Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Father Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R., Vice-Postulator, Cause of Canonization of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, wrote this foreword to Archbishop Sheen’s book, Life of Christ:

“The Archbishop also possessed a gift for communicating with others. Another great American evangelist, Billy Graham, once called him “the Great Communicator.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The month of October is a special month for us as Catholics because it is a month dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Our Blessed Mother is a Good and Holy Mother who was given to us as our mother by Christ Himself from the Cross. She is one who always intercedes for us, prays for us, and always protects us.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Pope Leo XIV proclaimed a special Jubilee Year to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027. Part of celebrating this Jubilee year might include reading the decree from Pope Leo XIV. It's free. You can read it in three or four minutes. And it's a great introduction to what this year is all about.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After 31 years of serving Our Lord as a priest, I have found that no one is unaffected by some sort of trauma. While there are many programs available for healing, I have found the healing that takes place on a Grief to Grace retreat to be profound and helpful. Here are some sobering facts found on their website: grieftograce.org.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We have all said it or heard someone else say, “Life is not fair.” Children and teens will say that parents or siblings are not fair when they don’t get their way. Some students may complain that their teachers aren’t fair because of all the homework assignments. Some parents may complain that their child is not being treated fairly by the teacher.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On December 7, 1941, the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor. This attack eventually led to World War II. I have met veterans who had once been young, patriotically idealistic, and had responded to Japanese aggression, altering their whole lives for the good of our country.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

One of the deep sadnesses that any parent experiences occurs when your children leave the faith. We have shared that the number of those interested in the Order of Christian Initiation (OCIA) has skyrocketed. Last year, 21 people were baptized at our Easter Vigil! This year, even more people are interested in becoming Catholic or completing their sacraments.