Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I have tremendous respect and pastoral concern for those who have stepped forward to defend our country. Some carry the wounds of war for the rest of their lives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They deserve our prayers, respect, and service.

Observing Memorial Day is recognizing the ultimate sacrifice men and women have offered to protect and defend our freedom. What we remember and honor on Memorial Day is heroic sacrifice, much like we honor martyrs in the Church. We acknowledge those who nobly gave of themselves, unto death, for a purpose that was greater than themselves.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

For as long as I can remember, the issue of appropriate attire for Holy Mass has been present in the lives of most conscientious Catholics. Recently, my brother priest, Fr. Richard shared with me that a distraught parishioner came to him for advice. Her issue was that, on the prior Sunday, someone next to her in the pew called her out because of her choice of clothing. Validation from Fr. Richard was what she was seeking regarding the correction she obviously resented. However, after a glance at her wardrobe choice, he was left with a clear understanding of the reason she may have had the unpleasant interaction.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Nearly 20 couples have decided to celebrate their marriage here at St. Bernadette in the coming months! This is a great blessing for our Church and our world! I am very excited for these couples. It really is an honor to get to know them, as they prepare for this sacrament. Hopefully you know that the Church takes marriage preparation very seriously. Statistics show that going through a process like it increases marital success.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Creating a pastor’s column for Mother’s Day has some challenges for sure. This is because as a pastor and priest, I rejoice with some moms, grieve with others and ache for those who long to be mothers but for whatever reason are not. The last thing one wants to do is exclude anyone on this day.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the Catholic Church, the month of May is dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. This is one of the beautiful ways that we can show our love and devotion to the Mother of Jesus. Perhaps you know someone who have had some confusion about Mary and the role She has in our life. The Church has always taught that Catholics believe our worship is due to God alone. So Catholics do not worship Mary. Catholic worship God alone.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

"But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed." –Eph 2:4-5

On Divine Mercy Sunday, the focus is on the healing power of Our Lord's Mercy. Through Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Confessions, praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy, we will draw special attention to God's Divine Mercy.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Happy Easter to all of you and a special welcome to all of our visitors! I pray as you celebrate Easter Mass with us, you may come to know the peace of God in your hearts now and always. You are always welcome to come and to thank God for His many blessings most especially His Son who has risen from the dead!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

St. Bernadette parish exists so that God’s children may develop, grow, embrace and live the faith and life of Our Lord Jesus Christ as revealed and taught by the Gospel and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

Canon 515 of the Code of Canon Law states:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In just over a week, the Church will begin the holiest week of the year. Throughout the week, the Church commemorates Christ’s death and burial. Ancient writers called this the Great or Holy Week of Our Lord’s Passion. The custom of keeping the Holy Week goes all the way back to the time of the Apostles. When the early Christians spoke about Jesus to others, they started with the Passion of Our Lord. Scholars believe that the Passion of Our Lord spread before the other parts of the Gospel were even written down. The Passion of Our Lord is really the starting point for building our relationship with Jesus.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Friday, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Annunciation. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, called on Christians the world over to pray in unity with the Church for peace in Ukraine. For the past nine days, many throughout the world joined Pope Francis in praying a Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which was completed Friday.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph on March 19th. St. Joseph is known as the foster father of Jesus and the husband of Mary. Besides this feast, he is also honored on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1.

Lent can certainly be described as a penitential season that is meant to prepare us for Easter. Part of that preparation includes a beautiful devotion called the Stations of the Cross, which follow the path of Christ from Pontius Pilate's praetorium to Christ's tomb. In the 16th century, this path was officially entitled the "Via Dolorosa" (Sorrowful Way) or simply Way of the Cross or Stations of the Cross.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The devil’s agenda is clear for those who are paying attention. He wants to seek and destroy God’s beloved children and rule the world. One of the devil’s methods of destruction is to do what he can to make sure people ignore God, promote injustice, invite people to solve problems with violence, and ensure that the seven deadly sins remain attractive to vulnerable souls.