Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    By now, those of you who like to have a summer garden, be it flowers or vegetables, have planted your seeds and sprouts and are awaiting fruitful yield.  In today’s Scriptures we hear a lot about planting and waiting and subsequently the “surprise” that comes from patient waiting and cultivating.  We take our lesson from the natural cycle around us.  But we know that if the garden and the field are not well tended all of our efforts could be a flop!

   How much more than our souls and our spiritual life?  Our Faith reminds us that the interior life needs diligent attention and nourishment.  Our Lord provides for us with the Sacraments.  Each in its own way provides nourishment for the soul, most especially the Holy Eucharist. To disregard the grace and gifts that God offers us continually means that we will dry up and perish.  What then do we have to show for ourselves when we stand before the just judgement seat of the Lord?

   On Thursday, June 20th, our planning committee for the 100th anniversary of St. Bernard’s will meet at 6;30pm in the Church.

     Keep in mind and prayer Deacon WIlliam Asinari who will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood on June 29th at 10 AM in St. John’s Church.  This is a blessed day for our Parish.  Please make every effort to attend, as well the First Mass the next day at 10;30 AM.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Though the Feast has been commemorated this past Friday and The Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday we nonetheless continue our devotions and seek daily to conform our hearts to Theirs.  For millennia the heart has been considered to be the seat of our emotions, our thoughts and aspirations.  Only with modern science have we repositioned the proper source of where these metaphysical attributes lie.  But the heart will always remain the focus when it comes to love.  

     We contemplate the Divine Love that comes from Christ’s Heart.  Adorned with eternal flames and a crown of thorns we are mindful of both suffering and purifying endured by that Heart.  He suffered to purify us so that our hearts might be prepared for entrance into heaven.

    The Immaculate Heart, adorned similarly. evokes compassions, mercy and motherly tenderness directed to all of us.  What consolation that brings in the midst of a world grown cold and distance from God.  In fact it was for this very reason that Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and directed her to foster recognition and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  St. Padre Pio and many others have prayed this novena daily asking God to break through the most hardened hearts and avail themselves to the mercy of Christ.  Perhaps we can and should make that part of our prayer routine.

    As pastors and parishioners we extend our very best to those who are graduating this season.  May God strengthen you in living the Christian Faith, being resolute disciples of Jesus, and unafraid to profess your loyalty to Him.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Something wonderful is happening in our nation and something wonderful will happen come July 17th to the 21st!  I am referring to the National Eucharistic Congress that will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana this summer.  What has already happened is the beginning of four pilgrimages from the four compass points in the US that will converge on Indianapolis the day before the Congress.  Already we should be aware of what is going on by following on the website: Eucharisticcongress.org.  If not in person at least virtually we can participate in this great witness to our Faith especially in our belief in the Real Presence of Christ our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.

    Sadly, many of our brethren have lost their belief in what Jesus taught us particularly in John 16, the Bread of Life discourse and also a lack of belief in His promise: “I am with you unto the end of the world.”  Christ’s Eucharistic Presence among us is what gets us through the trials and difficulties of life.  He never promised that He would eliminate life’s challenges and disappointments but that He would be with us through them and assure us  that if we believe and remain faithful only good will come of it. Did not Good Friday bring us Easter Sunday? 

     This Sunday we celebrate Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.  We profess boldly the Real Presence in Christ in the Holy Eucharist, a mystery that will be completely understood when we get to Heaven.  And as that teenage apostle of the Holy Eucharist for our day and time, Carlos Acutis, said: “the Eucharist is our highway to heaven.”  Again, too many have abandoned this path and fallen on the wayside and it is only by our fervor witness that they may see the right road again and walk with us and HIM.

     Following our 10:30 Mass today we will process around St John’s Church, hopefully outside, to give evidence of our profound belief in the Holy Eucharist.  Even if you have attended a previous Mass this weekend I encourage you to join us and in solidarity with those who pilgrimage from coast to coast and north to south in giving witness to the truth that Christ is with us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity now and forever.

       Remember also that at the end of this month we have the blessed and unique privilege of celebrating the Priesthood Ordination of Deacon WIlliam Asinari.  Mark your calendars for the Ordination on Saturday, June 29th at 10 Am; and Sunday June 30th for his First Mass at 10:30 Am .  Remember: ” No priest, no Eucharist”

      And we are now selling dinner tickets for the celebratory dinner at Lukan’s Farm Resort following the 100th Anniversary Mass at St. Bernard’s , Beach Lake, September 29th at 10:30 Am.  (there will not be Mass at St John’s that day).

