…from your Pastor’s Desk Setting the Stage forOur Advent Journey Today is the first day of the new Church year. It is also the first day of Advent. Advent is the 4 week period before Christmas when the Church celebrates the first coming of Christ and anticipates His second coming. “One of the best ways to prepare for the very special season…

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe This Feast Day is enhanced by asking and answering a few questions: Who is Jesus? What does He mean in your life? We call Him Messiah or Christ. Do those words mean anything to you personally? We call Him Savior, Redeemer and Lord. What effect does this have in your life?…

What Is Entrusted Us The Gospel parable is about a man entrusting his servants with his property, and the point it makes concerns the need for fidelity in caring for what belongs to the master. God our master has left us with the earth, not to do with it what we want but to care for it even as we live off…

…from your Pastor’s Desk MISSION APPEAL Hello friends, Every year the Diocese seeks to assist various missionary groups. Each parish is then assigned a priest to speak at their weekend Masses about their ministries. This weekend we are happy to host Fr. Vito Di Marzio from the Congregation of the Rogationists. Their ministry is dear to our hearts here at Holy Spirit…

…from your Pastor’s Desk Halloween – Secular or Sacred? October 31rst is Halloween. Many people, especially Christians, dismiss Halloween for what it has become. Fact is though; we are the ones who invented it, or rather, in ancient days ‘converted it’ as we did many other pagan festivals. Halloween is an ancient festival with roots in Celtic pre-Christian times. It was adapted…

…from your Pastor’s Desk MISSION-MINDED? “…so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides Me.” —Isaiah 45:6 Today is World Mission Sunday. The second collection this weekend is for the Missions. Our Christian Faith would not have spread from where it began… to the far distant lands if not for a long…

…from your Pastor’s Desk The First Reading says that the Lord of hosts will provide a feast for His people, a feast of choice wines and rich and juicy food. Rich food is the kind that our culture warns us against. Everything shouts at us that if we want to look good and be healthy, the one thing we should be sure…

ANNOUNCING GUEST SPEAKER, FRANK RUNYEON!A performance of The Gospel of John ~ November 8th AT 6:30 PM Many of us are not comfortable approaching scripture on our own. We are excited to invite everyone to a performance of the Gospel of John by theologian and award winning actor Frank Runyeon who effectively brings Jesus to life to increase understanding and intrigue to…

…from your Pastor’s Desk Here is a question I am often asked: Why do bad things happen to good people? There are clues. First, how many people do you know who are completely good or completely bad? A childlike, over-simplified belief says that good friends are always good. Adults, on the other hand, know how mixed the human reality is. Each of…

St. Francis and the Blessing of Animals Saturday, September 30th@ 11:00 am in our plaza As many of you already know, years ago, many Franciscan priests and brothers served in our Diocese. At one time they covered all of Lake County. And, as some of you also know, I, too, have a Franciscan background. There is still evidence of our Franciscan roots…