Dear Fellow Parishioners, Last week I shared a few thoughts about devotions in general, and more specifically about the devotional life and design of our church. The response was surprisingly positive, and I’ve decided to go a week or two further on this subject. The statues and devotional images behind the communion rail and facing […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, I would like to address a few matters regarding Catholic devotions in general, and the devotional life of our parish. Over the past week, I was contacted by a very nice couple, new to the parish, who expressed an interest in establishing First Saturday devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. It would […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, After forty days of Lent, and the three-day Triduum, we have arrived at the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, which is his Resurrection. There are two main names for the celebration of the Resurrection: “Easter” and “Pascha.” “Easter” is derived from the Saxon feast of Eostre, whereas “Pascha” is […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, We are entering into the most eventful and intense week of the Christian year. Traditionally, Holy Week began with Palm Sunday and ended on Holy Saturday. The liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII in 1955 highlighted the three-day Triduum – Holy Thursday to the Easter Vigil – as a distinct, though brief, […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, This weekend we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Lent, commonly known as “Laetare Sunday.” It is a designation shared by Catholic and most Lutheran and Anglican parishes. To explain, I will begin nearer to the beginning. The two penitential seasons of the Church year, Advent and Lent, prepare us for the two […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Whenever we have a national 3-day weekend holiday, it leaves me a bit confused, because after a three-day weekend, the remaining 4-day work week is out of proportion. Tuesday feels like Monday, Wednesday feels like Tuesday, etc. Friday comes and – shebang! – the work week is over. Presidents’ Day is a […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, The Gospels often mention that Jesus taught with authority, and not like the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus himself – with notable exceptions – was often non-directive and non-specific, with phrases like, “Go and sin no more.” The fullest yet most concise statement of Lenten regulations is found in the Ash Wednesday Gospel, […]
“The Lenten Season has a double character, namely to prepare both catechumens and faithful to celebrate the paschal mystery. The catechumens, both with the Rite of Election and Scrutinies, and by catechesis, are prepared for the celebration of the sacraments of Christian initiation; the faithful, ever more attentive to the Word of God and prayer, […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, I’d like to touch upon a few things happening in our parish community this past week, and the time leading up to Ash Wednesday. This past week – January 28 to February 3 – has been Catholic Schools Week, now celebrating its 50th year. Every year, our schools host what could be […]
Our parish mission statement identifies St. Vincent’s as a Eucharist centered people who, as the Body of Christ, live our faith in word and deed by sharing our time, talent, and treasure to support one another and serve those in need.
This website is intended not only to provide you with the information you need about our parish but also to help us build up our life as a community and so help us in our mission. It provides a way for us to connect with each other; and we invite you to use it to share stories, to learn about what’s happening and what’s coming up, and to provide information you think we all need to hear. This site will evolve as our parish evolves; it belongs to all of us. I hope you find it helpful.
This hymn speaks to the atmosphere, design, and heart of St. Vincent’s parish: there is a place here for everyone. In fact, you are not only welcomed, but needed! As we explore and expand our ideas of just what a Church community is, we recognize first that pivotal life events occur in church: weddings, baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation; but, we also find that we need community in order to be a Spirit filled Church where we praise God, share our faith, and help one another by way of fellowship, and the numerous ministries available to all parishioners. Through our stewardship, the gift of our time and talent, there is a wonderful opportunity to give and receive, to make friends, to help friends, to see how our talents are a gift from God made for sharing. We are bonded to a group of people with whom we already have at least one thing in common, and that is our faith. It is our hope that you will use this community website to build bridges and connect with one another, and see that each of us, too, is a gift from God meant to be shared.