Cherish No Grudge

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 19, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Lv 19:1-2, 17-18 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 3:16-23 / Mt 5:38-48
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant 

One of my little peculiarities is that I enjoy walking through a graveyard and looking at epitaphs.  Every so often I say to people in New Jersey, “Oh, in today’s reading, there is a lovely epitaph.”    (more…)

Is Your Light On?

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 5, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 58:7-10 / Ps 112 / 1 Cor 2:1-5 / Mt 5:13-16
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

The Sunday School Times once published a story about a motorist who, one dark night, was run down by a train at the grade crossing.  The old signalman in charge of the crossing had to appear in court.  After a severe cross examination, he was still unshaken.  He said that he had waved his lantern frantically, but all to no avail. (more…)

Light in Darkness

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 22, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 8:23-9:3 / Ps 27 / 1 Cor 1:10-13, 17 / Mt 4:12-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

Today is once again the first day of the rest of our lives. Not only our life here on earth, but our lives that will never end.   (more…)

Called to Be Holy

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 15, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 49:3, 5-6 / Ps 40 / 1 Cor 1:1-3 / Jn 1:29-34
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

As part of our Catholic tradition we use a lot of signs, symbols and colors in our church.  For instance, when our priest’s and deacon’s vestments, altar cloths, and the rest of the art and environment in our sanctuary are mostly colored green, we are in the season that we call “Ordinary Time.”  In fact, it is anything but ordinary, because all of the liturgical seasons are extraordinary, supernatural, and spiritual.  This period is given to us by our Holy Mother Church so that we can reflect on the meaning of discipleship.    (more…)

The Power in the Words

The Nativity of the Lord
December 25, 2016 – Year A
Readings: Is 9:1-6 / Ps 96 / Ti 2:11-14 / Lk 2:1-14
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

This morning, when I visited Our Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful our sanctuary looked.  The flowers and the arrangements are truly a work of art.  During the Advent season, we don’t have flowers, so what a change. 

But what makes our sanctuary really beautiful tonight is that we are all here, in the sanctuary of Holy Name of Mary, as members of God’s family, to celebrate the birthday of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  (more…)

St. Joseph’s Faith

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 18, 2016 – Year A
Readings: Is 7:10-14 / Ps 24 / Rom 1:1-7 / Mt 1:18-24
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

A story is told about a worried mother who phoned a church office on the afternoon before the annual Christmas program to say that her small son, who was to play the role of Joseph in the Christmas pageant, had a cold and had gone to bed on doctor’s orders.  When the director of the play heard this, he said, “It’s too late now to get another Joseph. We’ll just have to write him out of the script.”  And they did. (more…)

Rewards of Waiting Patiently

Third Sunday of Advent
December 11, 2016 – Year A
Readings: Is 35:1-6A, 10 / Ps 146 / Jas 5:7-10 / Mt 11:2-11
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

One of the priests in the diocese of Columbus, Ohio, by the name of Father Joshua Wagner, once told a story that as a young boy he really wanted a Transformer action figure for Christmas. His parents had a rule that the children couldn’t get out of bed until 5:00 a.m. to wake them up and open gifts on Christmas morning. But at that time he couldn’t stand it, so at 4:00 a.m., he snuck down to have a look at the Christmas tree surrounded with presents. (more…)

The Armor of Light

First Sunday of Advent
November 27, 2016 – Year A
Readings: Is 2:1-5 / Ps 122 / Rom 13:11-14 / Mt 24:37-44
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

About 20 years ago, while I was having a lively dinner conversation with my cousins in New York during my first week in the United States, they gave me the honor of hearing about all they had done – a sort of summary of their lives.  This included not only their achievements but also the mistakes they made and what they should have done.  (more…)

The Merciful King

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
November 20, 2016 – Year C
Readings: 2 Sm 5:1-3 / Ps 122 / Col 1:12-20 / Lk 23:35-43
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

Today we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, which is the last Sunday in the liturgical calendar, and this year is also the last day of the Year of Mercy.  It is the hope of our Holy Mother Church that the emphasis on God’s infinite mercy this past year will remain with us to ponder upon and reflect on for the rest of our lives.  (more…)

Prayer Power

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 16, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Ex 17:8-13 / Ps 121 / 2 Tm 3:14-4:2 / Lk 18:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

Many years ago, a young Catholic lady got married to a man who not only was a pagan, but also had a very bad temper.  But she bore all her sufferings with patience and with fervent prayer. (more…)