Each year, the Church celebrates this holiest of weeks, with reverence and awe. We deliberately place ourselves in the Mystery of our salvation by participating in these ancient rites, each one giving purpose to our mission as disciples of Jesus.

Our readings focus on the great sacrifice that Jesus made because He loves us. The proclamation from Isaiah portrays God’s servant who hears His voice and does not turn back. St. Paul tells us that Jesus sacrifice is what led to his glorification and our salvation. In the passion, the Roman centurion proclaims what Peter denied, “Truly, this was the Son of God.”

I encourage all of you to observe these holy days and walk together with the whole parish the Way to Calvary. Each day draws us closer to the Mystery of His Passion, Death and Resurrection.  In this Solemn Commemoration, let us lift our voices in an endless prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of our salvation inaugurated upon the Cross.

God’s blessing for you and your families! Father Cioppi

Father Walter Ciszek spent 23 years in Soviet prison and work camps. Never allowed to celebrate Mass publicly, he memorized the Mass and with scraps of bread celebrated the Eucharist for himself and his cellmates. Eventually he was released and returned home to Allentown.

My dear friends, we are rapidly approaching the holiest week of the year: the inner sanctuary of our Catholic life. The Gospels are preparing us with the dominate themes in Holy Week: Light, living water and now eternal life.

Continue reading “Can I trust God with my life? – John 11, 1-45” →

What does the transfiguration of Jesus have to do with us? What is the message being given to us that would help us during this week?

I think it means that ordinary men and women like us can make a difference in the world if we can just believe in our power to do something and not be afraid to stand up and make a difference.

Look at what the Gospel says about you. Jesus takes you up the mountain. He has called you from your homes to be here on the mountain, on this holy place. He shows you His Face in the Eucharist with Moses and with Elijah, the Law and the Prophets. Then He says, “Listen.”

Continue reading “Abram went as the Lord directed. You do the same! – Matthew 17:1-9” →

The three temptations given to us today are indeed reflections of how we work through temptations during our own Lenten practice.

Jesus goes into the desert because the Holy Spirit directed Him there. He fasted for forty days and forty nights at the end of which Jesus is tempted in three ways: hunger, loneliness and having sense of powerlessness. As we begin our Lenten practices, we can expect, if we take them seriously, to be tempted in the same way.

Continue reading “Three temptations from the desert – Matthew 4:1-11” →

You are most welcome to join our Forty Hours Devotion which begins during the 8:00 am Mass on Saturday, concluding for the day with the 5:15 pm Mass.  Forty Hours continues Sunday after the 11:30am Mass and concludes for the day with Evening Prayer at 7:30 pm. On Monday, after the 8:00 am Mass with Solemn Evening Prayer, Procession and Benediction at 7:30 pm. This is a special time of grace for our parish and many parishioners and guests will come to pray, seek spiritual solace and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Psalm 91 reads, “You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, say to the Lord, “My refuge and fortress, my God in Whom I trust.”