Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We approach this week the two days that remind us of the tri-level nature of the Church: the Saints in Heaven, the saints-in-purification, and of course the saints-in-making, namely us here on earth. When in the Creed we profess our faith in the Communion of Saints, it is exactly this to which we are referring. Two of these levels are part of the invisible reality of the Church. What is so remarkable is that we are in a constant state of helping and relating to each other.

 Those in Heaven are eager to intercede for us before the throne of God. On rare occasions there are even times when they are visible to us. We think of our Blessed Mother’s apparitions through the centuries. It is less likely that the souls in Purgatory may visit us, but there have been instances when in their desire for prayers and sacrifices they have been known to encounter us. Of course, we don’t look for such encounters, but if it is for God’s good purpose who could object.

We keep up our connections by our rosaries, our novenas, and our devotions to our favorite saints. And for those in anticipation of heavenly glory, we offer most especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in order to expiate their time in Purgatory so that they may welcome us and intercede for us when our time to make the Passover has come. How beautifully  Our Lord has designed His Church and may our celebration of All Saints and All Souls enliven our faith and point us on the way to Heaven.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

October 18-19

Dear  Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Today is World Mission Sunday on which funds are collected to be distributed by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith for the spreading of the Gospel.  Recent pontiff’s have continually reminded us that we are all in a sense missionaries for it is our privilege to make Christ known to all whom we encounter.  There are, of course among us, who go the extra measure in serving the Church as missionaries who leave home and families to serve peoples in the remote corners of the world.  Our present Holy Father, Pope Leo was one of them.

    Very often these missionaries find themselves in very precarious assignments.  First, there is the necessity of learning a foreign language, and then adapting to a different culture, and the deprivation of amenities one has grown accustomed to in their own native land.  Sacrifices to be sure.  Many times these missionaries are thrust into place of dire poverty and even resistance to hearing the proclamation of the Good News.  We, by our prayers and generous contributions, become their lifeline.  

   Over the course of time, we reap the benefits of the good seeds sown by our charitable giving. Those who were the recipients of the missionaries’ selfless works are now missionaries to us and how tremendously grateful we are to them.  Please cooperate in the Church’s missionary work by your generous response to today’s special collection.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

October 4-5

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     How very brazen is the prophet Habakkuk when he calls out to God and scolds the Lord for not listening to his cries! We would not be so bold or would we? When things don’t go our way or we are perplexed by the “insanity” in the world around us we may have a similar response though not so dramatic.  Generally, in this day and age people like the prophet shut down, tune out, or just don’t care.  There is a lot of that going around.  The “silence” of God often leads to despair.

    But deep down we know that God is not silent, it’s just that we are not listening.  The encounter with God is in the still, small voice that we often miss because of the raging sirens around us.   How, then, do we extract ourselves from the endless cacophony?  

   Perhaps the best way of all is spending time SILENTLY before the Blessed Sacrament in our Eucharistic Chapel or even some moments of prayer following Holy Mass to contemplate the awesome wonder of the Lord Jesus Christ entering our humble, broken human flesh.  This mystical commingling prefigured in the Offertory Rite of the Mass when the priest or deacon pours  drops of water into the wine while preparing the chalice is rich for contemplation and meditation.  Perhaps it is rarely given a thought but its significance is profound.  God is commingling with lil’ ol’ me. Can you believe it?  You must, because that is why Jesus came.  Silence is the only way we can come to appreciate what Christ has done for us and it is in that sacred silence that we are preserved from despair and doubt realizing that God is God and we are not.

     In this respect life month of October, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, may we increase our efforts to promote the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death, praying for the conversion of hearts.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

September 27-28

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Autumn has sneaked up on us and perhaps we are not quite ready for the jackets, scarves and hats but time moves on whether we are ready for it or not.  With the seasonal change we often find ourselves in a mood change as well,from being out in the sunshine to being inside with the warmth.  And how blessed we are to have that secure warmth and protection.  Unfortunately, there are those among us who do not have that same security like poor Lazarus whom we encounter in today’s Gospel.  It wasn’t so much that Dives, (the rich man), was belligerent to Lazarus, he was not.  But the sad circumstance was that the poor man was ignored.

    Not recognizing a fellow human being in distress or danger is becoming more and more the tragedy of our day.  Acknowledging the dignity of every living person is the foundation of our moral life as followers of Jesus Christ. Dare we ever ignore a brother or sister in need?  Of course not.  So we examine our conscience and review the many ways we can and must reach beyond ourselves. Our Annual Appeal for the Ministries of our diocese is one of the important ways for our outreach. Another way is joining in prayer for the unborn child and his/her parents.  We have the wonderful opportunity to do so with our Rosary Rally next Saturday, October 4th in Central Park.  We begin with Mass and devotions at 11AM in St. Mary Magdalen Church after which we proceed to the Park for our public witness that we are disciples for LIfe.  Come join us as we respect the most vulnerable among us and pray for their life and their future.

With Blessings,

Father Langan