfully reflect upon how important your work is to you and to others, to think about the gifts God has given you to be able to do the work you do, and in turn, the benefits you enjoy as a result of the salary you receive.

In this summertime, as we spend extra time with family and friends – especially the young ones, I offer this invitation to pray for children.

We Pray for Children

By Ina J. Hughes

We pray for children who sneak
popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.

I was having breakfast this morning and enjoyed a banana. Looking at the banana, I told God what a wonderful self-contained package of food you've given me... not in a cellophane wrapper, but purely natural. It's perfect! It's specially made to provide us with nutrition. Human beings didn't make it; it was harvested by farmers in South America. The banana trees depend on the sun and the rain to bear fruit. God's Divine Providence has put into motion the cycle of life that makes that possible! When you think about it, there's so much around us that gives us a glimpse of how God provides for us. This summer, take a moment to think of all the ways He shows his loving care for you.

Warm summer greetings! Summertime is an opportunity to slow down, have some quiet time, enjoy nature and center oneself... conditions that foster prayer. However, there is a risk! You may be ever more susceptible to an epidemic of a different kind than what we're contending with right now.

Symptoms of Inner Peace

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.