This weekend, in place of the homily, our parishes will be viewing our annual diocesan Catholic Services Appeal video.  The Catholic Services Appeal supports the operational costs of the diocese, over 30 faith building programs (especially for the youth), and the education and formation of seminarians.  God has given each of us so many blessings and gifts – please be generous with what God has given you!  And if you don’t belong to the Diocese of Superior, please be generous in supporting those programs in your area that contribute to the building up and spreading of our amazing Catholic faith!

Next weekend, as a member of the Vocations Team for the Diocese of Superior, I will be attending a conference with vocation directors from around the country aimed at promoting and supporting vocations to the priesthood.  I would appreciate your prayers for the success and fruits of that conference.  Thank you for the ways you currently support vocations in your parishes, and please continue to pray that we all might listen to God’s voice more attentively each day.

 

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

This weekend’s readings center on unity.  God desires complete unity for us: in our families, in our communities, and in our Church.  Today’s readings show how God uses confrontation and correction (always in love) to bring about true unity…as opposed to cheap unity, which avoids differences and assumes that since there’s no arguing, everyone must be united.  God’s dream is for one Church, truly united, walking together on the road to heaven, picking each other up when we fall and encouraging (and even correcting each other) on the way.  Are we willing to speak up and try to win someone over for Christ this week?

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Life gives us many crosses and we have 2 choices: avoid them or embrace them.  Jesus embraced His cross and He asks us, His followers, to do the same.  When we try to avoid our crosses they begin to slow us down and sap the life out of us.  But when we invite Jesus in and embrace our crosses, He gives us the strength to live a strong and rich life even in the midst of our struggles and difficulties.  “Jesus, I give you my crosses today, come and give me Your strength to carry them with my head held high and to live a rich life.  Amen.”