Let Your Kindness Be Known To All

Third Sunday of Advent
December 16, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Zep 3:14-18A / Is 12 / Phil 4:4-7 / Lk 3:10-18
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

I made a trip to New York to go out to Long Island City, which I hadn’t been to in thirteen months, for the annual Mass for deceased members of the New York Pentecostal Association. I don’t have GPS; GPS is up here (pointing at his head), and at my age, memory is not what it used to be. Oh yes, I remember that on the George Washington Bridge, I need to take the FDR. Now I’ve got to get over to that lane, and I see it. Oh, good, good, good. I take the exit; it’s the next exit. I took the wrong one. Take the wrong exit off George Washington Bridge in New York: L-O-S-T. Completely. (more…)

A Mother is Always There for Her Children

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8, 2018 – Year C
Readings: Gn 3:9-15, 20 / Ps 98 / Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 / Lk 1:26-38
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

For today’s feast, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the gospel is about the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to the Blessed Mother with the greeting, “Hail, Full of grace, the Lord is with you,” announcing to her that she would be the mother of God. That’s the beginning of the Immaculate Conception of Jesus, when He was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Mother. We celebrate that feast on March 25th. From March 25th to December 25th is exactly 9 months.

But the Immaculate Conception of Jesus is not the feast that we celebrate today. What we celebrate today is the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Mother, when she was conceived in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. (more…)

Scoring for God’s Team

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 11, 2018 – Year B
Readings: 1 Kgs 17:10-16 / Ps 146 / Heb 9:24-28 / Mk 12:38-44
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

A couple of months after I was ordained, I was sent to New Zealand, down to the South Island and Christchurch, over to a wee town on the west coast called Hokitika. When I got there, the west coast of New Zealand had no soccer. So I introduced soccer to the west coast, and the team (I was the coach and the captain of the team) was called the Corinthians. I don’t recall why. There was always a little titter on a Sunday morning, when the lector would get up and say, “A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.” (more…)

Whatever You Want

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 28, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Jer 31:7-9 / Ps 126 / Heb 5:1-6 / Mk 10:46-52
by Rev. Paul O’Donnell Duggan, Guest Celebrant

Today’s homily is about questions. Let me start by asking you whether you recognize these numbers; 5 28 62 65 70? If you had those numbers last Tuesday, you’d be a rich person. You would be a very rich person actually: 1.537 billion dollars richer. Some questions are very easy to answer, some are more difficult, some are very simple, and some are very profound.

What is the first question God asked in the Bible of Adam? “Where are you?” Not physically or geographically, but Adam of course was hiding; he had sinned. When Jesus says “Where are you, Adam,” it means where are you with Me, what happened that you are hiding? (more…)

Jesus Understands

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 21, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Is 53:10-11 / Ps 33 / Heb 4:14-16 / Mk 10:35-45
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

There is a house on one of the islands of the Pacific, which for many years has been a refuge for mothers who have lost a child. The woman who lives in that modest dwelling is the reason why they go there. She always offers a shoulder to lean on and assurance that someone understands what they are going through, for she herself lost a child when she was already advanced in years and not able to have another baby. Towards the end of the bereaved mother’s visit the woman would tell them to go to the Church and talk to the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. She reminds them that He is the only one who can completely sympathize with them and who has the power to give them the strength to move on and have a fresh start. (more…)

With God, Wisdom Is Possible

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 14, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Wis 7:7-11 / Ps 90 / Heb 4:12-13 / Mk 10:17-30
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Last Friday I had the privilege of celebrating a Mass of Christian Burial for a friend who shared with me his wisdom during the last few years of his life here on earth. Many of you know him, or know of him, and some of you were even here for his funeral last Friday. His name is Bobby Poole, and he regularly attended the 8:00 Mass here at Holy Name of Mary with his wife, Ann, and his daughter, Kelly. (more…)

You Will Know Him

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 16, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Is 50:5-9A / Ps 116 / Jas 2:14-18 / Mk 8:27-35
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

The song, “If You Don’t Know Me by Now,” which was first released in the early seventies, has sold millions of records and CDs worldwide and been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times on iTunes and Google Play. Even Carrie Underwood sang this song when she joined America’s Got Talent.

But scripture scholars would attest that the Lord Jesus would never have said or implied the words of the refrain: “If you don’t know me by now, then you will never, never know me.” (more…)

Should I Stay Or Leave?

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 26, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Jos 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B / Ps 34 / Eph 5:21-32 / Jn 6:60-69
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

Every day of our lives we make decisions. It could be as simple as deciding whether to eat a bagel or a muffin for breakfast, to drink tea or coffee. But some decision-making is more complicated than others. Those decisions may even cause you a sleepless night, like for instance, deciding whether to accept a job offer which would require you to move to another state or perhaps even another country, but with a promise of higher pay and a greater chance of promotion. Or you may just continue doing the same job you currently have where you experience the comfort and joy of being surrounded always by longtime friends. Perhaps you are trying to decide where you will be spending the rest of your retirement years. (more…)

Christ: Our Hope

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 5, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Ex 16:2-4, 12-15 / Ps 78 / Eph 4:17, 20-24 / Jn 6:24-35
by Rev. Salvador Añonuevo, Pastor

When I went home to the Philippines for my yearly visit, I was pleased to learn that there are now two priests in our town’s parish church. This meant that my help would not be needed as it usually was during my vacation, and I could just attend Mass and spend more time with my Mom. But then, Fr. Romy, the Parochial Vicar, told me that the Pastor was away, so they still need me. And so I did help out. (more…)

Pride and Humility

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 8, 2018 – Year B
Readings: Ez 2:2-5 / Ps 123 / 2 Cor 12:7-10 / Mk 6:1-6
by Rev. Mr. Eddie Craig, Permanent Deacon

Today’s gospel is one that, at first glance, seems a little odd. Think about Jesus – He is the Son of God. He is the second person of the Holy Trinity, and he couldn’t do any mighty deeds. Really? That seems weird. But the more I think about it, the more that I think it is exactly right if you look at that gospel a little more closely. It has to do with who we are, and who God is. (more…)