Fr. Gerard’s Weekly Column: 10/27/24

The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

I have had baptism on my mind lately. I baptized my niece two Sundays ago, and last Sunday baptized six babies from our parish. And then this Tuesday, I was mindful of the most unique celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism I witnessed. On Tuesday, the church celebrated the feast of Pope Saint John Paul II, and 30 years ago I and my fellow seminarians were privileged to be present in St. Peter’s Basilica when the Holy Father baptized 41 children. It was amazing to see what so ordinarily happens in parishes around the world happen in an ordinary way in an extraordinary place by the Pope himself. Having baptism on my mind prompted this specific memory as we celebrated Saint John Paul’s feast day. It made me curious to research the homily he offered that day, and I was pleased to find these wise pastoral words:

Yes, dear parents, God wants this salvation for your children, as for every man. The Father who is in heaven, desires that they “have life . . . abundantly” and expects from you, fathers and mothers, earthly parents who have already collaborated with him in giving birth to these little ones, a further collaboration: he asks you to support the action of his saving Word through the commitment to their Christian education. From you, too, dear godfathers and godmothers, God expects a singular cooperation that is expressed in the support given to the parents in this educational work.

In the birth of our children and their subsequent baptism, we are mindful of the great things the Lord continues to do for us. We are glad and privileged to share in the mystery of creation, and we are, therefore, called to share in their formation in faith and the nurturing of their relationship with God. This past week our parish witnessed that baptismal mission continued, as we celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation with nearly 300 young parishioners. Our adolescent and teen children are as fragile and vulnerable as they were in infancy. God does indeed want salvation for our children, more than he wants them to be star athletes, academic achievers, and creative artists…all of which are good goals fostered by the gifts and talents the Lord has bestowed upon them. As we initiate them in faith, we commit ourselves to accompanying them on the path to salvation.

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION – Our parish was honored to welcome Auxiliary Bishop Luis Miguel Romero as he conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on our candidates. We thank him for his warm presence and the joyful spirit that he brought to us. I congratulate our newly-confirmed, and I thank their parents, sponsors, catechists and the staff of our Office of Faith Formation for their guidance and faith witness to these young disciples.

INSTALLATION OF CHURCH DOORS Our new doors are arriving and will be installed over the next two weeks. To maximize the hours available for the installation, please note the following.

  • From Monday, October 28 – Friday, November 8 (with the exception of All Saints Day, see below), the 7:30 and 9:00 am daily masses (Monday to Friday) will be celebrated in the chapel of the Fr. Graham Center.
  • Daily Confessions will follow the 9:00 am mass and take place in the church
  • The Monday evening mass will be celebrated in the church at 7:30 pm.

Thanks to all whose generosity made the fabrication and installation of the new doors possible, and thank you to all for your patience and cooperation during the door installation process.

BREAKFAST RUN UPDATE – This week I hosted an information meeting for those who are interested in an exciting service opportunity for families and individuals. As we continue to asses and plan this project we are collecting information from those who wish to participate in the program or are simply interested in knowing more about it. If you were unable to attend the meeting but are interested in volunteering or knowing more, please go to https://tinyurl.com/SROL-Run.

ALL SAINTS and ALL SOULS – The Solemnity of All Saints takes places on Friday, November 1. Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, October 31 at 4:00 pm in the church and Friday, November 1 at 7:30 am and 9:00 am in the school auditorium, and 7:30 pm in the church.

The Commemoration of All Souls takes place on Saturday, November 2.  In addition to the 8:00 am mass in the church, we will prayerfully remember those who have died during this past year by reading each of their names at our All Souls Mass at 9:00 am in the church.

Peace,