The past week was High School graduation for many. I still have two years before my youngest makes that transition from high school student to college bound young man. I am not sure yet where that college journey will take him, but one thing I am sure of…we are preparing him to make the most of it.

When I read today’s Gospel about Jesus and His disciples’ travels, I thought about all the kids soon heading off to make their own journeys. Sometimes scary, unsure, moving into uncharted waters. They will be leaving what is familiar, comfortable and safe to go in a totally new direction. Sound familiar?

The people that Jesus met along the way wanted to walk with Him, but were they willing to drop everything and be a true follower? So, Jesus teaches them the demands of discipleship. There is no “but first”. You must be ready when called upon. Discipleship takes precedence over everything.

So, when these young men and ladies go off to college or wherever their journey takes them, they must be ready without reservation. Go forward, do not look behind. Focus on the task at hand and trust that Jesus is always walking with you. Afterall, when we follow Christ we are often taken into new ways of living.

Dear Parishioners,

We have many things to give thanks for in light of the recent celebrations that our parish has hosted and been enlightened by. The season of Easter, which really never ends, has made us all more aware of how fortunate we are to be saved from our sins and merit the Kingdom of Heaven as promised by Christ.

Furthermore, the Feast of Pentecost is a yearly reminder of the value of discipleship and continuing to build the Kingdom of God on earth. We are to know, love and serve God while we are in this world.

In addition, the Sacrament of Confirmation, so joyously conferred on our young people on Monday evening, was a sight to behold. Their enthusiasm, reverence and joy were most evident. The Bishop and all in attendance were impressed by the expression of faith that they showed.

Perhaps most important on this day is the remembrance of our fathers. We commend them to God’s mercy and we thank them for the sacrifices they have made so that we might be successful with our lives and walk with joy and happiness all of our days.

Happy Father’s Day and may the Holy Spirit continue to dwell in our hearts and in our parish…God Bless…

In Christ,

Today, I have the honor of writing about one of the most profound moments, to me, in our Catholic faith.

After the Annunciation, the birth, the ministering and all the miraculous moments; after the Suffering, Death and Resurrection, we now are at the point of His returning home to the Father. So, the apostles are thinking, “wow, now what do we do?” He has left us. But as we know, “where Jesus is, signifies much less than who Jesus is.” And who He is, is what we must focus on. Jesus physically left, telling his disciples to “carry on His work.” That is us! We are the ones who must carry on where He left off. We are the visible presence of Jesus. That is why every day, I try to live up to that.

Over the past several months, I have been working with a wonderful new family! One of the boys will be receiving the Eucharist for the very first time this weekend. I am so proud of him and his family for making this a priority in their lives and following through on this faith journey. There are also two other families I am beginning to work with going through the same process of making their own journeys. It is never too late! It is not just a job to me but my mission to continue His loving presence in the world.

I am moved when families reach out to me with the desire to begin a new journey or continue where they left off. It is a great challenge and a huge responsibility but living a life with Christ is well worth it.