Grace is a word we hear a lot of in the context of our Christian faith. We know that God bestows His grace on us and we often ask for just that. However, sometimes it may seem to be an abstract concept. Most Christian denominations all agree that "Grace is favor, the free and underserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life" (CCC #1996).

The Church designates two significant days in the liturgical calendar to commemorate the dead: All Saints' Day on November 1st and All Souls' Day on November 2nd. These observances are rooted in ancient Christian tradition and offer an opportunity for the faithful to honor the saints and remember departed loved ones. Let's explore the origins and theological significance of both holy days.

We live in a society today where we see an ever-increasing rejection of God in a variety of ways. That said, turning away from God is actually contrary to human nature. "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself" (CCC #27). We, as a human race, inherently want to know God and all the things that come with knowing Him. Without God, in our weak humanity, we attempt to understand things in ways which cause us to remain unsatisfied and longing for more.

As Catholics, we hold Mary, the Blessed Mother, in very high regard and we are all called to a particular devotion to her. One of the most important devotions to Mary is the Rosary. It provides a way for us to walk through the life and miracles of Jesus' life, honoring Mary for her devotion to God and her faithful motherhood of Christ.

This week's topic can be, at times, a sensitive subject for people on both sides of the equation; however, please bear with me to the conclusion so that we all might gain a little perspective. Children, particularly infants and toddlers, can often be disruptive at Mass by nature of their youth. With five children myself, I have had many experiences over the years, from people asking me not to bring my little ones to Mass to people encouraging me along, and even complete strangers offering to hold my babies to give me a hand.

The Church celebrates the feast of the Guardian Angels in October. This is a good opportunity to not only to acknowledge them, but also to explain why and how they have a very special mission to help each of us to get to Heaven. Then, hopefully with this deeper understanding, each of us might be encouraged to deepen our relationship with our own personal guardian angel, who truly is a dear friend given to each of us by God.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

It is with a heart full of gratitude and joyful anticipation that I introduce myself to you as I prepare to begin my ministry as your new Pastor here at Prince of Peace Parish, effective September 1, 2025. I come to you with humility, love, and deep trust in God’s providence, ready to walk with you in faith, hope, and charity.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As I am sure you noticed, confessions were cancelled multiple times two weeks ago. It was not something that I wanted to do, but something I had to do as I received news on Wednesday, October 2nd that our Parish will not be receiving a Parochial Vicar until July 2025.

“The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope, or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 25

There is no denying that volunteering for Parish ministry is a great help to the priests and the Parish staff. What most people don’t realize though is that volunteering for Parish ministry is also a great help to your own spiritual life, too!