I hope you all had a most blessed Christmas and that despite the ongoing challenges in your daily lives you could find the JOY OF THE NEWBORN KING in your hearts! Together, let us GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR THE JOY OF THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON: THE PRINCE OF PEACE has come down from heaven and joined us on earth. We can proclaim with the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 9:1-6): "The people who walked in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT; upon those who dwelt in the LAND OF GLOOM A LIGHT HAS SHONE. You have brought them ABUNDANT JOY AND GREAT REJOICING...For a child is born to us, a son is given us...They name him... PRINCE OF PEACE. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful.'" Through this Christmas Season lasting until January 10, the Baptism of the Lord, and including the three celebrations of the Holy Family, of Mary Mother of God, and of the Epiphany of the Lord, let us...

In this Year of St Joseph, I invite the entire parish to seek a PLENARY INDULGENCE by praying the Litany of St Joseph this Sunday as we celebrate the FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Noble son of the House of David, pray for us. Light of patriarchs, pray for us. Husband of the Mother of God, pray for us. Guardian of the Virgin, pray for us. Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us. Guardian of virgins, pray for us. Faithful guardian of Christ, pray for us. Head of the...

Are you ready to celebrate the JOY OF CHRISTMAS 2020? While we still have a few days to enter into that Joy, I would like to share some reflections about the JOY OF MARY AND JOSEPH at Christmas and how this most Holy Couple can inspire us. Like both Mary and Joseph before Jesus's birth, we have many FEARS in our daily lives. We are afraid of the unknown. We are afraid of accepting God's will as it may go against our own will. Wouldn't you be afraid if a messenger of God, an angel, were to appear to you and begin to talk and tell you what to do? The Angel Gabriel told Mary, "DO NOT BE AFRAID MARY, for you have found favor with God. Behold, 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 1:31-32). Joseph, learning Mary was pregnant before living with him, had decided to divorce her quietly when suddenly the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "JOSEPH, son of David, DO NOT BE AFRAID to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the HOLY SPIRIT that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him JESUS, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21). In both instances, Mary and Joseph through GRACE and FAITH overcame their fears and said, "YES” to God. We too like Mary and Joseph can...

Today, Tuesday, December 8, 2020, as we celebrated the great Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, POPE FRANCIS surprised all of us, he proclaimed a "YEAR OF ST JOSEPH" beginning immediately and ending on December 8, 2021! I announced this GOOD NEWS at the end of Tuesday’s 7 pm Mass and I now would like to invite all of you to ENTER INTO THIS YEAR OF ST JOSEPH with great JOY and HOPE! Why is Pope Francis proclaiming this Year of St Joseph today? Exactly 150 years ago, December 8,1870, Blessed Pope Pius IX proclaimed ST JOSEPH PATRON OF THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH. Recalling that 150th anniversary, Pope Francis announced his proclamation of a special Year of St Joseph and published a new Apostolic Letter, "Patris Corde" ("With a Father's Heart"), In which he describes St Joseph as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an accepting father, a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows. In introducing this new Apostolic Letter,...

Last week, I suggested that this Advent we focus on preparing the Way of the Lord to receive Him in our hearts while we keep praying, "COME LORD JESUS". When we pray these three powerful words, do we think of Jesus' first coming at Christmas (The Perfect Gift) or do we think of Jesus' second coming at the end of time, the Day of Final Judgment? Or are we simply asking Jesus to come and stay in our own hearts right NOW? When is Jesus coming? IS JESUS COMING TODAY? I was invited to give an Advent talk to a group of young Catholic women earlier this week. By coincidence (or God's incidence) I was asked to talk about "ADVENT AND THE COMING OF JESUS, COME LORD JESUS!" The interesting part was not my talk (it is always difficult for me to connect in virtual meetings, when unable to see the reactions of individuals) but rather the questions and reflections by the participants. I will share only some of the takeaways from our discussion...