"Brothers and sisters: Are you unaware that we who were BAPTIZED into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life." What an amazing statement by St Paul in this weekend’s second reading (Romans: 6:3-4)! Do you believe that by dying with Christ in baptism, you are also raised with Him and can have eternal life with Him? Through his own death and his resurrection, Jesus Christ conquers death once and for all. This is the Good News of the Gospel. This is our FAITH. Through baptism we are giving access to a new life, a new spiritual life: eternal life with Jesus Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1277) affirms: "BAPTISM IS BIRTH INTO THE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism." Our parishioners are ...

June is the traditional month of ordination of priests, transitional deacons (to become priests one year later) and permanent deacons (traditionally married men who will serve the church for many years). Most of the attention is normally given to the ordination of priests. On the first Saturday of this month, June 20th, at OLHOC, we had a Holy Hour for Vocations to the Priesthood and special prayers for the 8 young transitional deacons to be ordained priests for the Archdiocese of Washington. Today, we want to give thanks to God for the Gift of Permanent Deacons. In the last 10 years,

THE GREATEST GIFT FROM JESUS: THE EUCHARIST! Earlier this year during Lent, many of us attended the five-week series on the "GIFT OF THE EUCHARIST", based on talks by Dr. Brant Pitre. It was a most inspiring presentation followed by discussions in small groups. Due to the closure of churches in mid-March, we held the last two sessions as virtual meetings via Zoom. As our church is gradually re-opening and as many parishioners have been hungry to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, it would be worthwhile to offer the series the “GIFT OF THE EUCHARIST” one more time. Stay tuned for more details!

"The GRACE of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the LOVE of God, and the COMMUNION of the Holy Spirit be with you all!”Do these words sound familiar? We hear them at the beginning of every Mass. This is the way the celebrant greets the congregation, they come from the ending of St Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians (13:13). They are one of the clearest Trinitarian prayers in the New Testament. Not surprisingly, we hear them in this weekend’s Second Reading as we celebrate the SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY.