Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Now that we have returned to Ordinary Time, we begin this Liturgical Season with two doctrinal celebrations which are fundamental to our Christian beliefs.   This Sunday we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity.  Our Lord Jesus has revealed to us the very nature of God, One yet Three Divine Persons.  Our finite minds may have difficulty in grasping this but we remember that we are embracing the mystery of God Who draws us into His infinite love and has demonstrated that love by sending His Son to save us.  Father and Son promised to be with us always and so they have sent the Holy Spirit as our constant companion and guide.  In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we have become fully aware of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives.  This we call the life of grace.  And how does that grace come to us? In the Sacraments of the Church most especially in the Holy Eucharist.

      Sad to say some have lost their understanding of the necessity of the Holy Eucharist in their lives.  Jesus said: “Unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood you will have no life within you.”  When we dismiss the necessity of the Real Presence of Christ in us often there is an endless and futile search for the things of this world to fulfill our longings.  The result is a profound emptiness that can never be fulfilled.  Without Christ in us we are nothing.

     This brings us to the next Sunday, which is the feast of Corpus Christi.  We demonstrate our Faith in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist not only by our participation at Mass but also by our processing with the Holy Eucharist outside and around the church, weather permitting. After the procession, we return to the sanctuary for an afternoon of adoration.  At 3 PM we will pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy; at 3:30 the family Rosary; and at 4 PM sung Vespers and conclude with Benediction.  You are welcome to join in all or part of our afternoon celebration.  This inaugurates the nationwide Eucharistic Revival.  By our devotion, we pray that those who have slipped away from the understanding of God’s profound love for us may once again embrace the faith they received in their youth.

     As the Psalm says: “How can I make a return to the Lord for all the goodness He has bestowed on me?” The answer is simple.  Come spend some time with Him in the Presence of the Holy Eucharist and know how much He loves you.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Fifty days ago, we gathered at the Vigil Mass for the celebration of our Lord’s triumph over sin and death.  During these hallowed days we experienced the joy of the Resurrection as Jesus made His presence known to the disciples, and in a sense prepared them to take over the reigns of spreading the Good News  to all the world. No doubt they were uneasy with this monumental task but it came with a promise.  The promise of the Holy Spirit. On this day of Pentecost we celebrate the fulfillment of that promise not only for the original Apostles and disciples but for us  as well. 

With unfettered joy, we celebrate the Seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit that we received on the day of our own Pentecost, on the day we were Confirmed. As we contemplate the gifts of Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude (Courage). Piety, and Fear of the Lord we must honestly ask ourselves,  “how am I using these gifts that God the Holy Spirit  has lavished on me?” Our response is the measure of our discipleship. 

Today, our young parishioners will assume this awesome responsibility of being witnesses of the Faith as they are Confirmed. We congratulate them on their diligent preparation for this special day and continue to encourage them in the faithful living and practicing their Faith. 

Also, we offer our heartfelt congratulations to Deacon William Asinari who on Saturday, at the hands of  Bishop Bambera, received the Holy Order of Deacon.  Surely he has allowed the Holy Spirit to inspire and guide him and put into practice those gifts of the  Holy Spirit which we celebrate today. Our continued prayers for him, and his family as he prepares for ordination to the Holy Priesthood next year. 

Keep in mind that June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We ponder the infinite love that emanates from His Divine Heart and how desperately  the world needs to come to Him before it is too late.  Jesus meek and humble of heart make our hearts like  unto Thine. 

With Blessings, 

Father Langan

Christ is Risen; Indeed He is risen, Alleluia! 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

This ancient acclamation of the Gospel’s glorious Good News may temporarily fade from our lexicon since Eastertide is drawing to a close. Pentecost marks the culmination of Easter, but in fact, we continue to celebrate the most important event in the history of mankind when Our Savior conquered sin and death and opened for us the gates of Paradise. In fact, every Sunday is considered a little Easter and so  is the focal point of all our activities and aspirations. 

Like our Lady and the Apostles, we pray in earnest for the coming of the Holy Spirit to send His Seven-fold gifts upon our candidates who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next Sunday. We offer our heartfelt congratulations to the children who have received our Eucharistic Lord for the first time this past Saturday. May they continue to come to the Lord in holy innocence and inspire their families to walk in faithfulness before the Lord. 

