The Assumption – Our Hope

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 15, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Rv 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB / Ps 45 / 1 Cor 15:20-27 / Lk 1:39-56
by Rev. Salvador Anonuevo, Pastor

Ever since I can remember, I always had a beautiful experience praying in the cemetery.  I didn’t know the reason why.  Maybe, because I grew up in a very small town in the more than seven thousand islands in the Philippine archipelago, where our house was not too far from the cemetery.  The priest there celebrates Mass every Monday in the cemetery. (more…)

Get Out of the Boat

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 13, 2017 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a / Psalm 85 / Rom 9:1-5 / Mt 14:22-33
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

When I looked at the readings for today, I was excited because this Old Testament reading happens to be my favorite one. There are many good stories in the Old Testament, but this is my favorite.

It will help to understand how great this reading is if you know some of the backstory. (more…)

A Sneak Preview

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
August 6, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 / Ps 97 / 2 Pt 1:16-19 / Mt 17:1-9
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

The first fifteen to twenty minutes in a movie theater are a preview of coming attractions. Movie makers and theater owners hope that the preview will catch our interest enough to bring us back to see the whole film.

Wedding rehearsals, graduation ceremony practices and First Communion rehearsals are also forms of previews of exciting upcoming events. (more…)

It’s God’s Time For You

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 30, 2017 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12 / Ps 119 / Rom 8:28-30 / Mt 13:44-52
by Rev. Mike Boehling, Guest Celebrant

Six years ago, John Christian was the very last person to apply to the seminary that year.  I remember that he was anxious, and as I met with him time and again as the Vocations Director, there was anxiety about taking the next step.  (more…)

Suffering and Glory

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 16, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:10-11 / Ps 65 / Rom 8:18-23 / Mt 13:1-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last month, when I was in the Philippines, I was commissioned by some of my relatives to convince my uncle to follow the doctor’s advice: that he should undergo a heart bypass, so he could continue to function for the remainder of his life. (He’s not really that old; compared to my Mom, who’s 102, he’s just a baby.) (more…)

Lay Down Your Burden

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 9, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Zec 9:9-10 / Ps 145 / Rom 8:9, 11-13 / Mt 11:25-30
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Some of you may have noticed that I was absent for a couple of weeks.  I got to go on a pretty cool trip, out to New Mexico to the Philmont Scout Ranch.  I went with a group of scouts, one of them being my son, and we got to spend a couple of weeks hiking, and backpacking, and camping on the trail.  In eleven days we hiked eighty-eight miles.  Most of our time was spent above eight thousand feet, and we topped out at over twelve thousand feet. (more…)

Die to Live

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 2, 2017 – Year A
Readings: 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16A / Ps 89 / Rom 6:3-4, 8-11 / Mt 10:37-42
by Rev. Salvador Anonuevo, Pastor

A story is told about a very wealthy man from India, who used to go to Africa to hunt rare wild animals. During one of his hunting trips, he went to a remote African jungle where he found a sanctuary of birds, of a rare species. The birds not only had beautiful feathers, but for some reason they could talk. He captured one of the birds, put it in a cage, and brought it back with him to India. Once home, he took good care of the bird. He talked to him every day and gave him all the food he wanted. (more…)

What We Know for Sure

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
June 18, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a / Psalm 147 / 1 Cor 10:16-17 / Jn 6:51-58
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell-Duggan, Guest Celebrant

Can you imagine Oprah Winfrey being stuck for a word? She said it happened once when she was being interviewed by Gene Siskel, the Chicago Sun Times film critic, in an interview before he died. He asked her a question that stumped her, “Tell me, Oprah, what do you know for sure?” That’s a great question, and she said, “Um, uh, I know for sure . . . actually, Gene, I need more time. I can’t answer that question right now.” (more…)

Embrace the Mystery

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
June 11, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Ex 34:4B-6, 8-9 / Dn 3:52-56 / 2 Cor 13:11-13 / Jn 3:16-18
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

Are you familiar with Rabbi Harold Kushner? His son had the serious disease of premature aging which caused him to die at the young age of fifteen. So Rabbi Kushner wrote a book, Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
(more…)

Confess and Be Free

Pentecost Sunday
June 4, 2017 – Year A
Readings: Acts 2:1-11 / Ps 104 / 1 Cor 12:3B-7, 12-13 / Jn 20:19-23
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

Last Sunday after 5:00 Mass in Moneta and dinner in the parish there, I left at about 10:00 at night.  If you remember, last Sunday night it was very foggy.  Suddenly, ten minutes into my driving, swirling lights appeared behind me. I’m not a fast driver, so, only a little worried, I pulled over.  Thank God, he continued on past me. (more…)