Parish Blog

Dear Friends in Christ,

May 29th of this year will mark my tenth year as a priest of Jesus Christ. On that date in 2015, Bishop Guglielmone ordained Father Morgan and me at St. Mary’s in Greenville.

I don’t feel that it’s been ten years but denying it doesn’t make it less true. I am overwhelmingly thankful for the honor and privilege of serving Christ as one of His priests. Being a priest is difficult, challenging and sometimes completely exhausting, but the rewards are amazing. I thought I might try and do a brief reflection on my ten years using the description given by Terence Cardinal Cooke: “From the day of his ordination, a priest can never forget that he has been called by God Himself. The priest is called to be a servant, a victim, a brother, a listener and a friend.”

Dear Friends in Christ,

We had finished the Holy Triduum of our Lord’s passion, death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit blessed us with beautiful and reverent liturgies. On the Easter Vigil, I was blessed to offer the Sacrament of Confirmation to 24 people.

Then Easter Monday as I was getting ready to leave for the airport at around 4:00pm, a friend texted me and informed me that Pope Francis had died. It was quite a shock and quite a way to start on my journey to Wisconsin to see my brother Warren and his wife Marilyn.

Dear Friends in Christ,

In our Gospel for today, Jesus, on the first day of the week, entered a locked room where the disciples were hidden for fear of the Jews. Their Lord and Savior had been crucified by the Romans; their special friend, companion, and Lord was gone from their lives. I’m sure that you could cut the confusion and fear with a knife.

Into this locked room, Jesus suddenly appears and says, “Peace be with you!” and he shows them his hands and his side. And our Gospel tells us that the disciples “rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” Can you imagine their wonderment and joy? What would it have been like to be there? In this busy and demanding world, could your life use some wonderment and joy?

Dear Friends in Christ,

We have already heard the good news—or rather, the best news: “Christ is alive! He has risen and has appeared to His disciples.” Happy Easter to all! The sadness that filled our hearts at Christ's passion and death gives way to the uncontainable joy brought about by His resurrection.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, we read the narrative of the Passion from the Gospel of Luke. According to this evangelist, Jesus entering Jerusalem to a joyous parade of palms and the Passion narrative are mutually related. This is so even though the first part is jubilant while the second part is humiliating and degrading.

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Gospel passage describes the encounter of sin with divine mercy. The Pharisees who bring the adulterous woman have already decided that she must die; they focus on her past and want the law to be applied to her. Jesus doesn't want to play their game because none of them can pronounce just judgment. They too have a sinful past. It is Jesus who will exercise judgment, not by condemning, but by offering a way of salvation. He doesn't condemn because he looks to the future, to the plan he has lovingly established for each person.