Bulletin Article: March 13

Our last Parish Open Forum was held on February 28th. Our discussion focused upon the parish portion of the Synod. The finished one page report that was submitted to the diocese was read and will be further presented to the parish in the near future. Our discussion then evolved to focus on the importance of evangelization and providing adult education opportunities for adults. The date of our next Parish Open Forum will be set by the Parish Pastoral Council at their next meeting.

I thank Pat Marek for his continued service to our parish community. He will be stepping away from his responsibilities as facilities manager in August. He plans to continue to assist our parish as a volunteer. I will begin to evaluate this position and develop an updated job description. In the near future we will look for applicants to fill this important position for our parish community.

June 19th is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. I would like to officially reopen our adoration chapel that evening following our Eucharistic procession. In order to make this a reality we need to fill all days of the week with adorers. We currently offer adoration on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. We are now looking for adorers for Tuesday. Let us fill the hours before the end of March in order that we can move to another day of the week and one step closer to our goal of reopening the adoration chapel.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

2nd Sunday of Lent Homily

On this 2nd Sunday of Lent we have the Transfiguration of the Lord accounted for us in our Gospel. Despite hearing this Gospel, today is not the Feast of the Transfiguration. That instead falls on August 6th.

To put the Feast of the Transfiguration into it’s proper historical context. It was celebrated throughout the world in the East and eventually made its way to the West. It was added to the universal liturgical calendar in 1456 by Pope Callixtus III. It was added in celebration of the victory of Hungarian forces over the Turks. August 6th is also important historically because it was the day that the atomic bomb was dropped upon Japan.

This date of August 6th works well because it proceeds the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross by 40 days. This draws an important connection between the Transfiguration and the cross of our Blessed Lord. From the Transfiguration to the cross we are able to see the presence of Christ’s glory which shines forth from both. It is the season of Lent that assists us in drawing close to the cross and preparing for our encounter with the Lord’s Resurrection.

The cross without the Resurrection would bring forth true sadness and a lack of hope. This small glimpse into glory that we receive through the Lord’s Transfiguration encourages us to continue to move forward with the confidence of faith. When the road begins to get difficult it can be easy to desire to regress instead of continuing to move forward with the confidence of faith. Nevertheless, the apostles whom Jesus took with Him to the mountain top would come to see His glory and they would be allotted the faith and hope that was nesessery for all that they would soon encounter.

Despite the continued reality that comes through the darkness of sin and death we are called upon to place our trust in Jesus and to listen to Him. Just as August 6th surrounds itself within a history of war, so too did the healing reality of the Lord’s Transfiguration continue to shine forth.  Our world continues to be touched by sin and death. We know of the attacks upon human life especially that within the womb. We hear of the bloodshed that takes place oversees especially between Russia and Ukraine. Despite all of these injustices and effects of sin in our world and life we must place our trust in Jesus and listen to Him.

Concerning war our Blessed Mother at Fatima entrusted us with three timeless requests: (1) Stop offending God which comes as a call to repentance, conversion, and reparation, (2) Pray the rosary daily, and (3) entrust ourself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. To think of the effect that would take place within our life and world if only we took these requests to heart. 

Lent is a time to strengthen our relationship with Christ Jesus. Throught the darkness which springs forth from the reality of sin and death always shines forth the hope that was given at the Transfiguration. These realities may remain a part of the human experience, but they do not have to overcome us. Let this Lenten season remain a time of hope as we anticipate that life which is to come. Let us come to order our life towards this reality.

Bulletin Article: March 6

Beginning next Sunday, March 13th, we will resume sharing the sign of peace with one another at Mass. In doing so please keep in mind the General Instruction of the Roman Missal: “It is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those nearest.” Due to the continued complications of COVID-19 please be mindful of those outside of your household. A simple bow of the head to those around us can be given as an alternative to a handshake.

I thank Andrew Cooper for all the work he has accomplished as Director of Development for our parish and school. His final day with us will be June 30th. I am pleased to announce that Tanya Chavez has been hired as the new Director of Development effective June 16th. I welcome her to our parish staff and look forward to working with her in the near future.

I hope that all of you continue to have a blessed Lent. Our parish penance service will be March 16th at 6pm and Father Michael Hendershott will lead our Lenten Day of Recollection on April 9th from 9:30am-12:30pm. Also, don’t forget that we have Stations of the Cross each Friday at 6pm (English) and 7pm (Spanish). Each Friday from 5-7pm the Knights of Columbus also have their fish fry which is a great opportunity for great food and fellowship.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

1st Sunday of Lent Year C Homily

Today we have arrived at the first Sunday of Lent. We enter here in order to draw close to the Lord for the 40 days that make up the Lenten season.

40 is an important number that is scattered throughout Sacred Scripture. It is this number which signifies new life, new growth, and transformation. The number 40 always brings about a type of change. For example the great flood lasted for 40 days and nights, Moses fasted for a period of 40 days before he received the Law, the Israelites wondered about the desert as the fleed from slavery for 40 years, and as was heard in our Gospel Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert.

40 signifies a lot of meaning to us. It serves as a reminder of repetence, newness, and preparation. It is through Lent that we have the opportunity to do precisely this. As the Congregation for Divine Worship describes Lent, “It is a time to hear the Word of God, to convert, to prepare for, and remember Baptism, to be reconciled with God and one’s neighbor, and of more frequent recourse to the ‘arms of Christian penance’: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.”

Not only is the number 40 of importance, but the desert also serves of great importance. It was here that one would go to bring about testing, encounter, and renewal. The Israelites passed through the desert as they were being renewed for their encounter with the Promised Land. Christ entered into the desert in order that He would prepare to enter into His public ministry. Likewise, we head into the desert that is this Lenten season to bring about renewal within us as we prepare for Easter.

During Lent we have the opportunity to head into the desert to pray, to fast, and to give alms for a period of 40 days. This season is very active because we know Easter to be so important. We realize the reality of sin and temptation and allow the Lord to enter into our life in order that we may come to purify it from our midst. No matter the temptation that is present within your life please realize that you already have everything that you will ever need to overcome it through your baptism, as you were strengthen by you Confirmation, have received the Lord’s mercy in confession, and been fed by the Lord in Holy Communion.

Christ Himself entered into the desert and there He was tempted. Nevertheless, the devil had no power over Him no matter what lie he would tell. So too does the devil have no power over us if we place out trust in the Lord and His mercy which endures forever. May this truly be a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in order that we may prepare ourself for an encounter with the Risen Lord at Easter. In such manner we will be prepared to undergo a new way of life as we come to more clearly live for Christ.

Ash Wednesday Homily

Today we begin the Lenten season through this celebration of Ash Wednesday. As a reminder our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has asked that we offer our prayers and fasting this day for peace throughout the world especially in Russia and Ukraine.

Our Gospel was taken from the Sermon on the Mount. The importance of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving were outlined there. In performing these acts we were reminded that we must be found humble of heart. It is through humility that we do not perform righteous deeds in order to be seen, that we don’t give alms in order to blow a trumpet before us, that we don’t pray in order that others may see us, and that we don’t fast in order to look gloomy. As we were told, “And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Throughout Lent let us open our heart to these ancient practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These practices open our heart up to the Lord and assist us in coming to live more freely in our love for Him and our neighbor. It is easy to allow other practices to creep into our life which hold us back from making this a reality. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are all ways that we combat this from taking place.

As we take ashes upon ourself we humble our pride and are reminded that we must live for the Lord. We are reminded that we must repent and believe in the Gospel and that we are dust and unto dust we shall return. Let us use this season and the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to make this reality so.