Pastor's Messages from September 2023

The Humble Path: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:                      Ezekiel 18:25–28                   Psalm 25:4–9                                      Philippians 2:1–11              Matthew 21:28–32 Echoing the complaint heard in last week’s readings, today’s First Reading again presents protests that God isn’t fair. Why does He punish with death one who begins in virtue but falls into iniquity, while granting life to the wicked one who turns from sin? This is the question that Jesus takes up in the parable in today’s…

My dear brothers and sisters, Praise be Jesus! May you have a blessed day! This month of October I invite you to try to pray  the rosary  everyday, for this month is the month of Our Lady of the Rosary (Feast day is 7th of October) and also the month of Our Lady of Fatima. I believe that if we pray and pray more, we deepen our relationship with God – to know Him, to love Him and to serve…

First and Last: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:                Isaiah 55:6–9                                     Psalm 145:2–3, 8–9, 17–18                                          Philippians 1:20–24, 27                   Matthew 20:1–16 The house of Israel is the vine of God, who planted and watered it, preparing the Israelites to bear fruits of righteousness (see Isaiah 5:7; 27:2–5). Israel failed to yield good fruits, and the Lord allowed His vineyard, Israel’s kingdom, to be overrun by conquerors (see Psalm 80:9–20). But God promised that one day…

My dear brothers and sisters, the beloved people of God of Penticton, Praise God! I ask you to pray for all the priests and that includes me for perseverance. As you know, priests are expected to listen and give advice, unknowingly absorb the anger, despair and hopelessness of people. Priests can not help but be vulnerable to peoples struggles, for they see priests as pillars of hope and even bearers of inspiration and encouragement. We are told to always welcome…

The Debt We Owe: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:                       Sirach 27:30–28:7                    Psalm 103:1–4, 9–12                                          Romans 14:7–9                            Matthew 18:21–35 Mercy and forgiveness should be at the heart of the Christian life. Yet, as today’s First Reading wisely reminds us, often we cherish our wrath, nourish our anger, and refuse mercy to those who have done us wrong. Jesus, too, strikes close to home in today’s Gospel with His realistic portrayal of the wicked servant…

My dear brothers & sisters, Just this September 14 (Thursday) was the Feast of the Exaltation of the CROSS -”We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. Because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world”. Our school (Holy Cross) celebrated their feast with full of enthusiasm, we had our School Mass and on the last hour of the day we bless and Exalted the Cross in front of our School. LET US LAUGH AWAY OUR STRESS WITH…

To Win Them Back: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings:               Ezekiel 33:7–9                                 Psalm 95:1–2, 6–9                                 Romans 13:8–10                             Matthew 18:15–20 As Ezekiel is appointed watchman over the house of Israel in today’s first Reading, so Jesus in the Gospel today establishes His disciples as guardians of the new Israel of God, the Church (see Galatians 6:16). He also puts in place procedures for dealing with sin and breaches of the faith, building on rules of discipline…

My brothers & sisters, Praise be Jesus Christ! This week, we welcome our teachers, staffs and students back to our school – Holy Cross – it was amazing to see the excitement and enthusiasm for this school year. I had the opportunity to visit and bless the students and teachers at their own respective classrooms during this week – I am trying to know and memorize their names – it will be a great challenge for me, for at this…

For Your Life: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings: Today’s First Reading catches the prophet Jeremiah in a moment of weakness. His intimate lamentation contains some of the strongest language of doubt found in the Bible. Following God’s call, he feels abandoned. Preaching His Word has brought him only derision and reproach. But God does not deceive—and Jeremiah knows this. God tests the just (see Jeremiah 20:11–12) and disciplines His children through their sufferings and…

Welcome home Fr. Neil, we trust that you had a wonderful rest and are recharged and ready to prepare for the coming seasons and the new school year. We thank Fr. Wayne for filling in for you while you were gone. Unfortunately, Fr. Wayne was unable to return to Penticton as the Rock Slide on Highway 97 on Monday prevented it. For that reason, the Daily Masses were cancelled on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. These Mass Intentions that were cancelled…