Pastor's Corner

I watched the Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk and found it to be a moving tribute. His wife, Erika, spoke eloquently about what Charlie stood for, including this truth, "The answer to hate is not hate." She said, "The answer, we know from the Gospel, is love. It’s always love.” However, the spirit of the service changed when President Trump, appearing to reference Erika’s comments, said that Charlie "did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them. That's what I disagreed with Charlie (on), I hate my opponent, and I don't want the best for them."

We can be enamored by beautiful things and fun “toys,” in which we can invest a great deal of money, time and attention. Created things are wonderful to enjoy. However, if our focus is too great on them, we can be tempted to lose sight of the Origin of all created things. I offer you this prayer from 4 century Bishop and Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine of Hippo from his work, Confessions, as he reflects on how his inordinate focus on created things drew him away from God. It was a turning point in his spiritual conversion. May this be a helpful prayer for you as you seek to deepen your relationship with Jesus and His Church.

Ever wonder why we have a fishing net hanging in our church?

It reminds us of the time Jesus told Simon Peter to “lower your net for a catch” (Luke 5:1-11). Jesus invites each of us to go deeper in our trusting relationship with Him. Simon Peter reluctantly responded to Jesus’ directive to lower his net for a catch of fish even though he had caught nothing all night long. Peter listened to what Jesus told him to do.

This Sunday, September 7, in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Leo will canonize 2 young men: Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Carlo Acutis (1991–2006) was born in London and raised in Milan, Italy. He has become known as the "Apostle of the Eucharist" for his deep devotion and for creating a website documenting Eucharistic miracles.

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once wrote, "It is very important for us to realize that love, to be true, has to hurt." At first hearing, it sounds odd, if not, foolish. For love to be authentic, it must hurt?

Mother Teresa went on to explain that it hurt Jesus to love us. "And to make sure we remember His great love, He made himself the bread of life to satisfy our hunger for His love - our hunger for God - because we have been created for that love.

As we enjoy the summer season, did you know that you can practice a valuable spiritual virtue called eutrapelia? It involves playfulness and fun! Yes, it’s a real virtue.

St. Thomas Aquinas describes its value as something that can refresh and renew the person in both body and soul. He adds that it needs to be in moderation, done for the good that is intended. Modern science has verified the value of this virtue.