When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:1-3) Who are the “poor in spirit” to whom Matthew refers in the Gospel today? The other seven of the eight beatitudes concern people who seem easy to identify (the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and those who are insulted and persecuted because of Jesus). But what does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? The word “poor” comes from the Aramaic or Hebrew word anawim, which means bent down, afflicted, miserable, or poor. Although the word can mean the … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2026
St. Blaise Throat Blessing Tuesday, February 3
Tuesday, February 3 is the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr. St Blaise was the bishop of Sebaste in Armenia who was martyred in the year 316 AD. The oldest accounts tell us that Blaise was a physician at Sebaste before he was made bishop. In the 4th century persecution of Licinius, St. Blaise was taken prisoner. After suffering various forms of torture he was beheaded. The most popular story attributed to St. Blaise occurred while he was in prison, when he cured a young a boy who was in danger of choking to death because of a fishbone in his throat. That story, and the fact that St. Blaise was a doctor, made the saint very popular for intercessory prayer for throat ailments. At an early date, the veneration of this Eastern saint was brought into Europe, and Blaise became one of … [Read more...]
Palm Branches Needed
Each year the blessed palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday are burned to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday. We will burn them on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. Since the palms are blessed, burning is the suitable way to dispose of them. Please remember to bring them to Mass over the next two weeks and place them in the brass urns in the back of the church. … [Read more...]
The Presentation of the Lord
Monday, February 2 The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord commemorates the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the presentation of Christ in the temple, which took place 40 days after his birth as Jewish law required. According to Mosaic law, a mother who had given birth to a boy was considered unclean for seven days. Also, she was to remain 33 days "in the blood of her purification." Luke tells us, quoting Exodus 13:2,12, that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem because every firstborn child was to be dedicated to the Lord. They also went to sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons, showing that Mary and Joseph were poor. Once in the temple, Jesus was purified by the prayer of Simeon, in the presence of Anna the prophetess. Simeon, upon seeing the Messiah, gave … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – January 25, 2026
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mt. 4:18-20) One afternoon while I was in seminary, I was having lunch with some classmates, and we were joined by another seminarian who was a member of a religious community. He was younger than my classmates, and pretty “gung-ho” about being a seminarian. With eager eyes and enthusiasm, he turned to my classmate, Mike Woods, and asked “So when did you get your call??!!” Now, you’d have to know Mike, but suffice it to say that Mike was about 10 years older than the other seminarian. He’s from Pittsburgh, and … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – January 18, 2026
John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” (Jn. 1:35-36) In the readings this weekend, we have some “naming” going on. John calls Jesus the “Lamb of God” and the “Son of God.” But what we’re dealing with has both theological and practical implications. In the Bible - and in real life - names are important. In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, the lovers have a dialogue about their own names. It begins with Romeo hearing Juliet call his name: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?” The dialogue has been paraphrased to something like: “there’s nothing so sweet as the sound of one’s own name.” And even if we don’t read Shakespeare or understand poetry, we can relate to that. We like hearing our own … [Read more...]
Weekly Envelopes
If you have not registered or requested envelopes, you can register on-line or call the rectory for more details! … [Read more...]
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
January 18 -25 The theme for the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity was approved by the Catholic Church’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, in collaboration with a council of the churches of Armenia. The chosen passage for reflection is Ephesians 4:4, where the Apostle Paul reminds the early Christians in Ephesus of the unifying power of the Holy Spirit: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called.” This verse calls believers to remember that, despite differences, all are part of the one Body of Christ and share a common hope through the Spirit. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began as an eight-day period of prayer called the Church Unity Octave at … [Read more...]
Ya’ Mama was Pro-Life, dawlin’!
On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court legalized abortion throughout the United States in its companion decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. Since that time, millions of children have lost their lives, and millions of women and families have been wounded by abortion. On June 24, 2022, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturned Roe v. Wade, and we praise God for the great opportunity state and federal legislators now have to protect pre-born children. While God, in His mercy, ended the nearly fifty-year nationwide regime of abortion on demand, right now state and federal laws, in many instances, are still hostile to pre-born children. So, great prayer and advocacy is very needed. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), no. 373, designates … [Read more...]
Archbishop James Checchio
Please consider joining us at the Vigil Mass next Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 4:00pm when we will welcome Coadjutor Archbishop James Checchio, who will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. Stephen! … [Read more...]