On Saturday in St. Peter’s Cathedral, Bishop Bambera will ordain William Asinari to the Order of Deacon.  What a blessing this is for him and his family and his parish family. With him, we give thanks to God for his vocation and his continuing preparation for the Holy Priesthood. Parishioners are very much welcome and encouraged to attend the Mass of Ordination at 10:00AM. 

In these closing days of Eastertide God is abundantly pouring forth His graces upon our parish. May He continue to do so especially in calling forth from our midst young and faithful men to serve the Church as priests. Pray daily for vocations so that you may never starve spiritually for lack of the Bread of Life.  Remember: No priest; No Eucharist.  Thank you. 

 With Blessings, 

 Father Langan

Wednesday, 6 PM – St. Mary’s

Thursday, 7:25 AM & 12:05 PM – St. Mary’s

5:30 PM – St. Joseph’s, Rileyville

6:00 PM – St. Bernard’s, Beach Lake

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thanks to all of you for praying for a successful surgery. Quite honestly, it is not an easy recovery so I continue to solicit your prayers. I have two weddings, May 19 & 20, First Communion on the 20th and Confirmation on the 27th. So keep praying.

Thank you.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Christ is Risen, Alleluia 

May is Mary’s month. And why is that so? Her Son and our Savior is the new Adam, the One Who has  come to repair the rift between God and humankind,  brought on by the disobedience of our first parents.  Christ, the new Adam, chose to come into the world through the cooperation and obedience of the new Eve, Mary. We can never thank Her enough for saying “yes” to God at the Angel Gabriel’s invitation. That “yes” issued in a new springtime for mankind and so during these days of Eastertide it is entirely appropriate to recognize the Mother of God as the Mother of  the new Qahal YHWY, the Church. 

May puts us in a celebratory mood. We start with May Crowning at all our Masses this week and we prepare for the First Holy Communion of our Children, the reception of the 7-fold gifts of the Holy  Spirit for our Confirmation class on the Feast of  Pentecost, several celebrations of the Sacrament of  Matrimony, and two feast in honor of our Lady. The Visitation, and Mary the Mother of the Church, the day after Pentecost. May, as you see, is a very busy  month. And finally, we have a special treat with a grand concert on Pentecost evening as we host the  St. Tikhon’s choral festival in St. John’s Church. 

Above all, we remember that May is a wonderful time to reacquaint ourselves with the praying of the daily Rosary if we have let that discipline slip from our spiritual routine. Just as the Apostles and disciples of old joined with Mary in praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit, let us do so as well. 

  With Blessings, 

  Father Langan

April 29-30

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is Risen, Alleluia

We certainly cannot get enough of that Good News especially when the rest of the world pushes us to move on to the next thing, whatever that may be.  Ever before our minds and hearts should be the hope, the joy, and the expectation which that salutation brings.  Eastertide affords us the opportunity to reflect upon our future destiny as promised on the day of our Baptism.  From that moment on, we know who we are and where we are going unless sadly we stray from the fold.

     Our Gospel today beautifully portrays Our Lord as the Good Shepherd and also the Gate of the sheepfold.  Through Him, we enter into the security and serenity of the Kingdom of God.  That reality begins even now.  Knowing that we are living cells in the Mystical Body of Christ, that is the Catholic Church, we journey to the ultimate goal Heaven.  He is the Shepherd Who leads us and protects us on the way and in order that the flock may be safeguarded from lies and treachery and spiritual harm He calls men to share in the shepherding through the Holy Priesthood.

      These shepherds are meant to image and imitate the Good Shepherd for the salvation of souls– to feed the flock with the truth of the Gospel and nourish them with the Sacraments of life, which prepares them for eternal life. On this Sunday especially, we in earnest that the Lord will raise up good shepherds.  We pray that men will answer the call in a generous response to the Lord on this Vocation Sunday.  We remember especially our own seminarians in the Diocese of Scranton and our native son, William Asinari, who will be ordained a Deacon the Saturday before Pentecost.  We must keep in mind: “No priest, No Eucharist”.  The Good Shepherd in no way wants the flock to starve and perish, but the flock must call upon the Lord to provide the shepherd who will feed them.

