Peace be with you

04-24-2022Everyday Stewardship - Recognize God in Your Ordinary Moments

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’” (John 20:21)

Peace the first gift of the risen Lord. Just as Jesus sent the apostles out into the world, so too, He sends us. As Stewards of Jesus, we are called to be compassionate and merciful; and not with just those who are our friends, but also with our “enemies.” Think of someone in your life who you need to reconcile with. Call them right now or better yet, go visit them.

Enduring Love

04-24-2022The Pastor's PenFr. Matthew R. Paratore, S.T.L., J.C.L.

Dear Friend,

We need to possess an enduring love. Endurance: the power to withstand hardship or stress, to keep on going despite all setbacks.

I recently heard of a Catholic woman who, after having four children, started running and then entered marathons. This year, she is running the London Marathon, but before she does, she will run four other marathons each day before the London Marathon.

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Christ has Risen, Alleluia!

04-17-2022The Pastor's PenFr. Matthew R. Paratore, S.T.L., J.C.L.

Dear Friend,

Walter Sangster began to notice some uneasiness in his throat and a dragging in his leg. When he went to the doctor, he found that he had an incurable disease that caused progressive muscular atrophy. His muscles would gradually waste away, his voice would fail, and his throat would soon become unable to swallow.

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Receive God's mercy, then show the same to others

04-17-2022Everyday Stewardship - Recognize God in Your Ordinary Moments

“…He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38)

We can’t give what we don’t have. Open your heart to receive God’s love, mercy and forgiveness. Then, show the same to others through your Stewardship. As God’s adopted sons and daughters, we are made in His image and likeness. As Pope Benedict XVI says, “we are made for greatness.” Let our lives reflect His light to others. Pray to live a grateful and generous life. Strive for greatness! We are made for more! We are made for God!

Importance of Confession

04-10-2022The Pastor's PenFr. Matthew R. Paratore, S.T.L., J.C.L.

Dear Friend,

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen used to tell that on one occasion he was preaching on the importance of confession of sin and, wherever possible, of restitution for wrong done to others. Afterward a young man named Patrick came up to him and said: "Archbishop, you have put me in a sad fix. I have wronged another and am ashamed to confess it or try to put it right. I am a boat builder, and the man I work for is an unbeliever. I have talked to him often about his need of Christ and have urged him to come and hear you preach, but he scoffs and ridicules it all.

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Speak Up

04-10-2022Everyday Stewardship - Recognize God in Your Ordinary Moments

“…I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me.” (Luke 22:34)

How many times have you heard someone make a disparaging comment about God or our Catholic faith Stewardship? How did you react? Do you remain quiet not to cause a disturbance? Or, because you don’t want people to think negatively about you? Or, because you don’t think you know enough about the Catholic faith? Pray for the courage to speak up and enter into a respectful dialogue when the opportunity arises. Joyfully share your faith with others.

Hiddenness

04-03-2022The Pastor's PenFr. Matthew R. Paratore, S.T.L., J.C.L.

Dear Friend,

Of all the classical Spiritual Disciplines, Christian Stewardship of Time Talent and Treasure is the most conductive to the growth of humility.

When we set out on a consciously chosen course of action that accents the good of others and is for the most part a hidden work, a deep change occurs in our interior spirit.

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Keep God First in Everything

04-03-2022Everyday Stewardship - Recognize God in Your Ordinary Moments

“…For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” (Philippians 3:8)

The first commandment says that we should not put other gods before the Lord. Living Stewardship by sharing all of our gifts our time in prayer, our talent in charitable works and our treasure to support the Church helps us keep God first in everything. It helps us from putting other gods before God. It helps us from becoming a slave to our possessions. It helps us to use our gifts for the glory of God and not for the glory of ourselves.

Hope Always Our Anchor In Life's Storm by Frank Kris

04-01-2022Book Recommendations

Of the three cardinal virtues of faith, hope, and charity, hope may be the hardest to define. A deceptively simple virtue, people often reduce hope to a mere optimism about the future, or they may see it as synonymous with trust in God. In Hope Always, Kris Frank, a popular Catholic speaker and youth minister, offers his down to earth and personal reflections on hope and how this crucial but often misunderstood virtue can change our perspective on life’s difficulties.

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