The Cost of Freedom

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 30, 2019 – Year C
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:16B, 19-21 / Ps 16 / Gal 5:1, 13-18 / Lk 9:51-62
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Four days from now we will celebrate the Fourth of July, and it is a privilege to wake up each morning knowing that we live in the land of the free and the home of the brave and the greatest nation on earth.

It is also great news that the importance of our Lord God and Creator is acknowledged in the Declaration of Independence. Once again let us remind ourselves of these two lines from the Declaration:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” (more…)

The Real Presence

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 23, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Gn 14:18-20 / Ps 110 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Lk 9:11B-17
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A story is told that, one day, Saint Mother Teresa went to see a man who owned a big bakery in India. She asked him to give bread for her hungry orphans. Annoyed that Saint Mother Teresa’s presence in his store might not be good for business, he spit in her face. Unperturbed by the man’s horrible actions, Saint Mother Teresa said, “That’s for me. How about some bread for my orphans?” Shamed by the saint’s response, he gave her all the bread she needed. (more…)

Come, Holy Spirit!

Pentecost Sunday
June 9, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 2:1-11 / Ps 104 / 1 Cor 12:3B-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Good morning and Happy Birthday! Because it is our birthday. Now you are probably thinking, “Deacon Eddie, it’s not my birthday!” But you would be wrong, because it is your birthday. Because, you see, at your baptism, something special happened. At your baptism, a change took place in your very being. Each and every one of us who has received that sacrament became a son or a daughter of God, we became a temple of the Holy Spirit, and collectively we became a part of the Body of Christ, or in other words, the Church. (more…)

Faith, Hope, and Blessings

The Ascension of the Lord
June 2, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 1:1-11 / Ps 47 / Eph 1:17-23 / Lk 24:46-53
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Each of us gathered here in front of God’s altar, who is old enough to have responsibilities at home or at work, must be carrying a cross on his or her shoulder, which means each of us has a problem or two. Welcome to the human family. As long as we are still breathing, we will have trials and difficulties. We all have a share of life’s ups and downs, but as God’s children we always move on and continue our faith journey. (more…)

Faith and Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 26, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 / Ps 67 / Rev 21:10-14, 22-23 / Jn 14:23-29
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Jimmy Carter, in his book, Sources of Strength, tells about interviewing Eloy Cruz, an admirable Cuban pastor who had tremendous rapport with poor immigrants from Puerto Rico. When President Carter asked him the secret of his success, Pastor Cruz replied, “Señor Jimmy, we need to have only two loves for our lives: love for God and love for the person who happens to be in front of us at the time.” (more…)

Mother As a Shepherd

Fourth Sunday of Easter
May 12, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 13:14, 43-52 / Ps 100 / Rev 7:9, 14B-17 / Jn 10:27-30
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Deacon Harold of EWTN, one of the most sought-after speakers in men’s conferences, told this story. One day when his children were little, his wife was having one of those days where she just wanted to have a little rest after a whole day of running errands and taking care of the kids. So she asked him to take them out of the house. He took them to the park nearby, and they were having a great time until his little girl stumbled and cried, “Mommy!” He told her, “Don’t worry. I am here.” But she kept on crying, looking for her mom. (more…)

First Communion

Third Sunday of Easter
May 5, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 5:27-32, 40B-41 / Ps 30 / Rev 5:11-14 / Jn 21:1-19
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

How many of you can remember your First Communion? Now I want you to think about how you felt the first time you received. Now think how you felt the last time you received. It was probably a little more exciting the first time.

Today, at the next Mass, a group of children will receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time. So I started thinking that I get a much better view of this event than you because I get to stand up here, and I get to see their nerves, but I also see their excitement. So I wonder, how can we maintain that excitement? I thought that maybe we need to review it just a little bit. (more…)

Seek Mercy, Show Mercy

Second Sunday of Easter / Sunday of Divine Mercy
April 28, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 5:12-16 / Ps 118 / Rev 1:9-11A, 12-13, 17-19 / Jn 20:19-31
by Father Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

At this very late stage in my life I have entered into the 21st century with emailing. I received an email from a couple from my hometown in Ireland saying to me, “Father Paddy wants to see you when you come home to visit in the summer.” I knew Father Paddy from when we were younger, and our fathers worked in the same village.

About nine years ago, Father Paddy was appointed the pastor of the parish in my hometown.  I want to plagiarize him a little today because it is relevant to Divine Mercy Sunday. (more…)

Rebuild

Easter Sunday
April 21, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Acts 10:34A, 37-43 / Ps 118 / 1 Cor 5:6B-8 / Jn 20:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

In 2011 I was blessed to be able to go to Europe on a trip with my family. As part of that trip, we got to spend a few days in Paris and visit the Cathedral of Our Lady, Notre Dame de Paris. Earlier this week when I got the message from my wife that Notre Dame was on fire, I thought, “What?” I pulled open a news app and I saw the images of this wonderful eight-hundred-year old cathedral in flames. I just couldn’t believe it. Then as I watched the video of the spire collapsing and falling through the roof, my heart just ached that this beautiful memorial to the glory of God was gone. (more…)

Begin Again

Third Sunday of Lent
March 24, 2019 – Year C
Readings: Ex 3:1-8A, 13-15 / Ps 103 / 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12 / Lk 13:1-9
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today I want to focus on one event in “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is the part where the band of heroes is forced to go underground and travel through the mines of Moria, a dark, foreboding, and evil place. They travel safely for a few days and are almost at the end, when they are discovered by the evil orcs who live there. A fight ensues and they must flee for their lives. This fight culminates when they have to cross the bridge of Khazad-dûm. (more…)