      On May 3rd. I will be having total knee replacement surgery.  I ask for your prayers for a successful outcome and a quick recovery.  In the meantime, Father Charles Connor will be filling in.  Welcome him graciously.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

        Throughout these 50 Days of Easter, we continue to bask in the light of the Risen Lord just as the early Church and we ask God for the wisdom and purity of heart to make known His Presence with us this very day.  One way that we may accomplish this mission is to consider the importance of those missionaries who have come to assist us in our earthly pilgrimage.  Specifically I refer to the priests from Ghana and India and South America who at great sacrifice have left the familiarity of family and friends and surroundings to come to this nation and serve the people of God.  Needless to say we owe them a great debt of gratitude.

      With this in mind, I have consulted with the members of our Parish Council and have their approval to support in fraternity and charity a particular parish in Ghana under the patronage of St. Anthony of Padua. This year, Father Dominic’s diocese of Sunyani is commemorating the 50th anniversary of its founding.  The Diocese has undertaken a project of renewal and repair of its parish structures in gratitude to God.  My thought was to assist them in this endeavor by “adopting” one of the parishes in need and supporting them in prayer and financial gifts so that they may undertake necessary repairs and renewal.  A goal has been set for St. Anthony’s of $4,000 dollars.

      If anyone is interested in assisting in this I ask you to kindly make out a check to St. John’s and designate in the memo line that it is for St. Anthony’s Parish in Ghana.  Let us also pray for them and be grateful to Bishop Matthew for sending his priests on mission to bring Christ to us.

With Blessings, 

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

On this eighth day, the octave of Easter, we have the great privilege of celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday.  St. Pope John Paul II inaugurated this feast for the universal Church after careful examination of the accounts of a Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska. It is based on the diary accounts that St. Faustina had with our Lord as a result of visions and visitations, wherein He asked for a special feast to honor His mercy in a world torn apart by hatred, violence and war. Who could possibly doubt that the world is  desperately in need of that same mercy NOW. 

This Feast receives from Jesus the biggest promises  of grace related to the devotion of Divine Mercy if  a person goes to Sacramental Confession (the confession may take place some days before and after);  and receives Holy Communion on that day or the  Saturday Vigil Mass. The grace received shall obtain the total forgiveness of all sins and punishment. That means each person would go immediately to Heaven after death without suffering in Purgatory. Also, there are prayers to be offered for the Holy Father along with the Divine Mercy devotions. This is commonly known as a plenary indulgence. On Sunday, we will begin our devotions coupled with devotions to St. Padre Pio as well, beginning at 2:30PM. Confessions will begin at 2:00PM in St. Mary Magdalen. 

During these Great 50 Days we honor and glory in the Resurrection of our Lord. Many celebrations take place, namely First Holy Communion and Confirmation on Pentecost, which concludes Eastertide.  Let us avail ourselves to the infinite graces our Lord wishes to bestow on us. 

Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

Father Langan

March 25-26

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

In these latter days of Lent, we come into that time known as Passiontide. Whereas we have previously concentrated on repentance and the restoration of our Baptismal innocence now we turn our attention to the rejection and suffering of Our Lord Jesus. The Passion of our Lord cannot be ignored since it is the pivotal event in human history. By His Cross and Resurrection we have been saved. All things in life pale before this merciful act of God. Already we should  be arranging our schedules in order to participate in  the acts of Faith so necessary for our eternal salvation.

All things for us Catholics revolve around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass wherein Heaven and earth meet.  Subsequently, the Real Presence of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist draws us to an ever more profound and deep relation with Christ. To remind us of this awesome reality the Bishops of our country have initiated the Eucharistic revival throughout the land.

One of the events to help us be revived in Eucharistic belief and devotion is the gathering within deaneries (regions of the diocese) of Holy Hours with our Bishop. This coming Monday, March 27, Bishop Bambera will lead us in the Eucharistic Holy Hour beginning at 7:00PM in Queen of Peace Church, Hawley. Let us join with fellow Catholics throughout our deanery to give witness to our Faith and grateful love to God for the most precious gift given to us, Jesus our Eucharistic Lord. 

See you there. 

With Blessings,

Father Langan