Up and Down the Mountain

Second Sunday of Lent
March 12, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Gn 12:1-4A / Ps 33 / 2 Tm 1:8B-10 / Mt 17:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon 

Last weekend my wife and I were in Munich, Germany.  We went there because my wife was invited to give a recital at the Gasteig.  It’s a big concert hall with multiple venues, similar to the Kennedy Center or Carnegie Hall.  It’s very active:  They do a thousand events there a year. (more…)

Chasing Happiness?

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 29, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Zep 2:3, 3:12-13 / Psalm 146 / 1 Cor 1:26-31 / Mt 5:1-12a
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

We all know that everybody wants to be happy. The courses on the science of happiness are becoming more and more popular in colleges and universities when, not too long ago, they were not even part of the curriculum. The song entitled “Happy” by Pharrell Williams was number one on the billboard charts for many weeks. It was downloaded more than a million times, and was used in music videos and animations. All these are confirmations of the fact that happiness is indeed a basic human desire. (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…)

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…)

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…)

The Resurrection of the Body

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 6, 2016 – Year C
Readings: 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14 / Psalm 17 / 2 Thes 2:16-3:5 / Lk 20:27-38
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

In case you haven’t noticed, the year is coming to an end. While 2016 is indeed coming to an end, our church year ends before then. The liturgical year will end at the completion of the second period of Ordinary Time, and a new liturgical year will begin with the first Sunday of Advent. Additionally, the year is broken up into seasons and there is a 3 year cycle of readings – A, B and C. In 2016 we have been reading from cycle C which focuses on the Gospel of Luke. When we begin the next year we will read cycle A, which focuses on Matthew. (more…)

Saving the Lost

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 30, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Wis 11:22-12:2 / Psalm 145 / 2 Thes 1:11-2:2 / Lk 19:1-10
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Each and every one of us, who is old enough to have a life history, must have experienced being lost sometime in the past, either literally or figuratively. On a dark, winter night a few years ago, I was on my way to attend the priest gathering at the rectory of Fr. Dan Kelly in Nelson County. (more…)

The Power of Mustard Seed Faith

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 2, 2016 – Year C
Readings: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4 / Ps 95 / 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14 / Lk 17:5-10
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor 

Praying with all of you, as we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is such a great honor and privilege, for our presence here is an amazing expression of our faith.  Some of our friends or acquaintances may ask why we need to go to church, when we could pray at home or practically anywhere.  As we know and believe, God is everywhere.   

If we say that we are here to listen to God’s words, they may ask, “Can you not just read the Bible at home, or even listen to the sacred scriptures on a CD while you are driving?”  It’s more convenient.  (more…)

Mystery and Math

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
May 22, 2016 – Year C
Readings:  Prv 8:22-31 / Psalm 8 / Rom 5:1-5 / Jn 16:12-15
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

The Holy Trinity. We say it all the time. It’s the foundation of Christianity. It’s what makes us unique. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. One God, three Persons. NOT three Gods. We are not polytheistic, as some people accuse us. But no other religion on earth has this understanding of the Divine Nature. (more…)