Dear Friends,

In the last two weeks, our homilies focused on Stewardship, inviting us to recognize that all the things we have: our time, talent, and treasure are gifts to us from God. Both last week’s homilies and article discussed the stewardship of TIME, emphasizing the need for us to spend time with our Loving Father. It was essentially about creating time for prayer and for our brothers and sisters. Understood this way, stewardship of time becomes a very important aspect in developing our relationship with God and our community.

The Holy Mass is first and foremost a sacrifice to God, and in this ultimate sacrifice of Christ is many smaller sacrifices composing a vast array of the entire natural world. From animals, to plants, to even the earth itself, all of God’s creation comes together in the Holy Mass to offer fitting sacrifice to their creator.

Let us first start with the sacrifice that the animals make to facilitate worship of God. Certain vestments (the ceremonial garments worn by the clergy in the liturgy) may be made from silk, a sacrifice of silkworms to create. The most important books used in the liturgy are bound in leather, a sacrifice of cows to create.

Dear Friends,

This is a famous quote from one of the Church’s great modern saints, Maximilian Kolbe; a Franciscan priest who lived his life leading others to Christ and gave his life at Auschwitz in order to save the life of another. We recently celebrated the feast of Saint Maximilian Kolbe and his call to recognize the poison of indifference is even more relevant today.

On Sunday, September 15th, the Distribution of the Precious Blood will be reintroduced at masses in a phased roll-out, beginning at the 9am and 11am masses. As discussed in previous articles about the Precious Blood, one does not need to consume both species of the Blessed Sacrament (Body and Blood separately) in order to receive all of Christ; he is entirely present in either species. If, however, you wish to receive the Precious Blood, please follow the instructions below.