Notes From The Pastor’s Pen – November 3, 2019

Dear friends in Christ,

Throughout the month of November, and especially on All Soul’s Day, the Church invites us to pray for the dead. Here we especially remember our loved ones and all those close to us.

The theological basis in praying for the dead is that on dying their souls may not be perfectly cleansed from venial sins or they may not have fully atoned for past transgressions, for which reason it is important that we pray for them, above all in the Sacrifice of the Mass, and give alms so that they can experience eternal life in heaven.

The importance of praying for the dead is demonstrated in the Second Book of Maccabees which tells us that Judas Maccabees “made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin” (12:46), and in the First Letter to the Corinthians (3:15), the First Letter of Peter (1:7), and the Gospel of Matthew (12:16).

The Church encourages us, in the month of November, to visit cemeteries and pray for our loved ones who have gone before us.

Especially at this time of the year, let us take to heart the exhortation of the Father of the Church Saint John Chrysostom who once said, “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them” (Homilies on 1 Corinthians 41, 5).

In Christ,
Father Bené

Notes From The Pastor’s Pen – October 27, 2019

Dear friends in Christ,

Mass time for morning weekday Mass, Monday-Friday, beginning November 4

There’s the old saying that “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

I once heard that this phrase had first been used by Abraham Lincoln but more recently learned it was coined by Father John Lydgate, an English Benedictine monk and poet (c. 1370 – c. 1451).

I was thinking of this phrase in light of the recent proposal with the full support of the Parish Pastoral Council that the weekday morning Mass schedule, Monday-Friday, be changed to 7:15 a.m. and beginning on Monday, November 4, the day after daylight saving time.

This means that instead of Mass being celebrated at 6:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the morning Mass will be celebrated on Mondays through Fridays at 7:15 a.m.

The reason is to make it easier to remember and to provide a more convenient time for those who want to go to Mass every day in the morning at the same time.

Mass at 7:15 a.m. will also mean that while the Mass will always begin after civil twilight, there will be a little less than thirty days out of the year when the Mass will begin before sunrise.

Beginning on Monday, November 4, the following will be the new Mass schedule:

Sunday, Masses at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.
Monday, Mass at 7:15 a.m. and 12:00 noon
Tuesday, Mass at 7:15 a.m. and 12:00 noon
Wednesday, Mass at 7:15 a.m. and 12:00 noon
Thursday, Mass at 7:15 a.m. and 12:00 noon
Friday, Mass at 7:15 a.m. and 12:00 noon
Saturday, Mass at 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

The morning Mass schedule will not likely please everyone. However, the hope is that the schedule will lend itself to greater consistency.

Father Bené

This Monday! Secondo – Hosted by St. Vincent de Paul

St. Joseph Conference of Saint Vincent de Paul would like to invite you to our new 2nd meeting each month, SECONDO.  Javier Orozco, Executive Director at the Archdiocesan Office of Human Dignity and Intercultural Affairs will kick off our series on October 21st in the Church Hall. It will be one hour from 7pm. – 8p.m.

Presented monthly by our Conference with guest speakers and facilitated discussion. Come and find out about the Church’s Best Kept Secret.

Refreshments will be served. – All are welcome.

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