Pastor’s Desk – December 2023

Lots of fun but gosh, I’m tired!

Is that an accurate report of your state of mind (and heart) as we wrap up the season and watch as Valentine’s Day eclipses Christmas on the commercial stage?

For The Church we have the traditional 12 days of Christmas – don’t forget all those partridges in pear trees – taking us through the cluster of feasts that give us the true meaning of Christmas season. Christmas does not commence on Thanksgiving Day!

Now we have completed half of that cycle of celebrations and are looking toward Epiphany, the coming of the Magi to crown our time of great joy at the birth of our savior.

Let’s not plunge into New Year’s too eagerly. There is a lot to be gained by enjoying an extended Christmas. The commercial world may be completely through with Christmas but we can enjoy the real depth of the mystery of Jesus’ birth the way it was meant to be!

Yes, Christmas cannot omit the Christ child, but it also cannot do without real festivity both naturally and supernaturally! Yes, we must “get to Mass” and Mass should be special, with quality music, decorations, etc. But also, we must first celebrate – we are honoring Jesus, and our people need to feel part of the celebration. This includes ourselves; we cannot omit Christ, but He does not “exclude” us. There is a logic to it all! The family and office parties, also Santa, fit into all of this! Joyful smiling faces of the children from toddlers to teenagers, they all have a place in the grand scheme. 

Gift giving, all the extra shopping if not overdone can also be part of the spirit of Christmas. The Church tells us that we all can celebrate an adult Christmas at Christmastime – Christ born in Bethlehem. Christ born in our hearts today, and last but not least Christ come again as our triumphant king and merciful judge!

God Bless,

Fr. PeterFr. Peter

was totally astonished when I saw the large crowds of people lining up to see the relic of Saint Jude on display at Saint Patrick’s Church in Huntington! Literally, several thousand people lined up! It shows that the “religious sense” of people has not died, it may have been dormant for a long time. Spiritual benefits are promised and even witnessed to, but still you only get to see a piece of the bone that is presented as coming from the body of Saint Jude! It would never discourage anyone from investigating and responding to the opportunity to ask for the intercession of Saint Jude for great matters or small. Jude is given the title “patron of impossible cases.” All this is pertinent to whether or not this relic is genuine, ‘or not’; our best foundation is the solid tradition of his powerful intercession. Consider in the meantime the holy Eucharist. Read chapter 6 of John’s Gospel to realize the enormous miracle of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and reflect on the incredible lack of response from our people. What a treasure we are missing! Let us be present in mind and heart to this daily miracle in our churches.

Yes, of course by all means, this relic seems to be authentic due to the sincere testimony of so many for so many miracles. Our God is faithful, and even now, truly a God of miracles!

Fr. Peter

was totally astonished when I saw the large crowds of people lining up to see the relic of Saint Jude on display at Saint Patrick’s Church in Huntington! Literally, several thousand people lined up! It shows that the “religious sense” of people has not died, it may have been dormant for a long time. Spiritual benefits are promised and even witnessed to, but still you only get to see a piece of the bone that is presented as coming from the body of Saint Jude! It would never discourage anyone from investigating and responding to the opportunity to ask for the intercession of Saint Jude for great matters or small. Jude is given the title “patron of impossible cases.” All this is pertinent to whether or not this relic is genuine, ‘or not’; our best foundation is the solid tradition of his powerful intercession. Consider in the meantime the holy Eucharist. Read chapter 6 of John’s Gospel to realize the enormous miracle of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and reflect on the incredible lack of response from our people. What a treasure we are missing! Let us be present in mind and heart to this daily miracle in our churches.

Yes, of course by all means, this relic seems to be authentic due to the sincere testimony of so many for so many miracles. Our God is faithful, and even now, truly a God of miracles!

Fr. Peter

was totally astonished when I saw the large crowds of people lining up to see the relic of Saint Jude on display at Saint Patrick’s Church in Huntington! Literally, several thousand people lined up! It shows that the “religious sense” of people has not died, it may have been dormant for a long time. Spiritual benefits are promised and even witnessed to, but still you only get to see a piece of the bone that is presented as coming from the body of Saint Jude! It would never discourage anyone from investigating and responding to the opportunity to ask for the intercession of Saint Jude for great matters or small. Jude is given the title “patron of impossible cases.” All this is pertinent to whether or not this relic is genuine, ‘or not’; our best foundation is the solid tradition of his powerful intercession. Consider in the meantime the holy Eucharist. Read chapter 6 of John’s Gospel to realize the enormous miracle of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and reflect on the incredible lack of response from our people. What a treasure we are missing! Let us be present in mind and heart to this daily miracle in our churches.

Yes, of course by all means, this relic seems to be authentic due to the sincere testimony of so many for so many miracles. Our God is faithful, and even now, truly a God of miracles!

Fr. Peter