Dear Fellow Parishioners, This time of year is for milestones and goodbyes, with new challenges on the horizon: First Communions, Confirmations, graduations. Some graduations will lead to another local school, a college or university further from home, career training, or a new job. Graduations have a valedictory quality, hence the âvaledictorianâ who delivers the farewell […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, This weekend we celebrate Motherâs Day. While there are many images of loving (not to mention powerful) mothers in the Old Testament, there is also the Fourth Commandment: âHonor thy father and thy mother.â At the most basic level, that commandment is a call to respect an inescapable fact: Our relationship with […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, At this time of year, I sign hundreds of documents: Baptismal certificates for those receiving other sacraments, First Communion and Confirmation certificates, diplomas from two schools, contracts for teachers and staff from two schools, you name it, all in addition to the usual checks, letters and Mass cards that need to be […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, First of all, I would like to thank the many people who worked so hard to make our celebrations on Palm Sunday, Holy Week, the Triduum, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday both inspiring and memorable. This was the first Holy Week and Easter that we returned to the full pre-COVID form […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, After Lent, Holy Week and Easter, we are now at the end of Easter Week, or the octave of Easter. Itâs called the âoctaveâ because this Sunday is the eighth day after Easter, counting inclusively as they did in the ancient world. Those of us who are a little older can remember […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, By the time you read this, it will be the Easter Vigil or Easter morning. Over the last four days of Lent (Holy Monday through Holy Thursday) and the Triduum (Holy Thursday evening to the Easter Vigil) our cold, wet winter and early spring will begin to give way to warmer days […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Nearly all of you have noticed the netting and scaffolding around the parish hall, which is being repainted. Since the parish hall is the parish building most exposed to sunlight on all sides, it is in most need of maintenance. The real work of the project is in the preparation, and most […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, I was happy to convey in my Easter letter that, for the first time in four years, our celebrations of Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter will be back to their pre-COVID form. The Passion Gospels will be read in parts, including the congregation. The last remnant of COVID observance â offering […]
Palm Sunday â April 2Regular Sunday Schedule CONFESSIONSWed., April 5, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.Saturday, April 8, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. THE EASTER TRIDUUMHoly Thursday â April 6(No Mass at 8:00 a.m.)Mass of the Lord’s Supper:7:30 p.m. (bilingual)Adoration until 10:00 p.m. Good Friday â April 7Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 1:15 p.m.Stations of the […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Last Monday night, SV hosted our Lenten Reconciliation Service. After a handful of years of COVID-suppressed demand, this service attracted more people than I have ever seen. We had 9 priests and began hearing confessions shortly after 7 p.m. and I didnât finish until about 9:45 p.m. I understand that many people […]