Jesus is lifted up through the clouds forty days after rising from the dead. The disciples do not understand what is going on. They can no longer see Jesus, their beloved Master. WHERE HAS HE GONE? They will be able to gain some understanding when they receive the HOLY SPIRIT at PENTECOST. The Eleven followed Jesus every day for three years till HIS Passion and Death on the Cross. They found the empty Tomb and had no idea where the Body of Jesus had gone. They are amazed to see the Risen Lord. The Lord Jesus leaves them again This time it seems forever. Once again, they do not know where He has gone. We feel the same way today. Sometimes our hearts are filled with...

You may have heard the abbreviation WWJD: What Would Jesus Do? or WWJS: What Would Jesus Say? We use this question when we face a special challenge in our lives. We may have to make a tough decision on what to do, or what to say. We may choose to reflect in silence about the difficult situation at hand. We may imagine Jesus to be in our shoes and how he would act or speak. You may have never heard WAYJ. I just made it up. But I am certain I am not the first one. J is Jesus. What could be WAYJ? It is:...

As I announced in my column last week, here are ideas that emerged from a gathering last Sunday of 20 representatives of the Father Martin Society, pilgrims that had visited Father Martin's birthplace of Aire-sur-la-Lys at one or several pilgrimages in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2023: SUNDAY AUGUST 6th, the exact date of the 100th anniversary of Father Martin's death, will be the signature event of our plan for multiple days of commemoration (e.g. from August 4 to August 8 and beyond) when we hope to host a delegation of the Archdiocese of Arras (Northern France) in Waldorf. CREATION of two spiritual pieces to honor Father Martin's memory, a play based on his life and a musical tribute: Sandy McGraw, long -time member of the Father Martin Society Board of Directors and member of St Peter's Parish, will take the lead in developing a script with the help of a team, including youth, to produce it. Interested volunteers are welcomed! Henri Grunenwald , a noted composer and organist at Saint-Andre Church in Paris, will compose an Offertory Meditation for Organ and Soprano. The "Father Martin" PLAY is expected to be...

Our latest pilgrimage "On the Footsteps of Father Martin" was AWESOME: FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT! This pilgrimage was decided at the last minute. The Board of the Father Martin Society recommended sending a small delegation to go to Northern France right after Easter Sunday. I was asked to lead that mission. We had only three weeks to organize the entire trip. We had one single objective: to help prepare the major celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Father Martin on August 6, 2023. Just three months away! We needed to focus and take action: no longer talking...We needed the help of the HOLY SPIRIT!!! Time was of the essence! We had to renew bonds with our counterparts in Northern France (Arras Diocese) under a new leadership: a new Diocesan Bishop Olivier Leborgne and a new Dean/Pastor of "Aire-sur-la-Lys Region" Father Jacques Tangombe. Some background information for our many new parishioners:...

We all want to hear GOOD NEWS! On this Special Sunday, both GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY and WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS, I like to share with you some GOOD NEWS FIRST GOOD NEWS: I just got a call from our own DEACON JUAN PABLO (with us since last May, first as a Seminarian and then as Deacon). Our Archbishop Cardinal Gregory had just CALLED HIM TO THE HOLY ORDER OF PRIEST! Which means that he is now chosen by the Church to be ordained a diocesan priest this June!!! PRAISE THE LORD! SECOND GOOD NEWS: Deacon Juan Pablo has asked me to invite all of you to attend...

My column of last week "HOUMA... THIBODAUX" raised a few questions, not so much about the central story about the Installation of Bishop Dorsonville as Fifth Bishop of Houma Thibodaux Diocese in Louisiana but rather about the related story of the CELEBRATION of the CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF FATHER MARTIN. WHO IS FATHER MARTIN? In a few words Father Narcisse Martin is a French Sulpician Priest who taught in many seminaries ( France, Canada, Baltimore USA) before becoming a pastor caring for the souls of the Waldorf area with great zeal for 29 years until his death on August 6, 1923. The Waldorf area he served covers three current parishes :St Michael Baden (with its own mission church St Dominic), St Peter and Our Lady Help of Christians. WHY DO WE STILL TALK ABOUT A PRIEST 100 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH?...

