Our annual diocesan Catholic Men for Jesus Rally will take place Saturday, Jan. 28th, from 8 am to 1 pm, in the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, 9999 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens. It’s open to all men from ages 14 and up, and breakfast and lunch will be served. The closing liturgy will be celebrated by Bishop Babrbarito, and our featured speaker will be author and nationally syndicated radio host, Allen Hunt, a convert from Methodism. He is now associated with Matthew Kelly’s Dynamic Catholic Institute. Last year, we sold out, so please register early. Our parish rally coordinator is Jamie Lesane, at 752-4278. It’s a great uplift for all men who want to be good Catholic men, husbands and fathers.
It has been 39 years since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in the U.S. So, on Monday, January 23rd, the annual Palm Beach Diocesan observance of the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of the Supreme Court will take place across the street from the County Court House (in front of the old court house), with Bishop Barbarito leading the Rosary, beginning at 11:00 a.m. I invite you to join in this peaceful, prayerful demonstration against the unjust taking of human life by abortion, and to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide those women facing the loneliness.
The results of our election last weekend of a new member to the Parish Pastoral Council shows that the majority vote went to Kit Johansen. Congratulations to Kit, and to all who exercised their right to vote in the election. These men and women are an important source of information and help in guiding me with the administration of our parish and planning its future.
The winners of the Early-Bird Special Raffle of the hundred-dollar raffle tickets for the 45th Annual Parish Festival are: Pat Fuller, Anna Powell, Larry Clarke and “The Ten of Us” (% Pat Scarpino). Each of these lucky ticket holders win $500 now, and have a chance to win again in the Grand Prize Drawing on February 26th. Congratulations! Thank you to the sellers of our tickets outside the church doors on the weekends. I appreciate your support of the festival; it is a blessing for all the parents who want to keep our school as the best one in town and beyond!
Our annual Men’s & Women’s retreats at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center in North Palm Beach are fast approaching. This year’s theme is “Handing on the Faith.” The retreat will be a reflection both on receiving the Faith, and our Baptismal call to hand it on and make it known through our lives and words to others in this world. The men’s retreat will be held February 3-5, and the women’s on March 16-18. For more info and registration, the website address is: http://www.ourladyofflorida.org/programs.htm. Our parish coordinators are: (Men) David Henninger (251-2866) or David Schmidt (665-1107); (Women) Deborah Dowd (276-3991). This is a great way to launch our adults into the spirit of the Lenten season.
As we draw closer to the weekend of our 45th Annual Parish Festival, I thank all the members of the Parish Festival Committee, under the leadership of Geraldo Olortegui, for exercising their stewardship of time and talent for the sake of our parish, especially our school. Also, the parents and students who sell the tickets on the weekend are a big plus in our efforts to promote the event. My prayer is that all of our parents will participate in volunteering for the festival (“volunteering” really means doing it without counting the cost or seeking a personal reward or “perks”). This helps us to save on the costs involved in educating our kids in a Catholic setting, and that’s what makes the difference! God bless our volunteers!
We’ve officially closed the Christmas season last Monday afternoon, with the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism. During the Christmas celebration this year, I was asked this question more than once: “Is missing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days still a mortal sin that has to be confessed; and if so, why?” I think they must have been visitors, because I think our parishioners already know the real answer. But in case there may be some doubt, let’s consult the law. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn that, “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin (CCC 2181)[emphasis mine]. That directive is quite emphatic in its own right. So, I just wonder how many are failing to exercise this serious obligation, and then proceed to receive the Holy Eucharist (unworthily?), as if nothing serious happened in their responsibility and obligation to keep holy the Lord’s Day. The Code of Church Law (CIC #1247) says, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” Notice, it doesn’t say just “go to Mass.” Thank God, we have the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Now, if we could just get those who regularly walk out of Mass early (and miss God’s blessing at the conclusion) and think they still are pleasing God because they “came to church,” --to rethink their heresy……
It has been 39 years since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in the U.S. So, on Monday, January 23rd, the annual Palm Beach Diocesan observance of the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of the Supreme Court will take place across the street from the County Court House (in front of the old court house), with Bishop Barbarito leading the Rosary, beginning at 11:00 a.m. I invite you to join in this peaceful, prayerful demonstration against the unjust taking of human life by abortion, and to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide those women facing the loneliness.
The results of our election last weekend of a new member to the Parish Pastoral Council shows that the majority vote went to Kit Johansen. Congratulations to Kit, and to all who exercised their right to vote in the election. These men and women are an important source of information and help in guiding me with the administration of our parish and planning its future.
The winners of the Early-Bird Special Raffle of the hundred-dollar raffle tickets for the 45th Annual Parish Festival are: Pat Fuller, Anna Powell, Larry Clarke and “The Ten of Us” (% Pat Scarpino). Each of these lucky ticket holders win $500 now, and have a chance to win again in the Grand Prize Drawing on February 26th. Congratulations! Thank you to the sellers of our tickets outside the church doors on the weekends. I appreciate your support of the festival; it is a blessing for all the parents who want to keep our school as the best one in town and beyond!
Our annual Men’s & Women’s retreats at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center in North Palm Beach are fast approaching. This year’s theme is “Handing on the Faith.” The retreat will be a reflection both on receiving the Faith, and our Baptismal call to hand it on and make it known through our lives and words to others in this world. The men’s retreat will be held February 3-5, and the women’s on March 16-18. For more info and registration, the website address is: http://www.ourladyofflorida.org/programs.htm. Our parish coordinators are: (Men) David Henninger (251-2866) or David Schmidt (665-1107); (Women) Deborah Dowd (276-3991). This is a great way to launch our adults into the spirit of the Lenten season.
As we draw closer to the weekend of our 45th Annual Parish Festival, I thank all the members of the Parish Festival Committee, under the leadership of Geraldo Olortegui, for exercising their stewardship of time and talent for the sake of our parish, especially our school. Also, the parents and students who sell the tickets on the weekend are a big plus in our efforts to promote the event. My prayer is that all of our parents will participate in volunteering for the festival (“volunteering” really means doing it without counting the cost or seeking a personal reward or “perks”). This helps us to save on the costs involved in educating our kids in a Catholic setting, and that’s what makes the difference! God bless our volunteers!
We’ve officially closed the Christmas season last Monday afternoon, with the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism. During the Christmas celebration this year, I was asked this question more than once: “Is missing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days still a mortal sin that has to be confessed; and if so, why?” I think they must have been visitors, because I think our parishioners already know the real answer. But in case there may be some doubt, let’s consult the law. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn that, “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin (CCC 2181)[emphasis mine]. That directive is quite emphatic in its own right. So, I just wonder how many are failing to exercise this serious obligation, and then proceed to receive the Holy Eucharist (unworthily?), as if nothing serious happened in their responsibility and obligation to keep holy the Lord’s Day. The Code of Church Law (CIC #1247) says, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” Notice, it doesn’t say just “go to Mass.” Thank God, we have the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Now, if we could just get those who regularly walk out of Mass early (and miss God’s blessing at the conclusion) and think they still are pleasing God because they “came to church,” --to rethink their heresy……
Very Rev. Canon Tom
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