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 

There will be a Mass celebrated on Saturday, March 25, 8 A.M. at St. Mary Magdalen Church for the Solemnity of the Annunciation.

Confessions are cancelled tomorrow (3/18). Faith Formation students will be receiving the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.

March 18-19

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     We have arrived at the midpoint of Lent, Laetare Sunday.  Some also refer to this as Rose Sunday because of the brighter color of vestments.  We are joyfully leaving behind the dark days of winter and welcoming the greater daylight of spring (even if the snow doesn’t know when to stop).  Both the seasonal and liturgical phenomena intersect as we make our way to Jerusalem.  There our Blessed Lord will bring to fruition the purpose of His coming among us, i.e., to set us free from sin and death.

     The Gospel today very much illustrates the progression from darkness into light with the healing of the blind man.  The mysterious command of the Lord to go wash in the pool of Siloam reminds us that we too were once in darkness.  In the waters of baptism, we came into the Light and that light is Christ Himself.  As He says:” I am the Light of the world.” 

       Throughout our lives we need to allow the Light of Christ to permeate our human condition.  All too often people prefer the darkness.  Why?  Maybe they are too afraid to see themselves in the Light of their Savior; or, maybe they have a comfortability with their sins and refuse to change for the better.  For them life has pretty much hit a dead end.  Terribly sad.  Nonetheless, it does not hamper our efforts to radiate the Light of Christ that is in us.  If through sin and self-centeredness, we have dimmed that holy Light there is always the Sacrament of Confession that will give a good polish to our souls and let the Light shine once again.  Laetare! Rejoice!  we are half way there.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

March 11-12

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are well aware that Lent provides us with an important time to evaluate our life in the light of Christ and His teachings, but it also makes us focus on what  He has done for us personally. First, we are fashioned in His and the Father’s image and likeness thus giving  us life. Secondly, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we  become a new creation through the waters of Baptism in the womb of Mother Church. Did you realize  that the Baptismal Font symbolizes both a tomb and  a womb. It is where we “die” to this world and rise  with Christ to the promise of eternal life. Whenever you are in Church contemplate the Baptismal Font.  There God has fulfilled His promise to you, that He  would send a Savior to free you from sin and prepare  a place for you in His eternal kingdom. 

When we prepare our children for the Sacrament of their First Confession the Font plays a primary role in their understanding of their journey in the Faith.  Baptism, of course, happens only once, but because God in His mercy continues to offer us salvation and freedom from sin, we are able through the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation to once again enjoy the innocence attained at our Baptism. Oh how great and merciful is the Lord! 

In both the account of Exodus and the Gospel of today there is thirst for water. Surely, there is the need for the element that sustains life. That is, the natural and physical yearning. However, there is another thirst and that is for the mercy of God. We cannot live without either one. That which sustains us for the earthly journey also symbolizes the thirsting for unity with Him Who made us. Christ brings us the waters of life. 

As we examine our consciences during this holy season ask yourself, what are you thirsting for? Does the burden of sin keep you dry and lifeless? Where are the refreshing waters to be found? Where is the joy of life to be restored? It is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

With Blessings, 

Father  Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Sometimes we forget and sometimes we forget big time. That is how I see it when it comes to the “forgetfulness” of Peter, James and John post-Trans figuration. Our Blessed Lord, in order to lessen the trauma of His Passion upon the disciples, gave them a glimpse of the glory that is to come with His Resurrection from the dead. In the chaos that began with the arrest in Gethsemane, it seemed that there was a blacking-out on the part of the disciples who were privileged to encounter the divinity of Jesus on Tabor.  How could something as glorious as the Transfiguration slip their minds? Perhaps on a lesser scale, the same thing happens to us.  

In the midst of trials and difficulties, we too forget the glorious manifestations of God’s goodness. May be we have become too screen-occupied and fail to appreciate the real beauty of human beings and the natural world we live in. How strange it is that we have allowed the artificial world to consume our time and attention. Lent provides a great opportunity for us to re-direct and re-focus our hearts and minds.  The method for achieving this is prayer and meditation. Having recently climbed Mt. Tabor with my fellow pilgrims, I can assure you that there was plenty of time for meditation and appreciation of the natural world. Jesus very specifically chose that setting to remind us that it is His world, which He has offered to us. Certainly, that is quite contrary to the deceiver’s, i.e., Satan’s, audacity in “attempting” to offer the world to Our Lord in last Sunday’s account of the temptation in the desert. Satan tries to pull the same stunt on us in trying to make us forget the wonders of God’s love and mercy, the two things that transfigure us and the world. A solid and well-disciplined prayer life helps us to avoid the scoundrel’s attack on the serenity of our souls. Unlike the three disciples chosen to encounter the Transfigured Lord, let us happily recall the glorious moments that He has allot ted us even when things seem bleak. Why? Because Christ was victorious, and we shall be as well. 

With Blessings, 

Father Langan

Catholic Daughters, Court St. Martin #418 will be holding a Manhattan Clam Chowder Pre-Order Sale on March 10 at the garage at St. Mary’s Parking Lot from 11:00 A.M to 2:00 PM.  Please place your order by contacting Rosaria Vlacich at 570-470-8438 .  Quantities are limited.