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    “In the Name of….” We know the rest but so often, we are unaware of what these few words signify as we invoke the Holy Name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Shakespeare asks the question in one of his plays: “What’s in a name?” And from a biblical perspective, especially Hebrew, there is a lot to be said.  For the ancient Hebrews a name was quite a bit more than just a means to identify a person ,i.e. Tom, Dick or Harry, rather it was a revelation of the essence of a unique human being or of God Himself.

    “What am I to tell the people of Israel?” asks Moses in the presence of the burning bush (a physical manifestation of the Presence of God).  The Lord reveals the Sacred Name, “I Am that I Am”, YHWH. Though mystical, mysterious it is nonetheless revealing, from it we may conclude that God has no beginning and no end.  That is quite enough for us to meditate on.  However, in the course of time, God continues to enlighten us about Who He is: “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him,” and, “I, and the Father will send you the Advocate, the Holy Spirit…”.

     Indeed how privileged we are to know Who God is, in spite of our puny minds, and His constant drawing us into the familial relationship of the Three Divine Persons.  A simple meditation on this Mystery can overwhelm our circuitry but what consolation we receive knowing that God loves us so much that He wants us to enter into the joy of the Most Holy Trinity.  

    On Monday, we commemorate those who have served our nation in the armed forces, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and also pray for all our departed loved ones.  Weather permitting Holy Mass will be offered in St. John’s cemetery at 9am.  In case of inclemency, we will move to St. Mary Magdalen Church.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in  Christ, 

The Great 50 Days have come to an end with the celebration of  the Solemnity of Pentecost. In  ancient Israel the people came to  God with the sheaves of their first  

harvest in thankfulness to God. Later, as they grew in  greater understanding of God’s love and concern for  them, they celebrated the giving of the Law, the Torah,  

the first Five Books of Moses. This became a great  feast wherein they made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as  they did for Passover (Pesach), again to celebrate the  blessings of God upon them. It is at this time that,  after the Ascension of Our Lord, the Mother of God,  The Apostles, and the disciples were gathered and  awaiting the promise of the Holy Spirit. 

The transformation to place from a huddled mass of  simple folk to a powerhouse of an evangelizing whirl wind. From timid to bold, from shy to on fire, they  who received the 7 fold gifts of the Holy Spirit could  not have imagined what God had in store for them.  By the hundreds, many were converted to Christ and  the Church flourished. Enlightened and emboldened  they left the comfort of the Upper Room to proclaim  the Good News–the Gospel to the world. 

How very much the world needs now a resurgence  of this Divine energy. The same Holy Spirit has come  upon us at our Confirmation. What is the difference?  Perhaps we are reluctant to cooperate with the grace  that the Holy Spirit brings. Grace needs a vessel in  which to operate and that vessel has to be free of  any impediments which would curtail the working of  grace. That is the crux of the problem today. Temerity, fear of rejection or offending, seems to be the  dam that prevents the flowing waters of the Spirit to  inundate the world. All of our recent pontiffs have  called for a new Pentecost and rightly so, but it can  only happen when we courageously open ourselves  to the power of the Holy Spirit and let Him lead us  where He wills. 

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    We are presently in the “in-between” days of the Church.  Our Lord Jesus has Ascended to the Father’s right hand and the infant Church has been weaned by Christ and like a fledgling bird is waiting to spread Its wings.  There is thunderous prayer arising from the Upper Room as Our Lady and the Apostles and disciples await the coming of the Advocate, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit.  There is excitement and anxiety as they wonder: “what will the future bring?”  Who of us has not gone through the same?  Just think of the many new and future graduates struggling with the same emotions.

   But infused with this questioning and uncertainty is the power of prayer.  The Church’s first novena is underway.  And the confidence that comes from bringing all things to Christ, even our trepidations, assures us that the future, which is always in God’s hands, will be beyond our expectations.   Did Peter ever think that he would end up, both literally and physically in Rome?  Did Paul ever anticipate taking Europe by storm?  We learn from and imitate the trust that the Mother of God and the followers of Christ placed in the power of prayer and the confidence that God will bring to fruition His purpose.  All we need to do is cooperate.  In these nine days between Ascension and Pentecost may we prepare our hearts for renewal especially in greater reverence and devotion to Christ in the Holy Eucharist.  In a special way we pray for our children who next Saturday will receive Our Divine Lord for the first time.  May they and their parents and family be filled with zeal and steadfast faith in coming to Christ, the Bread of Life.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Wednesday (Vigil) 5:30 St. Joseph’s, Rileyville

Thursday:

St. Mary Magdalen- 7:25 AM, 12:05 PM

St. Bernard’s, Beach Lake-5:30 PM

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we enter the beautiful month of May we honor, most especially, the most beautiful woman who ever existed, The Blessed Virgin Mary.  She epitomizes all that is good in God’s creation because of the pure and unlimited love she has for God and for us her children.  That love is particularly evident at the Annunciation.  Presented with the awesome request from God to be the mother of the Messiah, the Son of God, her momentarily hesitation is only because of her humility and incomprehension of the Lord’s plan.  Nonetheless she says yes, “fiat”, let it be.  We see in her response the two great virtues of love and obedience.

