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July 31, 2021

It is with great joy that I am traveling to Ireland for the month of August to be with family and friends.

Full Curriculum at National University of Ireland, Galway | API AbroadI am delighted that the Parish will be in safe hands during my vacation as Fr. Denis & Fr. Larry continue to care for you. I look forward to returning in September to share with you about my travels. During my vacation, Thompson Art Glass will continue to manufacture the new sanctuary stained-glass windows. We expect installation to be completed in the Fall. The theme of these windows follows the seven “I AM” statements in John’s Gospel. We are blessed that six of the eight windows are sponsored! Please contact the office if your family is interested in sponsoring either of the remaining windows – sponsorship of $25,000 may be made in one, two or three installments.

This week we hear the opening section of the Bread of Life discourse from John’s Gospel. John’s Gospel does not include the Last Supper as in the synoptic gospels, nonetheless this discourse is interpreted as communicating teachings regarding the Eucharist – “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst” as we continue to be strengthened by the bread of life on our path of life, may we thank God for the blessings of our family and friends who share our faith in caring for one another – “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC

July 17, 2021

Progress with our new stained-glass windows in St. Joseph Church.

We have completed stage 1 of the project: the Saint Windows and Choir Loft! We have commenced stage 2 – the Sanctuary area, with the installation of the 8 new window frames. Currently Thompson Art Glass is working on the stained-glass which will be installed in each window. The theme of these windows follows the seven “I AM” statements in John’s Gospel. We are blessed that five of the eight windows are sponsored, three windows remain available.

Once phase 2 is complete we will proceed with phase 3, the replacement of the remaining windows in St. Joseph Church. These windows will have biblical images upon them.

I wish to once again thank all our parishioners and friends who have supported the refurbishment of our churches and other parish properties. Without your unwavering generosity it would not be possible to continually update and improve our parish for the benefit of many generations to come!

As we proceed together with Christ as our Shepherd, let us continue to reach out to Him who is our guide on the path of life and who is always there for us each day, “seek, and you will find” [Matthew 7:7]

Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC

July 11, 2021

The basic nature of our call is to be a disciple – A follower of Jesus.

There are many ways to do so. God has unique plans for the person he calls and his or her unique gifts and circumstances. Following our call means living out our lives most fully and true to ourselves, as we discover where God is leading us.

Niskopru mill-ġdid il-prezzjożità tas-saċerdozju – Arċidjoċesi ta' Malta

Are you being called to priesthood?

When most Catholics hear the term “vocation” they think of the ordained priesthood or vowed religious life.

Few consider how marriage is a religious calling. A key part of vocation is one’s occupation, whatever activities one engages in to occupy his or her time. Vocation includes paid employment, volunteer work, study, homemaking, parenting, care giving, and many other activities.

God calls some to particular occupations. For others an occupation could in itself be a vocation or it may be another way in which we live out our vocation. Health care workers, teachers and first responders vocation is a means to supporting life at home by providing a salary, insurance, education and food.

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The biggest obstacle for living out one’s vocation is often reflecting on what it might be. Many have a tendency to resist God’s call. The strong voices we hear in our society may be counter to that call. The Catholic tradition provides many insights on how one may use scripture, prayer, and reflection to gain insights on our life direction. As we live our lives each day, may we call upon Jesus to direct us on the path of life as we strive to fulfill our vocation through his direction and protection.

Sometimes we have to be brave, go with our hearts desire and trust that God is calling us to a particular way of life – just because it is the right thing to do. How else would I have become a priest?

Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC

June 19, 2021

Since the arrival of Covid-19 into our lives in February 2020, we have lived in a time of stormy waters, with anxiety, fear and worry — asking questions “Where is Jesus in this storm? Is he sleeping in the boat as many of our family and friends die? Does God and Jesus care for us?” These questions have been asked many times.

In faith, we know and believe that God and his Son Jesus do care for us. Jesus is certainly NOT asleep in the boat, and He is definitely with us! Look at the hard working doctors/nurses and health care professionals who have worked day and night to care for the sick. See the extraordinary efforts many companies have made to provide vaccines for all of Gods children, to further protect us into the future. Consider the extraordinary efforts schools, universities, and work places have made to protect their staff, students and colleagues.

The maker of Heaven and Earth through his son Jesus calmed the storm for his followers, and now he does the same for us. God our Father and his loving son watches over us, and protects us on the path of life, Jesus is still very much in control, and he wants us to choose faith over fear when we travel through the storms of life.

Faith is a daily decision we make in how we will respond to our circumstances based on where we have put our trust — in the news, in our government, in our families, or in the Creator and Savior of our universe, our good Father. Our Almighty God who knows our every need and hears our every prayer! May we exercise our faith muscles and get to know Jesus better in the midst of the storm, and worship him even more so we can echo the disciple’s amazement: “Who can this be? Even the wind and sea obey him” (Mk 4:41)

May we keep our eyes on Jesus and choose faith over fear as we move through the storms of life.

Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC

June 10, 2021

Over the last few months we have been sowing the seeds of good luck and good fortune as many parishioners purchased Spring Fling raffle tickets — in the hope that their ticket(drawn on June 26th) will result in a $10,000 win.

The fruits of our on-going fundraising efforts are on display for all to see: the beautiful restoration of St. Patrick’s church and the beautiful new stained-glass windows which are enhancing St. Joseph Church. Without you (our faithful parishioners and friends) and your on-going support, it would not be possible to continue to maintain and enhance God’s house here on earth.

In this week’s Gospel reading Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a farmer sowing seed. The farmer allows time for the seed to mature and when the time is right he harvests the crop.

Our parish community continues to be like the farmer we read about in scripture, keeping the soil tilled to welcome fresh seed, new members, as many of our community of faith are being called by God to their eternal joy. Through the wonderful on-going efforts of our parish team, staff and volunteers, our parish, like the mustard tree, continues to grow and welcomes many new families. Weddings, baptisms and celebrations of life are occasions of welcome. Together we celebrate the sacraments as we look forward to embracing the many new talents and opportunities that new members bring to further grow our community of faith through active participation.

As a community, let us continue to build God’s family of faith united with Christ who guides, directs and protects us on the journey through life. God sows love in our actions, prunes anger from our thoughts and he harvests our souls to eternal life after we have lived, loved and cared for others as Christ taught us.

Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC

June 4

What a beautiful occasion it is to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, The Feast of Corpus Christi.

St. Thomas Aquinas | Saint thomas aquinas, Catholic images, Catholic artSaint Thomas Aquinas said that the Holy Eucharist is the Greatest of all miracles, and no other sacrament has greater healing power. He wrote Christ himself, the true God, is set before us as our food. What could be more wonderful than this? Indeed, what could be more wonderful? Christ himself is set before us at each mass, he is given to us as our spiritual food for the journey through life. At every Eucharist celebration, our Father in Heaven gives us his Son — fully and completely, truly present in the Host when we receive Holy Communion.

Every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we enter into a wonderful exchange: we give ourselves to God and God gives himself to us through his son so he can save us from our sins. At each Mass we celebrate the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ, as we join the Lord’s table. We “Take and Eat” as Christ asked as we celebrate in memory of Jesus.Catholic Trivia: The Eucharist – To Jesus Sincerely

Recently, as I was distributing Holy Communion I noticed a woman, weeping/crying. After mass she came to me to say it had been over a year since she was able to receive Jesus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The woman proceeded to tell me that the reception of the Holy Communion warmed her heart, dried her tears and renewed her strength in God, allowing her to accept that God’s love for her is never ending, she concluded by saying “absence made my heart grow fonder, from now on I will never miss mass again — unless I am with the Lord in Heaven.”

I pray we may all accept the love of God as this lady does. That we may receive Jesus with reverence and love as we accept his unending love of us, on our journey to eternal life.

-Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC

May 21, 2021

Pentecost Sunday is the seventh Sunday after Easter. The name is derived from the Greek word Πεντηκοστή Pentēkostē meaning “fiftieth” as Pentecost always takes place on the 50th day of Easter.

In Ireland, Pentecost Sunday is also called Whitsunday. The term is principally derived from a practice in the early Church that made the celebration of Pentecost similar to the Easter Vigil. There was a service called “Whitsun Eve” where the catechumens who had not been baptized at Easter received the sacrament on the even of Pentecost. Similar to the Easter Vigil. There was a service called “Whitsun Eve” where the catechumens who had not been baptized at Easter received the sacrament on the even of Pentecost. Similar to the Easter Vigil, it was celebrated in a “nigh watch” liturgy that included the reading of six prophecies and a solemn blessing of the baptismal font. After the celebration of Baptism, the newly baptized would be vested in a white alb, symbolizing their new birth in the life of grace.

The First Pentecost occurred when the apostles were inspired to speak in tongues after the Holy Spirit descended on them and Mary in the upper room, as they prayed together, Upon hearing the unfamiliar language spoken, the gathered onlookers believed them to be drunk. But,  Saint Peter explained they were in fact inspired by the Holy Spirit. He then delivered the first Christian sermon, outlined in the Acts of Apostles (2:14-36) where he stresses the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus — that Jesus died and rose again, and he is now seated at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven. This sermon led to the conversion and baptism of 3,000 people. It is this sermon that many believe was the birth of the Christian church.

As an Easter people who truly believe in Christ’s death and resurrection, I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide us in the true knowledge, understanding and love of God all the days of our lives.

– Fr. Brendan McCarrick SAC