In this Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time we hear from the Gospel of John, chapter 6, verses 24-35, where the followers of Jesus are “hungry” again because they have recently misinterpreted the meaning of His last miracle, the feeding of the 5,000 with a few fish and some bread. There they were focused on the food or the “menu” of the meal and the amount of the food present—they were, if you will, foodies. Yes, it was amazing! But, at best, they recalled the bread from Heaven that though Moses was provided for them, but in reality it was a gift of food from God and not from Moses, he was the conduit which God made the bread available to them.

We have beautiful grounds and an amazing setting here at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish, as we are blessed in many ways…including the fact that our parish property is consecrated grounds. It has been my goal, with the help of many, to make the outside property part of the liturgical space of our church.

And one was here as a transitional deacon for a short time, now the Reverend Father Joseph MacNeill, and our deepest and most prayerful congratulations go out to Fr. MacNeill. Father is now temporarily assigned as Parochial Vicar at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury until late August/early September when Fr. MacNeill will return to Rome to complete his studies.

In this fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, vs. 1-6, provides us with the telling of Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue and that the listeners were astonished by His Wisdom said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him…? Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary…?” Yet the wisdom spoken was diluted by the speaker itself.

A simple question posed by Jesus to His apostles, as He calms the storm in which they find themselves on the seas crossing to the other side, and the rough winds and waters cause the apostles to be filled with fear as they wonder how to pass through the storm. Jesus, after teaching them and illustrating His miraculous power in healings, feed the hungry, and raising the dead, wonders “what more do you need to see and experience to know that I AM?” Apparently more—or do they?

Today’s Gospel of Mark (Mk 4:26-34) speaks about the mustard seed (not the smallest seed in the world today, but at the time of Christ, it was known as the smallest seed) as a symbol that even the smallest act of kindness, or goodness—in the Christian sense—can spark the growth of faith not only in us but in those around us. While today’s gospel is about so much more, today I would like to focus on the Prime Motivator of Faith—Christ.

On Saturday, 26 June 2021, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair will ordain two men to the Roman Catholic Priesthood for the Archdiocese of Hartford at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and the public is invited to attend. Two Transitional Deacons, The Reverend Mr. Matthew Collins and the Reverend Mr. Joseph MacNeill will make their promises to God and to Archbishop Blair as they begin their priestly lives in the archdiocese.

Today our Roman Catholic Church celebrates what is the “source, summit and font” of our Faith: that we believe in the act of Consecration, that the validly-ordained priest or bishop makes the mere bread and wine become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ at the Mass. That in the words of Consecration, the Real Presence of Christ comes into being.

Pentecost Sunday is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church, celebrated early enough to be mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (20:16) and Saint Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (16:8). It supplants the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which took place 50 days after the Passover and which celebrated the sealing of the Old Covenant on Mount Sinai. For Christians, Pentecost is the 50th day after Easter (if we count both Easter and Pentecost)

In light of recent developments from the civil authorities regarding COVID-19 measures, Archbishop Blair is pleased to announce two things: As of May 19, 2021, the COVID-19 restrictions and procedures first implemented on May 27, 2020, in the document Opening Churches For Public Worship In The Archdiocese Of Hartford are hereby revoked. As of Saturday, May 22, 2021, the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass in person on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation will no longer be in force.

“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15) This is powerful language from the Lord and it is very clear. In today’s world, some might say it is “direct” language, which can be an uncomfortable conversation for many. After all, as humans we don’t like to hear ultimatums or commands, even though in reality this gospel is all about choice—which is total and complete freedom yet it also places accountability on us.

I have a favor to ask of our parishioners. When the ushers help people locating seats in pews—as we have yet been told it is OK to use all pews, kindly heed the request to slide in to make room for others. It will certainly highlight the Christian virtue of welcoming others to the Lord.

2020 and 2021 have been all about new ways to remain “connected” to one another and family, to work and to Faith — to everything — as we isolate and socially distance, according to the CDC regulations as the science, which we are told to follow, evolves as we learn more about the transmission of the disease, social distancing, mask - wearing and vaccinations. And so, this “connecting” is evermore important.

When presenting ourselves for Holy Communion, following social distancing, we receive Holy Communion in the hand—handedness (capable) or dominant hand underneath the incapable or secondary hand, thus using the dominant hand to bring the Sacred Body of Christ to our mouths—we then step to the side and remove our mask and then consume the Holy Eucharist immediately, not taking it back to our pew to consume. This is meant to provide the utmost reverence for the Sacred Body of Christ.

This weekend, April 24th, our Confirmands will receive the Holy Spirit in the laying on of hands and in the anointing with Sacred Chrism. Let us pray for these young men and women who are to receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit that they will welcome the Spirit into their lives, pray to the Spirit, and allow the Spirit to guide them to become, as Saint Catherine of Siena said, “become who God made them to be.”

Our second grade Faith Formation students will receive their First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 1st. And I would invite all of our parishioners to keep these holy youngsters in your prayers (and their families too) so that the Holy Eucharist may become the source and summit of their spiritual lives. When we as disciples truly come to know and understand what we are truly receiving—the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity—of Christ Himself, we then can become what we have received: The Mystical Body of Christ.

Just a gentle reminder as we return in larger numbers to Mass and the Holy Eucharist, that we remain socially distanced in the communion line, save for household family members, and reverently receive our Lord in the hand, moving at the time of reception from the priest or Eucharistic minister to the right or left, and consume the Holy and Sacred Body of Christ at that time.

Over the Sacred Triduum and Easter season so far our Mass attendance and services on Good Friday were well attended and I wanted to thank everyone who participated. As you can well imagine, Easter along with Christmastime and Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Ash Wednesday are the biggest gatherings the Church sees over the course of the liturgical year. This is important for many reasons not the least of which is that people remain connected to their faith to and their God as they express it by the public practice of their faith

The past year has been a very challenging time for all and crowds-for good reasons, have limited our opportunities to celebrate the Mass together in person and to receive the vital Sacrament of the Eucharist. As we begin to return to some normalcy in everyday life through the efforts to vaccinate our population and with better understanding of the transmission of the virus and the severity of its side effects, it is hoped that our desire as Catholics to receive Christ’s Sacred Body and Blood will also return,