Have you ever heard the word HOUMA? (pronounce HOMA, a native American name as in OklaHOMA). Maybe not. Have you ever heard the word THIBODAUX? (pronounce Ti-bo-do, Fourth Governor of Louisiana). Maybe not. If you were present at the 5 pm Mass one month ago (March 4), you would have heard those two words HOUMA THIBODAUX mentioned together several times. Bishop DORSONVILLE had accepted our Parish Council's invitation. We wanted to express all our appreciation for his continuous support for the last 10 years. Bishop Dorsonville was leaving our Archdiocese of Washington as a long-time Auxiliary Bishop to become the new Bishop of the Diocese of HOUMA THIBODAUX in LOUISIANA. While he was with us in Waldorf probably for the last time, he...

THE PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT: THEY HAVE RETURNED TO THE LORD! They have returned to worship as a community: THEY ARE BACK ENTERING THE JOY OF THE HOLY WEEK! We have just entered this Holy Week with GREAT JOY. I was present at all Masses this PALM SUNDAY: what a JOY to see our church as packed as ever: one could not find a seat at the 11:30 AM Mass. At the 7 PM Mass, there was standing room only following an outdoor procession as long as ever. I felt in my heart: THEY ARE BACK! PRAISE THE LORD! Our entire parish community...

As we enter the HOLY WEEK with the celebration of PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD, I want to reflect on the themes of LIFE AND DEATH, BOD- ILY DEATH, AND ETERNAL LIFE. DO WE TRULY BELIEVE IN ETERNAL LIFE? HOW SUCH AN ESSENTIAL CHRISTIAN BELIEF TRANSFORM OUR WAY OF LIFE on earth? When I was a child growing up in Southern France, there was no telephone, no television, no social media, and no fake news. To meet someone, we had to walk to their homes. The village news was shouted by an announcer walking through all the streets. Life was much simpler than today. Everyone was Catholic. There were no apparent attacks on the Church. However, the fundamental challenges of...

We just completed our Lenten 40 HOURS of ADORATION. I would like to thank God for the large number of parishioners who made this event most SPIRITUAL. If you did not come and adore Jesus for even a few minutes, you have missed the most epic display of the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel. Building on past years, our Altar Guild made it both majestic and simple. The 36 lights on the altar were shining in harmony, making the EUCHARISTIC FACE OF JESUS SHINING on those who came to adore Jesus in silence. Jesus was gazing upon each of us. The night hours of Adoration were particularly spectacular. It is in the silence of the night that I felt...

A young boy Tom while sitting at church asked his parents: " Who are these people on the windows? “These are the Saints" responded his dad... A few weeks later, the religious education teacher asked Tom: "Who are the saints?" He did not hesitate: "THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THROUGH WHOM THE LIGHT SHINES." "The SAINTS are the people through whom the light shines!". What an inspiring answer given by a child! The first time I heard this beautiful story was...

I would like to express my appreciation to the parishioners who helped organize a mini-pilgrimage to attend the Funeral Mass of our Founding Pastor Father Peter Alliata earlier this week. On an early, sunny morning, we boarded a school bus: we were 23 parishioners, including Deacon Bill and myself. Many of us had not been on a school bus for years! We prayed the Rosary. We also shared stories about Fr. Alliata who had led the first seven years of our parish: 1980-1987. It was a powerful and memorable experience. We arrived early so we could participate in the viewing and say goodbye individually to Fr. Alliata and pray for the repose of his soul. The Funeral Mass led by Cardinal Gregory was both spiritual and simple. The homily by his close friend ...

