I got some good feedback on last week’s column: RENEWED. One parishioner commented that “Being Renewed in Christ” is “Being Born Again”, “Being Born Again every day”. Most of the other comments so far referred to the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis July 17-21. Already six parishioners expressed interest in participating in our own parish “Renewed” Pilgrimage (last paragraph my column of last week). Such quick, positive response augurs well and I have decided to focus today on this unique Eucharistic Congress. The 10th National Eucharistic Congress will be a pivotal moment in both American history and the legacy of the Catholic Church, July 17–21, 2024, Catholics of all ages will gather in Indianapolis to worship our Risen Lord in a way our country hasn’t seen in 83 years. The rebirth of this legacy will be an important milestone within the National Eucharistic Renewal. Through this experience, the Church will...

Each one of us, including myself, needs to be Renewed! What does it mean to be Renewed? Every day is a New Day! Every day, God is asking each one of us to enter into a renewed relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is the only one who can bring us a sustained peace and joy into our hearts. When our hearts are troubled, we are not doing God’s Will. We are not at peace. We are doing our own will, focusing on ourselves, focusing on making more money so that we can do whatever we want, focusing on pleasure, comfort, ignoring the real needs of those near us. Even worse, we may be telling lies about others so as to justify our own self-centered actions, desiring more power, more control over people around us, including our own families, our co-workers, our close friends, or even within our own parish, the family of families. All this is human. Since the Fall of Adam and Eve, that attraction to desire to be our own god, is the greatest desire of Satan, the Devil. He loves to promote divisions, especially in the family, the nucleus and center of our society. He loves to divide the Church, the Universal Church, the Catholic Church. He loves to promote lies, doubts, divisions. The Devil works through individuals who do not even know he has become their master. We may be at times surrounded by sheep who are wolves inside. But God loves each one of us and when we are truly with God, we cannot fear any evil spirit. Jesus has already won the victory over the devil by His Passion, Death and Resurrection! He tells each one of us:”Do Not Be Afraid!” Each one of us can be renewed in the Eucharist! As you know, I have gone through five difficult weeks. God gave me a clear message....

I am writing this column to you on the evening of August 15th, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is always very special for me. One of my favorite celebrations of this Feast Day was six years ago. It was the 100th anniversary of the apparition of Mary in Fatima. We had gone on a parish pilgrimage to Fatima to celebrate this centennial event. We had also decided to go and visit other Marian sites. We first went to Lourdes, where the amazing apparition of Mary to Bernadette Soubirous in the 1850’s made it one of the most visited Marian Centers, after Guadalupe, and one as famous as Fatima. Then we went to Paris and it happened that the day we were in Paris was August 15th. We went to celebrate the Mass, on this beautiful feast of the Assumption, in a little chapel in the famous church of St. Sulpice. This chapel brought me wonderful memories. I had played the organ there during...

I am most grateful to God for all your prayers. They are working. I’m coming home. I now plan to be back in Waldorf in time to join you for the celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother. The last three weeks have been at the same time joyful and challenging. I was so joyful to be able to see my family in California for three days in mid July. I did not expect that on the last day of those three days I would have a stroke. I was planning to be back in time for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the death of Father Martin on August 6th. God had a different plan. I spent the last weeks in and out of the hospital due to a stroke. I was discharged on Wednesday, August 2nd, following several ups and downs. I have been able to make significant progress through physical therapy. What a joy to be back home with my family and to be able to walk again with less difficulty, be able to use my left arm, and be able to play the piano again. I continue to regain strength in my legs, left arm and hand. A greater joy is that I’m coming...

It is amazing to me that the event (Father Narcisse Martin’s Centennial Memorial Mass) we have been planning for so very long at Our Lady Help of Christians is being held on Sunday August 6! Having Bishop Roy Campbell as our main celebrant for the Mass, with Fr. Jacques Tangombe and Fr. Larry Therien, former Superior General of Sulpicians as concelebrants, contributes to our joy immensely. Not to mention the pilgrims from Aire-sur-la-Lys, France (Father Narcisse Martin’s hometown), who have landed, not at Plymouth Rock, but in Waldorf! Oh, how I wish I were with you to celebrate this joyous occasion; please know that your pastor will be there fully in spirit with you! This most special occasion at OLHOC will begin with the 11:30 a.m. Mass, celebrated by Bishop Roy Campbell, centered around the summit of our Faith, the Eucharist! Our liturgy will also be blessed with an incredible...