“Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel” (Revelation 8:3-4).

Dear friends,

This weekend, our focus turns to the stewardship of treasure, and we're asking you to consider a financial commitment to our parish. This isn't just about meeting a budget; it's about recognizing that everything we have: our talents, our time, and our financial resources, as we have been emphasizing, are gifts from God. How we use these gifts is a reflection of our gratitude and our faith.

Dear friends,

As I mentioned in some of my past articles and homilies on stewardship, we often think of stewardship in terms of tithing or charitable giving. Still, it's a much broader concept that encompasses all aspects of our lives. Last week, we considered the stewardship of time. We pointed out that time is the one commodity we all possess, yet so often squander. However, unlike money, it cannot be saved or earned back. Every second that passes is gone forever.

Last week I attended the canonization Mass of now Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. St. Peter's Square was packed with hundreds of thousands of people, most of them young people from all over the world, waving their country's flag back and forth in the air.

Dear friends,

As we celebrate the Memorial of Mary, our Lady of Sorrows, this week, I feel first and foremost deeply saddened because of the recent gun attack injuring and killing some innocent school children inside the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Why should hate be embraced by any human being against other human beings when all people are wonderfully created in the image and likeness of God? (Genesis 1:26-28) My heartfelt condolences go to all who suffer loss, grief, and sorrow. May peace prevail on earth if we all consider each other a brother/sister, a friend, or a neighbor. Our world will become a wonderful world. Oh, yes, it will become a wonderful world indeed!

Today I am in Rome, attending the Canonization Mass of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, where Pope Leo XIV proclaims through his capacity as Vicar of Christ that these two men are officially members of the Heavenly Kingdom; in other words, Saints.