Friedrich Niemoller was a German Lutheran pastor who was active in German politics in the 1930's. As a national conservative, he was initially a supporter of Adolf Hitler. However, after Hitler sought to take control over the Lutheran church, Niemoller became a vocal critic of the Nazi regime. For that, he was imprisoned in Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps from 1937 to 1945. After the war, he was asked why he ever supported Hitler. He replied: “I find myself wondering about that too. I wonder about it as much as I regret it. Still, it is true that Hitler betrayed me. I had an audience with him, as a representative of the Protestant church, shortly before he became Chancellor, in 1932. Hitler promised me on his word of honor, to protect the church, and not to issue any … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – January 24, 2016
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” (Lk. 4:16-19) Imagine being present in the synagogue when this dramatic scene took place. All the eyes are on Jesus and He reads this dramatic reading from Isaiah 61, and then succinctly explains that the passage refers to Him. There are three important Greek words in this passage … [Read more...]
Notes for the Year of Mercy
Mercy is a virtue influencing one's will to have compassion for, and, if possible, to alleviate another's misfortune. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that, although mercy is as it were the spontaneous product of charity, it is a special virtue adequately distinguishable from this charity. In fact the Scholastics consider it to be related to justice mainly because, like justice, it controls relations between distinct persons. Mercy sees misery in another person, and inflames a desire to alleviate that misery. Since misery can afflict both body and soul, it is customary to enumerate both corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The traditional enumeration of the corporal and works of mercy, respectively, is as follows: To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the … [Read more...]
A Family that Prays…
A Retreat for Married Couple and their Children (7 -17yrs) “A Family That Prays” is a powerful weekend designed to enrich marriages, faith & family. Spouses will grow closer in their sacrament while their children will explore a deeper understanding & encounter with God. The retreat is held on the grounds of the St. Joseph Abbey in Covington and begins on Saturday, September 26th at 8:00 AM and ends after lunch on Sunday. Space is limited. The donation, which is suggested and not required, is $325 for a family of 3 and $75 for every additional child. If you would like to register or more information, call Jason Angelette at (504) 830-3716 or visit www.faithandmarriage.org. … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – January 17, 2016
“There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” (Jn. 2:1-5) The Gospel this Sunday is the very first Gospel that I preached about as a newly ordained deacon in October of 1998. The Mass took place in a very small chapel called the Clementine Chapel, which is located under the main altar of the Basilica of St. Peter at the Vatican. It’s the closest altar to the Tomb of St. Peter the Apostle. I had decided that I wanted the Mass to be a Votive Mass for the Blessed … [Read more...]
NEXT SUNDAY THE 10:30 AM MASS WILL BE AT 10:00AM
Because of the parades. It will also feature our own Beth Turner and Pete Wolbrette and some of their friends in a jazz combo. … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – December 20, 2015
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. (Is. 7:14) Behold [Mary], you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:31-32a) In William Shakespeare’s play, “Romeo and Juliet,” the two lovers have a dialogue about their own names. It begins with Romeo hearing Juliet call his name: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?” Later in the dialogue, Romeo responds: “It is my soul that calls upon my name: How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night, Like softest music to attending ears!” This quote has been paraphrased to something like: “there’s nothing so sweet as the sound of one’s own … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – December 13, 2015
“Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:4-5 ) This third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday” from the Latin St. Paul uses when he tells us to “rejoice in the Lord always”: gaudete in Domino semper! The spirit of the Liturgy in Advent is one of expectation and preparation for Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ, but our penitential attitude is suspended on Gaudete Sunday so that we might focus on the joy of our Redemption, which should never be far from our hearts. To highlight the importance of Gaudete Sunday, the priest wears rose vestments and lights a rose candle on the Advent wreath. Why do we mark this day by focusing particularly on joy? It’s because the … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – December 6, 2015
“John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, a voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” (Luke 3:3-4) In the ancient world, there were no interstates. Roads were little more than worn down paths that were constantly being affected by traffic or weather. One of the hallmarks of the Roman army is that they built roads wherever they went. But when there was a battle, roads and bridges would be destroyed in order to stop the advance of the enemy. But one thing was certain: when word came that someone important was coming, the people would do their best to fix the roads or build new ones … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – December 27, 2015
The shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.” (Lk 2:15-18) Christmas can carry with it a lot of nostalgia for many of us. The season brings back memories of past Christmases, and might be particularly difficult for those who’ve recently lost loved ones. We might remember the happy times that we had, and we might be filled with a little heartache. It’s interesting that the word “nostalgia” is formed by two Greek words, ?????? (nóstos), … [Read more...]
