Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

When our Blessed Lord became Incarnate by the power of the Holy Spirit and the conceived of the Virgin Mary He entered into the world of sensory perception.  In other words He assumed the use of the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.  These senses are the means by which human beings relate to the world around them.  These senses may be acute or dull or, sadly for some, non-existent (I am reminded of my blind grandfather). 

    Our Lord through His own senses would often teach using references to those things that would be familiar to His listeners.  People would then be able to relate to parables and stories with great attention and affirmation, nodding their heads and perhaps saying to himself: “how true, how true”.  Those parables and stories always evoked a truth even though they may have been the construct of the Divine Mind.  The people certainly got the message and as we know only too well many were not happy with it.

     Nonetheless, the message was grounded in reality.  Can we say the same for today?  Our senses have been and are bombarded with input much of which is fantasy.  Are we able to perceive the truths that the Lord wants us to understand and cherish?  Has our screen-time sapped us of really perceiving the beauty, the mystery, the depth of the real world?   In our Lord’s Day there were not the distractions that we have today.  The constant struggle is to stay focused on what really matters and that of course is not an easy task.  It takes a lot of effort.  One of the ways to do that is read the Mass readings BEFORE coming to Mass.  Take time to familiarize yourself with what Jesus is saying and to whom.  At the end of Mass, spend some moments in quiet contemplation before leaving church.  Let it all sink in.  Screen fatigue may then become less a strain on our well-being and our senses will flourish because they have been nurtured by what really matters– the Word of God among us.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Even as we come here to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the inestimable joy of the Holy Eucharist, the burdens of life may weigh heavy on our minds, our hearts, and our bodies.  We may be tired from working six days a week, or caring for our grandkids (as much as you love them, they have an energy hard to keep up with).  We may be anxious about the health of a family member.  We may be mourning the loss of a loved one.  We may be just plain weary, physically or emotionally. And we may be putting up a good front.  But Someone knows and that Someone is Jesus.

     In today’s Gospel Our Lord reaches out to the crowds, “Come to Me, all who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.  He is not only speaking to His contemporaries but to us as well.  No one knows us better than the Lord and yet  the very One we should be coming to is sometimes considered a burdensome obligation.  Our rest, our regeneration can only be found in Him.  Sure it takes some effort on our part but the reward of being in His Presence and having that Presence enter into us is beyond measure.

      Summer days are enjoyed because we long for sunshine and warmth.  There is no greater light or warmth than that which comes from the Light of Christ.  Come to Him Who longs for you and find the rest you deserve.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Nothing we do goes unnoticed by God, even the simplest acts of kindness. Among some religions this is often referred to as hospitality. Whenever we go beyond ourselves to meet the needs of others we are fulfilling the merciful works of the Lord. This is quite obvious in our own parish outreach. No one who contributes or assists in the regular distribution of food or clothing is ever looking for a “reward”. Their volunteering is a sacrifice of time and effort in order to alleviate the burdens of others. Even though they may be carrying their own crosses they help to carry the crosses of others. What a wonderful living example of today’s Gospel.

And what is the reward? Simply knowing how pleased God is with you. The day will come when He Who sees all will reveal the reward for which you have unknowingly worked. “Store up your treasure in Heaven, says the Lord.” And indeed the good work our volunteers and donors have done may be surprised to see the great mound of their accomplishments for others.

As we prepare to celebrate our Independence Day from tyranny let us be thankful to God for the many blessings we have received as a free people But let us also be vigilant that the cherished gifts may also be lost if we forget the Author of all true freedom, God Himself. Sadly, in our day many have confused and obfuscated what freedom is and instead have sought to replace it with a chaotic license to do whatever one so desires. Was this not the origin of the Fall? Freedom and virtuous living go hand-in-hand, and without this symbiotic relationship there will surely be a collapse. As we celebrate the 4th let us be mindful of what God has given and for which many gave their lives.

God Bless and Have a Happy 4th of July,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Sorry to shock you but do you realize we are nearly half-way through the year 2023? What brings to  mind the rapidity of time passing is the feast of the  birth of John the Baptist on June 24th. Guess what just 6 months away is?  John’s Nativity always falls near to the summer solstice therefore there is always a connection between the cosmos and salvation history. John comes to prepare the way of the Lord. He is the immediate evangelizer of the long awaited Promise that God made with Adam and Eve. In a sense, he is like the rising sun that draws people out of dark ness and prepares them to enter into the Light. He, of course, is not the Light. And just like the zenith  of the sun (the longest days of daylight) he begins to  wane as we await a far greater Light, Jesus Christ. 

