After the 11 a.m. Mass this Sunday, June 7th, we shall add the Eucharistic Procession to the end of the Mass. Traditionally we have exited the Church with the monstrance and processed to an altar in the rear field, complete with songs, the Litany of the Eucharist, adoration, prayers and a special Blessing over the people with the monstrance and Body of Christ.

Late May and early June provides the Church with a few solemnities to celebrate—in late May we celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost, and last week was The Most Holy Trinity, and this Sunday is what is traditionally called Corpus Christi and is now commonly referred to as the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, as we acknowledge our belief in the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharistic meal, which He instituted and gave to us at the Last Supper.

As the headline notes, this Sunday’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity is the heart of our faith: Belief in One God—One Essence—yet Three Distinct Persons. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) puts it this way: “By sending His Only Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time, God has revealed His innermost secret: God Himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and has destined us to share in that exchange.”

This Sunday we shall celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, when we mark the birthday of the Church and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sent both corporately, meaning to the whole Church and the Holy See as well as to us individually as the Paraclete and guide to all (The) Truth

In this the seventh Sunday of Easter our readings center on Glory, Prayer, and Revelation. What do these three things have to do with us today? It might seem obvious, but there is a deeper meaning than just the basic understanding of those three words. Let’s consider the following:

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear (meaning awesome respect) of the Lord, seven in total. These gifts are believed to be bestowed upon individuals to help them live out their Christian life and grow their faith. The Holy Spirit, known as the Magisterium of the Church, is also meant to guide the Church and keep her safe from error in her proclamation of the faith to the world.

Tuesday, the State House of Representatives voted for the first time since its adoption 33 years ago to modify the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). All the Republicans were joined by 12 Democrats in voting against the legislation. The federal government and 21 other states have RFRA laws. This is the first time that any state or Congress has modified their RFRA statutes to exclude a specific category of laws from its protections.

This fourth Sunday of Easter, Jesus the Christ presents Himself as the Good Shepherd who enters the sheepfold not by force but by the gate, and calls His sheep—hopefully us—by name. We must then ask ourselves: what good reasons am I giving the Christ to ‘know’ my name? As Roman Catholics celebrating the Easter season, we focus on the Resurrection of Christ and the role we are called to play in living out our faith, so that if ‘we are ever accused of being called a Catholic in a court of law,’ which will happen on Judgment Day, there might just be enough evidence to convict us

This third Sunday of Easter has us now traveling on the road to Emmaus, just as the two disciples did on the day of the Resurrection. Those two disciples, one named Cleopas, a follower of Jesus, and the other is never named in the biblical texts, thus the anonymity of the text invites us to see ourselves in the story, as a follower of Jesus.Before we begin, a few key points to keep in mind as we make our journey: this event takes place on the day of the Resurrection; two disciples are walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus discussing the recent events of Jesus’ passion and death

One of the multiple good things about ritual is that it becomes a “tradition” in our lives that we not only depend upon, but count on. Throughout human history, ritual has given people hope and established a commonality of pride among peoples. The traditions, whether national, familial, or religious becomes the fabric of our lives. These rituals such as the national Pledge of Allegiance, to familial traditions including but not limited to the opening of Christmas presents (on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day), the menu at a Fourth of July cookout, or the religious traditions of Easter and Christmas instill in us confidence, hope, community, security and more

As we enter into Palm Sunday with the coming of Holy Week and the Easter Season, we should reflect on our Lenten journey that each of us has made over the last five weeks—intended to grow and strengthen our spiritual life as we seek to progress towards Christ.

Take this journey with us- When we left for Boston on Thursday evening, I was filled with anxiety and anticipation, this being my first mission trip. As we arrived at Hillside Community Church, teens got right to work setting up our sleeping quarters and unloading the bus. The way they worked together immediately reminded me of the community that Christ shared with his disciples. In the evenings, we reflected on our days, sharing where we saw God and praying together.

In this gospel, we have a family waiting in sorrow. Martha and Mary send for Jesus while their brother Lazarus is sick. Jesus delays his arrival and Lazarus dies. Often times we may pray to the Lord for help and it seems like He delays His answer, His help. This waiting, this silence can resonate in our lives of faith too

This year, Peter Pabich was selected as our community’s nominee and he was accepted by Archbishop Coyne to receive the St . Joseph Medal of Appreciation! The ceremony is this Sunday at 2:30 pm at which time Archbishop Christopher Coyne will bestow the Archdiocese’s medal of appreciation, the St. Joseph Medal, on those nominated by their pastors for outstanding service to the parish.

Often I have heard the question, “How late can one arrive to Mass and still receive the Eucharist?” Canon 843.1 notes that Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited from receiving them. And Canon 912 notes that “Any baptized person not prohibited by law can and must be admitted to holy Communion

The Samaritan women, Jacob’s well, and Jesus as the gift. This gospel is rich in meaning and symbolism, and offers multiple lessons for our Lenten journey. Are we open to breaking down the barriers—religious and social—that separate us from others? Are we thirsting for living water—that only Christ can give—more than “vitamin” water or some other substitute tonic? And, are we willing to witness to and share our faith boldly for the building up of His Kingdom, so that others may be drawn to Him?

As we enter into the second week of Lent, and as we live in a world that is unforgiving more times than not, the late Pope Francis used to say “God’s mercy is everything. It is in the air we breathe.” He also described God’s mercy as a bridge that connects us to God, “Not one bridge among many, but the bridge between us and God.” We are called to cross that bridge every day receiving God’s mercy and then return over it to offer our mercy to others. How much better would our world—and nation—be if we were a more forgiving people?

In the Matthean account of the Transfiguration, Jesus illustrates His Divinity and the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets proclaiming a call to listen and follow; He prepares us for suffering, and He invites us to be transformed—into Christ’s own disciples.

Lent provides us all with the opportunity to travel with Jesus in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Today, Matthew (4:1-11) presents us with a profound moment in Jesus’ life: His forty days of fasting in the desert and His confrontation with temptation by Satan. Jesus encounters every temptation by Satan with the Word of God: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the month God.” His unwavering faith and obedience to God is meant to serve as a model for our lives, and Lent provides a good opportunity to begin that journey.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. For members of the Latin Catholic Church (Rome), the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59.Many know of the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent, but we are also calledto practice self-discipline and fast in other ways throughout the season.