Praise the Lord! The first seven days of our OLHOC Lenten Journey have gone very well and brought much JOY! (I am writing this column on Tuesday). This is the JOY OF HEAVEN ON EARTH, a Joy that no one can take away from us: GOD never changes. We are the ones changing. GOD KEEPS LOVING US. HIS LOVE LASTS FOREVER. GOD NEVER ABANDONS US. He wants us to find the PEACE OF HEAVEN while we are still on earth. With God everything is possible. Trust in His Love and DO His WILL! ASH WEDNESDAY WAS truly HEAVEN ON EARTH! There was an AMAZING number of people (above 1,200) who...

Our Lenten theme is PRAYER AND RECONCILIATION. Let us pray that God will pour out special blessings on each one of us these 40 days as we climb the Lenten mountain together: a Journey of Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving and Penance leading us to the JOY of the TRIDUUM: the Last Supper, Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ: the PASCHAL MYSTERY, the center of our Christian life, which we celebrate at EVERY MASS! On ASH WEDNESDAY...

AS WE ENTER LENT, WE ARE ALL CALLED TO BE HOLY! WE ARE ALL CALLED TO BE SAINTS. On this seventh Sunday of Ordinary time (next week is First Sunday of Lent), we hear the end of Chapter 5 of Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 5:38- 48). This completes our reflection on this magnificent beginning of Jesus' SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Jesus is telling all his disciples, including ourselves today, what it means to be a true disciple, what it means to live a Christian life. Jesus is not abolishing the Law of Moses; He is fulfilling it. He is making it complete. Jesus is raising the bar. He is asking us...

"O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!“ These are the words that JESUS gave to Father Dolindo Ruotolo, a holy priest living in Naples, Italy (1882- 1970). They are the words repeated ten times at the end of each day of his SURRENDER NOVENA. Father Don Dolindo Ruotolo is already recognized a SERVANT OF GOD, the first step in the canonization process. Like his neighbor, friend and contemporary Padre Pio, God gave him the Gift of Stigmata. One day, he...

We just had a good discussion of this year's Christmas Book: “A Father who keeps His promises - God's Covenant Love in Scripture" by Scott Hahn. When we chose the book, we knew that we could not go wrong with Scott Hahn. However, we also knew that it would take more time to read than any of the 12 earlier books distributed at Christmas. I will not try to summarize the many insights that the 30 participants gathered from such a rich book by Scott Hahn covering the entire Bible through the powerful lens of God's Covenant Love. I would simply like to encourage you to...

The last few days have been difficult. I had to go to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and asked me to rest for a few days. It was very hard for me to rest. I missed celebrating the Mass with you and I look forward to seeing you all in church this weekend. But resting was also helpful. It gave me more time to reflect and be with God in silence. I am grateful to God that He has given me good health. The only time I was very sick was...

This coming Sunday January 22nd, we will begin the Salesian Family's Novena to St John Bosco, to end on Monday January 30th, the eve of St. John Bosco Feast Day (January 31st). We will pray the Novena at the end of each daily Mass: Novena to St. John Bosco Day 1 Love for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament St. John Bosco, who loved Christ in the Blessed Sacrament so deeply and spread that love to so many, help me to understand this mystery of God’s love for us that I too may find, in frequent attendance at Mass and Holy Communion and visits to the Blessed Sacrament comfort and strength throughout my life and at the hour of my death....

We have just completed a beautiful Christmas Season. Our hearts were filled with the LOVE OF JESUS. The Nativity Scene, the poinsettias, the Christmas trees, and the decorations are gone. But the JOY of CHRISTMAS continues in our hearts. MAY OUR JOY BE COMPLETE NOW AND FOREVER! Last Thursday, Pope Francis presided over the Funeral Mass of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. It was an extraordinary event: the funeral of a retired Pope being presided by a reigning Pope! The Church's tradition is that a Pope is buried before the College of Cardinals elects a successor. Pope Benedict XVI resigned 10 years ago, the first Pope to do so in 600 years (see last week's column REMEMBERING POPE BENEDICT XVI). When Pope John Paul II died in 2005, his long-time associate Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger presided over his funeral at St Peter's Square. I watched this amazing funeral Mass which gathered the largest-ever crowd. I will never forget...