Dying to produce fruit…

03-17-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today’s Gospel might have been powerful words of encouragement in the faith journey of persecuted early Christian community to whom the “beloved disciple” writes. During the festivals in Jerusalem some Greeks went to worship and wished to see Jesus through the help of disciples. To “see” Jesus is not just to look at Him, which is what those Greeks presumably wanted.

To “see” Jesus is to enter totally into his way of thinking, to understand why he had to suffer and die and rise again. Like the grain of wheat, Jesus must let go of everything, including his own life, in order to bring life to him and many others.

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God sent His only Son...

03-10-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, the liturgy offers us an early scent of Easter joy. The celebrant's vestments are rose colored. It is “Laetare Sunday,” inviting us to a serene joy. The Entrance Antiphon cries out to us: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”

God wants us to live an abundant life. The most basic psychology tells us that a person who does not live happily eventually becomes ill, both in body and spirit. However, our joy must be well-founded, it must be the expression of the serenity of living a life with full meaning. Otherwise, joy would degenerate into superficiality and folly. Saint Teresa of Ávila accurately distinguished between “holy joy” and “foolish joy.” The latter is only external, short-lived, and leaves a bitter aftertaste.

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The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows

03-03-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Are you looking for another devotional prayer for your Lenten time of prayer, fasting and sacrifice? Have you considered the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows?

This devotion has a long history; it goes back to the Middle Ages. However, due to the church-approved Marian apparitions in Kibeho, Rwanda in the 1980’s, this chaplet has increased in popularity. In her apparitions, Our Lady of Kibeho encouraged people to pray the Chaplet of the Seven sorrow to obtain the favor of repentance.

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Let’s Read During Lent!

02-25-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

As you know, the Lenten penitential season is so much more than just giving up something, like coffee, chocolate or dessert. Increasing our reading of the Sacred Scriptures and meditating on them is an awesome practice to add to our lives during Lent. Also, most of us, me included, would benefit greatly from less screen time (be it the smartphone, the iPad, your computer or the “telly”) and more time reading good books. Many Catholics are not engaged in reading good and edifying books. We must be intentional if we are going to add more quality reading to our life. Lent is a good time to change our ways and add quality reading to our lives. Accordingly, I would like to offer a few suggestions for special reading during your Lenten season.

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Lead us not into temptation...

02-18-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent. The Gospel presents Jesus preparing for His public life. He goes into the desert where He spends forty days in prayer and penance. There, He is tempted by Satan.

We must prepare ourselves for the Easter Triduum. Satan is our great enemy. There are people who do not believe in him, saying he is a product of our imagination, or that he represents evil in the abstract, diluted among people and in the world. This is definitely not so!

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Lent is upon us...

02-11-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Last week we were blessed with a special Mass offered by the Most Reverend Robert Guglielmone, Bishop Emeritus. At that Mass, we celebrated the ninth anniversary of the dedication of our church and the Bishop also blessed 19 stunningly beautiful tapestries. What a special time that was for us as a parish! We were able to reflect upon our physical and spiritual heritage and to look forward and consider what God might have for us in the future.

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Our Ninth Anniversary!

02-04-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Nine years ago, on the Feast of Candlemas, His Excellency Robert Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston dedicated our church. This marvelous event, this milestone, in the life of our parish was the result of many long years of prayer, sacrifice, and hard work by Father Gregory Wilson, his staff, and so many deeply committed volunteers. I think it is indisputably clear that our Lord and St. Mary Help of Christians have highly favored our parish.

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