      Very often we may think love is based on how I feel, what I want, supposing we know what is the best for oneself. Obedience to whom? to what? does not matter as long as we are obedient to our own passions and whims.  How contrary this is to the example set before us by Mary.  Her yes to God, no matter what, is the course for us to follow but so often it becomes the struggle that surges in our lives. And this is what causes our anxiety and desperation.  Her loving obedience, though sometimes put to the test: the loss of Jesus when He was 12, the vitriol heaved upon Him by the authorities and unbelievers, the Passion, and the rejection to this present day does not shake her love and obedience.  There is an old adage: “We become what our mothers make us.”  We are so privileged to call Mary our Mother because through St. John, the Lord has entrusted her to us.  We, like him, welcome Mary into our home.

    This Sunday we crown her with flowers as a sign of our love and affection.  Flowers wilt and fade but true devotion and love are lasting.  And as she has spoken to us throughout the centuries, what has she always said?  Be obedient to my Son.  Let us renew our love to Mary and heed always what she has said.

     Remember that May 9th is the Solemnity of Our Lord’s return to the Father, the Ascension, a Holy Day of Obligation.  Mass times are in the bulletin and in two weeks time we will be celebrating First Holy Communion.  Please keep our children in your prayers.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

On this Fifth Sunday of Easter, He is Risen, Alleluia! Our Lord gives us another image to contemplate when He speaks of Himself as the True Vine. In the Hebrew Scripture, i.e., the Old Testament Israel itself is described as the vine that God has planted, and  in order to reinforce that image the facade of the  Temple in Jerusalem was adorned with a golden vine.  When struck by the morning sunrise it gleamed be yond imagining. With Christ the vine is no longer an artifice of man, but rather the work of God and man together. The Incarnate One, God and man, becomes the life-giving Vine that surpasses all others.  

The sap of the Vine is the grace that flows into all  who have been grafted into Jesus through Baptism  and the Sacramental life of the Church. What began  in the saving waters is fortified in the power of the  Holy Spirit in Confirmation, vivified in the reception  of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and proclaimed in the vocations of Holy Matrimony and Holy Priesthood, and healed in Reconciliation and anointing of the sick. Not only is Christ present to us but, most wonderfully, He is in us. 

This past Thursday, 27 young students made a commitment to follow Christ more selflessly when they  received the Sacrament of Confirmation at the hands  of Bishop Bambera. We pray that they will be ever faithful to the gifts bestowed on them by the Holy  Spirit and that they will enthusiastically give witness  to Christ and His Church. 

On Sunday, April 14th, 8 of our young parishioners received from Bishop Bambera the Diocesan Youth Awards. We congratulate them and encourage them to keep up the goodwork of service to the Church.  The recipients are: 8th graders, Sydney Busnel,  Abraham, Bella, and Vera Rickard; and seniors, Claire  Campen, Maria Maglione, Max Cummings, and Sawyer  Palmer. Thank you for representing our parish so well. 

With Blessings,

Father Langan 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     This Good Shepherd Sunday is always associated with the World Day of Prayer for vocations to the Priesthood.  You know only too well the shortage of priests in our country and how fortunate we are to have “missionary” priests from Ghana, India, South America and elsewhere to minister to the spiritual needs of Catholic Americans.  Many of the international priests sacrifice their homeland families and friends in order to lead us to the Kingdom of Heaven.   For their selflessness we are truly grateful.  But what about fostering and promoting young men from our own land and parishes to give their lives to Christ for the salvation of souls?

       Surely it is a life of sacrifice but it brings the greatest of joys and blessings  that the world cannot ever give.  How do we convince the young that this is a life worth living in being so very close to God.  Often it starts with proximity to the Altar.  Do you know, as I am told, that there was a time when our parish had 90 altar servers?  Unbelievable!  Now we have but a few and we are very proud that they are faithful and dedicated.  We constantly encourage and invite our youth to come forward to serve the Lord in this special way but something is prohibiting them.  Remember the words of our Lord:”..let the children come to me and do not hinder them.  To them belongs the Kingdom of God.”

     Closeness to the Altar is closeness to the Kingdom.  Where else would one want their sons to be?  The interest in a vocation to the priesthood begins when one is young,  Ask any priest.  So let us do our part to assure that there will be priests to serve His Church and His people by praying daily for vocations and encouraging young boys and men to give themselves to Christ Who has called them to be His own.

With Blessings,

Father Langan