Dear OLP Family,

Since Labor Day first became a federal holiday in 1894, the first Monday of September has been set apart to celebrate and value in American society the role of our workers and their work by providing, ironically and fittingly, a day off to rest and enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. But It is also a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the deeper meaning of our work, which the language of faith provides.

Dear OLP Family,

Today’s Gospel has a very controversial question put to Jesus: “Will only a few be saved?” If this question is put to Jehovah’s Witnesses, they will quote the Book of Revelation 7:4 and answer that the saved will be exactly 144,000. But Scripture scholars point out that the same Book of Revelation 7:9 speaks about “a great multitude of those saved, whom no one can count.” Hence, we know that the number 144,000 is symbolic to indicate the great multitude who will be saved, not a limit to those who will be in heaven.

Dear OLP Family,

Last Sunday (August 10) was the feast of St. Lawrence who was a deacon and martyr of Rome. I thanked our Deacon John Raychel who has been serving our parish for the past 15 years. As we need more deacons to serve our parish, I encouraged the men of our parish to consider the vocation to diaconate and speak to our Deacon John. Later on some men asked me about deaconate and I thought of explaining it in this column for general information.

Dear Friends,

I am so very happy to begin my ministry here last weekend. It was an honor for me to preside at the 5PM, 8AM, and 10AM Masses and to concelebrate the 12PM Mass with Fr. Sebastian. Thank you for your warm welcome to this wonderful parish of Our Lady of Peace.

One day, philosopher Peter Kreeft reads an open letter published by a friend, Nat Whilk. He's Catholic, but he sees the Church as unsteady, outdated, obsessive. As a challenge to the "True Believers", Nat pens a twenty-point manifesto for "cafeteria Catholics", who pass up certain Church teachings and scoop up others like a diner in a buffet line." I find in [Catholicism] both much to accept and even love and also much to refuse and even despise", he asserts. "If you insist on tying God to the Church, you will make me an atheist."