HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! To our Dads, may you share God’s greatest gift in your life—your children. May you have a most relaxing and enjoyable day with those you love. I will remember all Dads today at Mass with a special blessing for all father’s before the final blessing at Mass this weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Today, the Church is born! Alleluia! Alleluia!! As the Apostles and Mary, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church were together in prayer, not knowing what was about to happen, but they trusted in God to act. As the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles, disciples, and the Blessed Mother, they were able to proclaim God’s word in a way that everyone could understand, no matter their culture, their country, or their language.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. Up until a few years ago, the Ascension was celebrated on Thursday. There are only a handful of dioceses that have retained the feast on Thursday. The day of Ascension marks a bittersweet day for the Apostles. On the one hand, the Risen Lord is now ascended to be with the Father in heaven. On the other hand, He is no longer physically present on earth with them. Christ is—and will always be—the head of the Church, but before He ascended He placed the Church in the hands of His disciples. Today, we the Church, celebrate Christ’s ascension by carrying on the mission of the first disciples: witnessing to the Risen Lord to the ends of the earth.

Jesus assures us in the Gospel that God will continue to dwell within us, and the Holy Spirit will teach and remind us of what He taught. This is good news for us because it means we are not making this Christian journey alone. We are promised by Jesus that the Holy Spirit will continue to enlighten us. Jesus leave the disciples and us one more thing—peace. Peace to keep their hearts from being troubled. Peace to protect them from fear. Peace to stay with them forever. On this Memorial Day weekend, let us reflect on the peace that only God can provide.

Remember the Rosary Procession will be on Sunday, May 26th immediately following the 8:00 A.M. Mass. For those unable to participate in the procession, the Rosary will be prayed in church. All parishioners are invited and encouraged to participate as we honor the Blessed Mother.

If you grew up Catholic, you may be familiar with the phrase, “Pray, pay, and obey.” Well, today’s Gospel presents a command of Jesus that can be described by another popular phrase, “Pay it Forward.” Jesus’ message is simple and clear if we’ve figured out who He really is—then the conclusion is logical. “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” All true love has its origins in God, who is love itself, and so the Christian believer must seek to love as God loves, and to share love as abundantly as God shares it with His creation. Love is the hallmark of the Christian life.

There will be a total of 4 Monday evenings March 18th, March 25th, April 8th, April 15th.  Extended days April 22nd, 29th, May 6th & May 20th.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all our Moms. May your special day be filled with God’s blessings, as we, your sons and daughters, honor you on this day. There will be a special blessings for Mothers during Mass this weekend. I will remember all mothers, living and deceased, at Mass this weekend.

As we celebrate the Third Week of Easter, we are reminded that Easter is not one day, but we celebrate the Easter Season for fifty (50) days. This week in the Gospel, we see Jesus appearing to the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias. For those who enjoy fishing, the Sea of Tiberias is a fresh-water lake where Jesus shared a meal with a group of disciples.

HAPPY EASTER! On this Octave Day of Easter, the Second Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates Divine Mercy Sunday. It is based on the devotion to the Divine Mercy that Saint Faustina reported as part of her encounter with Jesus as recorded in her diary. The Divine Mercy Novena concludes today at 3:00 P.M. with a Holy Hour and Benediction. All are invited to participate.

ALLELUIA!  The Lord is risen as He promised!  ALLELUIA!  This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.  As we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we are filled with joy.  We are filled with hope for the sacrifice He made on the cross has opened the way to eternal life.  Jesus’ sacrifice is our salvation.  As we gather with family and friends on this Easter day we are filled with praise for Jesus the Christ, has won victory over the grave.  He has redeemed humanity.

Today begins HOLY WEEK, the most sacred time of the year. We remember Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, when He was met by crowds of disciples who joyfully welcomed him to the holy city. As the palm branches are blessed today, we welcome Jesus into our lives, asking that He make them holy by His presence. Then, as we leave church today with our blessed palms, we will praise God with joy, for Christ has won victory over sin and death, winning for us our salvation.

Pictured is our 2019 Spring Pageantry Court King, Chance Mollere, II, and Queen, Kenley Simon Prince, Brodey Becnel, and Princess, Madelyn Borne 1st Maid, Raeden Grant, and Duke, Roland Frank, III 2nd Maid, Haley Scioneaux, and Duke, Matthew Loup 3rd Maid, Sadie Schultz, and Duke, Byron Pilgreen 4th Maid, Aleaya Adams, and Duke, Brennan Maus 5th Maid, McKenna Shaffer and Duke, James French. Together they raised an amazing total of $29,273. Thank you to their families and everyone who supported their various fundraisers.

There is one theme always for the Mass: The Paschal Mystery. Repentance, renewal, a future, new life, restoration, new creation—all can speak to different listeners today depending on where one is on life’s journey. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. Each of us is a sinner. The good news proclaimed this day is God’s love and mercy are greater than any sin we can imagine. Turn to God this day and ask for forgiveness. Our God is a merciful God, always ready to forgive us. Let us thank God for His over-flowing mercy and forgiveness as we continue our Lenten journey.