Near December 25th the daylight begins to return and the days get longer. We long for the sunlight  and we long even more for the Light of the world.  Whereas John shone brightly for a time then faded  away, but Christ Who is our Light never diminishes.  Why? Because He shines through all of His believers.  As we revel in earthly light in these halcyon days of summer let us more importantly bask in the light of our Savior. A most effective way of doing that is spending time in Eucharistic Adoration. On the Solemnity of Corpus Christi we had a glorious display  of Faith as we processed around St. John’s. How wonderful it would be to continue that display of Faith by dedicating a weekly Holy Hour in our chapel.  We have several hours that need to be covered. If  you are open to receiving an outpouring of God’s  special grace please contact the parish office and  make the commitment to be with our Lord and let  His Light shine in you. 

With Blessings, 

Father Langan

The Scripture Study Class scheduled for this evening has been postponed until next Tuesday which will be the last session.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

From today to the end of November, we celebrate a  nearly unbroken string of Sundays in Ordinary Time.  However, let this not convey a misunderstanding that  

nothing “special” happens until Advent. Ordinary Time  is merely the counting of Sundays outside the climatic  seasons of Christmas and Easter and their preparatory seasons of Advent and Lent. It is the time to delve  into the earthly life of our Lord between His birth  and death and to more appreciate our response as  His disciples.

In the Gospel today He declares that: “the Kingdom  of Heaven is at hand.” With that declaration He  chooses the Twelve and begins to send them out to  make it known. We indeed believe that the Kingdom  is at hand and it is up to us to continue the work the  Chosen ones were commissioned to do. We must  never forget or diminish the fact that we are the  Chosen here and now. And by the power of God’s  grace the Kingdom of Heaven will advance depending  on the good work we do. 

Many unsung Chosen advance the Kingdom in ways  we may not see but their efforts and service are fundamental to the building up of the Kingdom. Think of  all the particular ministries in this parish. We depend upon so many who selflessly employ their God-given talents to serve and build up the Faith. For all of them, we are endlessly grateful.

I am especially grateful to all who prayed so earnestly for my speedy recovery; I only wish I had the time to thank all of you personally for your prayers, good  wishes, beautiful cards and tasty gifts. I am most appreciative.  

Also, this is the time of year when many young  people are making important transitions in life, i.e.  graduation. We as a parish extend our best wishes to them and hope they play a vital part in extending the  Kingdom of the Lord. 

And finally, we entrust to the Lord all of our fathers  those living and those called home to God. May the  Lord give those among us the grace to image our  Heavenly Father’s love and mercy, understanding and  compassion. May they have the wisdom and strength  necessary to provide and guide those entrusted to  their care. 

With Blessings, 

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.”  These words of an ancient Eucharistic hymn convey the sentiments and Faith that we express on this Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Sometimes there is the danger to take for granted the most awesome gift God has bestowed upon us. And there are those who even today echo the sceptics who rejected the  Words of the Savior: “unless you eat My Flesh and  drink My Blood you will have no life within you.” The Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, indeed challenges the faith of many, but  what is Faith after all if not the humble acceptance of  God’s command. Jesus Christ invites us into the Mystery of His Real Presence. He beckons us to partake of His Resurrected Body that cannot be contained by time nor space. The Holy Eucharist effects a union with Him, The Father and the Holy Spirit which pre pares us for eternal life. Heaven resides in us right now through the workings of this Most Precious gift. 

How then do we approach this most glorious union?  Too often, our approach may be too casual. As we enter church our attention and affection should first be drawn to The Presence of our Lord in the tabernacle. As we bless ourselves and genuflect we are not performing rote rituals but rather are making a declaration of Faith. In other words, we are saying,  “I believe Lord that you are here and that you promised to come to me, I therefore come for you. This outward declaration of one’s faith by silent word and  action gives witness to others that we adore the God  Who has humbled Himself to dwell among us.  

Secondly, we consider the state of our souls as we present ourselves before Him. We know, or should  know, that if we are not in the state of grace we need  to refrain from the reception of Holy Communion  until we have made things right with God through a  good Confession. It would be insulting to family and friends if we invited them to our home which looks  as if a cyclone has passed through. How much more would it be an insult to God if our soul was in disorder by the chaos of sin. If we have not been coming  to Mass because other things have been deemed by  us as “more important” than God, such as shopping,  entertainment, athletics, then what are we saying  about the importance, or lack thereof, of the Holy  Eucharist in our lives?  

We remember the encounter that Our Lord had with the disciples on the road to Emmaus on Easter Sunday afternoon. At first they were prevented from recognizing Jesus until it came to the “Breaking of the Bread”– the Holy Eucharist once again, the second  time since the Last Supper. And what was the reaction of those disciples:  “Were not our hearts burning within us?” Let it be the same with us. Let us burn with longing to receive worthily Our Lord. Let us come to adore Him this day and any day possible to be possessed by God and not the distractions of this  world.  Come and experience true freedom from the only One Who can set you free and provide for you already a taste of heaven. 

With Blessings,

Father Langan 

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