Pastoral Message

Dear Parishioners and Visitors, Well, last Wednesday it was all about the ashes. We had ashes galore! A couple of Masses in the morning with ashes; Mass in the evening with ashes; and in between, ashes in the parking lot all day. We could have put up a sign: “Ashes R Us.” There was no need for a sign, though; people knew where to come for the ashes. All of this was to start up the season of Lent. The word “Lent”

At this time of year, we celebrate lots of foundational feasts and seasons!  All of these feasts and seasons are meant to help consecrate our time, bring depth of knowledge to our faith, and greater reality to our hope – which all culminates in our love of God.  Within this Spirit-led chain reaction of our lives and the liturgical year, it’s good to take a dedicated time to retreat from our habitual activities.  It’s good to follow Jesus’ example of

Isn’t it amazing how fast the time goes? Christmas is just around the corner, and as we begin the third week of Advent we light the rose-colored candle of the Advent Wreath. The Third Sunday of Advent is sometimes called “Gaudete Sunday,” using the Latin word that begins our second reading this Sunday: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) Can we really rejoice in the Lord always? There are different kinds of joy, and

Hey y'all, I was talking to a lovely, faithful person not long ago. This lovely, faithful person who has worked really hard to cultivate that lovely and faithful reputation, confided in me that they might not be quite as truly lovely and faithful as they are presumed to be. So this person is hoping and praying that this Advent season helps them in working out their little flaws so they might grow into someone even more sincerely lovely and faithful. A worthy

This weekend we begin the season of Advent, a time to focus on being ready for the Lord to come to us. He came to the world on the first Christmas; he will return to the world at the end of time; he comes to us in his Word and the sacraments; he comes to us in the poor and disadvantaged. We hope to be always ready to meet him. In a recent letter Pope Francis wrote, “Holiness, rather than

Hey Y’all, Grace and blessings to you on this great solemn Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe! As we end this liturgical year with this Solemnity, it is right and just to pause and give thanks and praise to God Almighty for the grace of his Son, who is the ultimate incarnation of a matchless King. Yet we can also think of Jesus, the Christ as a Man of Sorrows, who understands our human experience deeply. What

Looking at the Scripture readings we will hear during Mass this weekend, I see that one big theme of those readings is the end of the world. Daniel speaks of it in our first reading, and Jesus speaks of it in the gospel. Hmm… are we thinking about the end of the world because we are close to the end of the Church’s liturgical year? Well, I don’t know, because the gospel for the first Sunday of the new liturgical year

Dear Parishioners and Visitors, Several weeks ago, I listed some of the many signs that Fall has arrived. In making the list, I accidentally omitted one sign that is especially important for me. I can tell that Fall has arrived because the symphony and opera seasons have begun! As you might know, I have a subscription to the Classical Series at Pacific Symphony, and I occasionally go to the Los Angeles Opera. These musical experiences renew me; they refresh me; they

Hey Y’all, It’s been a little while since I’ve written a message here.  So I’m happy to be writing a little something today!  First, a giant THANK YOU for all those who made last weekend’s Festival so very successful!!!  I do hope that each and every one - whether chairing, leading, volunteering, eating, laughing, socializing, and enjoying – had a wonderful experience! Now that Festival is over this year, we’re back to our focus on the formation of our parishioners.  Not that