Jesus Has Been Here All the Time

December 6, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Jesus Has Been Here All the Time | Advent, Comfort, Eucharist, Father Salvador, Hope, Trust

Second Sunday of Advent
December 6, 2020 — Year B
Readings: Is 40:1-5, 9-11 / Ps 85 / 2 Pt 3:8-14 / Mk 1:1-8
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A few years ago, my pastor from the Philippines, from the time when I was a newly ordained priest, came to visit me in my church in the Tidewater area. He was planning to be there on a Saturday afternoon, and he told me that he would concelebrate with me at the anticipated Mass. His plan was to arrive at least an hour before the Mass, so he would be able to see the place and possibly meet some of my parishioners. (more…)

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Happy in the Lord

November 15, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Happy in the Lord | Comfort, Faith, Father Salvador, Generosity, Light, Mission, Service, Strength, Trust

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 15, 2020 — Year A
Readings: Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31 / Ps 128 / 1 Thes 5:1-6 / Mt 25:14-20
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last night we celebrated our first youth and children’s Mass here at Holy Name of Mary. I was so happy to see the children that I baptized over the past more than eleven years here at Holy Name, growing not only physically, but also spiritually. It is a joy to see parents and their children with happy faces, worshipping God together here in the best Catholic Church in the town of Bedford, Virginia. They have discovered a “pearl of great price”: their faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (more…)

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Joy: Offering Ourselves to God

October 18, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Joy: Offering Ourselves to God | Discipleship, Father Salvador, Joy, Prayer, Saints, Trust

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 18, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 45:1, 4-6 / Ps 96 / 1 Thes 1:1-5B / Mt 22:15-21
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Saturday, eight days ago, the first millennial saint was beatified: Blessed Carlo Acutis. He died just fourteen years ago. Blessed Carlo would say that his life’s plan was always to be united with Jesus. He spent a lot of time in prayer and, being afflicted with leukemia at a very young age, he could have complained to God why this was happening to him. Instead he said that the only thing we have to ask for in prayer is the desire to be holy. (more…)

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Faith and Hope

October 4, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Faith and Hope | Blessings, Eternal Life, Faith, Father Salvador, Hope, Thanksgiving, Trust, Wisdom

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 4, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 5:1-7 / Ps 80 / Phil 4:6-9 / Mt 21:33-43
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A few days ago, I had the privilege of being at the bedside of a great man, when I was called to give the Last Sacrament to Clint Shay, a member of our sister parish, Resurrection. He had turned 98 last March. I was expecting to see a man already nonresponsive, but when I got there, Clint was not only conscious and alert, but he even gave me a big smile and asked me how my mother is doing in the Philippines. He said, “I heard she is now 105 years old—only seven years older than me.” (more…)

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Attitude of Gratitude

September 20, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Attitude of Gratitude | Blessings, Father Salvador, Generosity, Grace, Joy, Prayer, Thanksgiving, Trust

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 20, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:6-9 / Ps 145 / Phil 1:20C-24, 27A / Mt 20:1-16A
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

A few days ago, when I read the gospel that we have just heard, I was once again reminded of one of my Mom’s favorite sayings, “If you want to be a happy soul, you should look upon the donut, and not upon the hole.” As a result of having the habit of counting her blessings, and never, never comparing herself to others for more than 105 years now of having a wonderful life in this world, my Mom is still as happy as ever. (more…)

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Go Forth With Faith

August 9, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Go Forth With Faith | Commitment, Courage, Deacon Eddie, Discipleship, Faith, Self-Reflection, Trust

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 9, 2020 – Year A
Readings: 1 Kgs 19:9A, 11-13A / Ps 85 / Rom 9:1-5 / Mt 14:22-33
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

For the past few years, during religious education, I have given a church tour to various classes. These seem to go over pretty well. I show them many things within the church area – we talk about the holy oils, the tabernacle, the altar and the relics of the two saints who reside within the altar. This week as I was doing some research, I came across a piece of information that I knew but hadn’t thought about. I was reminded that the main part of the church is called the NAVE. This word comes from the Latin word for boat. The Church fathers all agree that, whenever you read about a boat in the Gospels, it is a metaphor for the Church. (more…)

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God Answers Our Needs

August 2, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on God Answers Our Needs | Comfort, Compassion, Father Salvador, Prayer, Strength, Trust, Wisdom

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 2, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:1-3 / Ps 145 / Rom 8:35, 37-39 / Mt 14:13-21
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last Friday, Gia Fuda, an 18-year-old girl from Washington state, went missing. Her car was found on a highway, out of gas, after more than a week of searching. Inquiries yielded negative results, but yesterday they found her alive in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains east of Seattle. After being brought to the hospital, the girl could not coherently explain what really happened to her, or why she ended up in that deserted area in the first place. (more…)

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Faith From Unexpected Places

July 12, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Faith From Unexpected Places | Blessings, Courage, Discipleship, Faith, Father Salvador, Grace, Hope, Strength, Trust

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 12, 2020 – Year A
Readings: Is 55:10-11 / Ps 65 / Rom 8:18-23 / Mt 13:1-23
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Many of us here are old enough to know that love indeed comes from the most unexpected places. God’s visits to us could also come from different sources. The movies, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, may be just other sources of entertainment for most people, but for a young man named Anthony Ferguson, these movies got him thinking about the deeper meaning of life, and eventually his vocation. (more…)

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Find Yourself

June 28, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Find Yourself | Commitment, Discipleship, Faith, Father Salvador, Humility, Obedience, Saints, Trust

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 28, 2020 – 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 Añonuevo, Pastor

Life since the beginning of this pandemic has been far from normal. We have had to make sacrifices to help prevent the spread of the virus, and some of us are feeling that our freedom to do what we want to do has been curtailed, while others see it as just a reflection of our imperfect lives and the world we live in. We all have to do some things that we may not want to do, but we have to do them. That’s just what life in this world is all about. (more…)

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Do Not Be Afraid

June 21, 2020 |by N W | Comments Off on Do Not Be Afraid | Comfort, Courage, Father Salvador, Hope, Strength, Trust

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 21, 2020 — Year A
Readings: Jer 20:10-13 / Ps 69 / Rom 5:12-15 / Mt 10:26-33
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

There is a very ancient story about a mouse who was terribly afraid of cats. A magician took pity on him and changed him into a cat. But then, he became so afraid of dogs, that the magician turned him into a dog. Then he became very afraid of mountain lions, so the magician turned him into a mountain lion. But then he became terribly afraid of hunters. At that point, the magician gave up and turned him back into a mouse and said, “There is really nothing I can do that will help you, because you have the heart of a mouse.” (more…)

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