Pastor’s Messages (Page 4)

My dear beloved brothers and sisters, Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ! Every year in November I do a blessings of the graves. This year I missed it because of the fundraiser for Seton House of Prayer in Kelowna. Our two Deacons, Peter and Dale, did it on my behalf. A cemetery visit is a spiritual practice and a traditional act of love, in honoring and respecting our deceased loved ones by praying or simply sitting in quiet remembrance with…

My beloved brothers and sisters, Praise to you Lord Jesus! A parishioner asked me about “halloween,” and in my research, I found that it originates from the Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of summer and the harvest. Then, in the 8th century Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as “All Saints Day,” honoring all saints; the preceding evening became “All Hallows Eve.” November 2 was later established as “All Souls Day” to honor the dead; remembering the deceased.…

My dear friends, Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever! We are now on the last week of the month of October – the Month of the Rosary; an opportunity for us to mediate on the mysteries of Jesus’ life through prayer. This puts Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, to find peace and virtue through our Blessed Mother Mary, by her intercessions and guidance. By praying the Rosary, it helps us to focus our lives…

My dear beloved brothers and sisters,  Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!  Just this Wednesday, some parishioners of our parishes experienced the interactive workshop that uses blankets to represent land, teaching the long history of our Indigenous and non-indigenous people. I have done this workshop many times and every time I attended this blanket exercise I often experienced a new and deep impact in understanding the history of this country and the need to take action moving towards reconciliation. What…

My dear brothers and sisters,  Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!  Thanks for your prayers as we just concluded our “Study Days” this week. We come together as ministers for spiritual and professional renewal, including presentations of the Called & Gifted Discernment Process Program, diocesan office discussions, prayer and fellowship. Truly, the event renews and encourages us priests, deacons and seminarians to help understand our God given gifts and charisms and to deepen our commitment to forming disciples within our…

My beloved sisters and brothers, Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ!  As you know, there were calamities that happened in our world especially this week – wildfires, flash floods, severe storms, droughts, tropical cyclones, and earthquakes. The latest one was a powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the central Philippines that killed an estimated 70 people and injured hundreds. Thus, I ask you my brethren to pray for the victims, and may their faith be strengthened with hope, knowing that God’s…

My dear Friends, Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ! Almost every morning after daily Mass, I go and have coffee with some of the parishioners at McDonalds. In doing this, I can visit with them and learn some of their stories about life, (most of them are already retired and they just go with the flow of life.) For them, it is another day to encounter God with others and as one said, one day, “trying to solve the problems…

My sisters and brothers, Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ! Our parish picnic was a success even though not everyone was able to be there. One thing I noticed was that our parishioners were happy to visit and some realized that their co -workers or friends were Catholics too – because they haven’t seen each other at church. It was really a good experienced to be in nature and to have an opportunity to build up our communities with activities…

My beloved brothers and sisters, Praise to you Lord Jesus! As you know, I had my vacation last week and one of the highlights was my visit at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. I love visiting zoos as it provides opportunities to learn about different species, ecosystems and the importance of conservation. My zoo visit experience promoted a connection that fostered a desire to protect animals in the wild – leading to a sense of wonder and respect for…

The point of today’s gospel is to make us realize that becoming a disciple of Jesus is not something we do because of a sudden whim. Discipleship is a serious commitment that requires much thought and deliberation. Becoming a follower of Jesus is the most important enterprise we will ever undertake. Following Christ and being his disciple is a venture that demands total dedication on our part. Everything else must become secondary if Jesus is to be the Lord of…