Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Our Knights of Columbus are hosting the traveling icon of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The icon is traversing our nation in an effort to foster devotion and to beseech our Lord to bring peace

and unity to our beloved country. Our celebration will be a holy hour in St. Mary Magdalen Church, be-ginning at 7:00PM on August 7.  Special prayer books will be distributed to guide us in our prayer. Please invite as many people as you like from within or outside of our parish to this blessed event.

On the weekend of August 9 & 10, we will participate in our annual mission appeal. We will welcome two priests from Tanzania in Africa to relate to us the good work that we may assist with our prayers and donations.

And just to remind you, the work on our sister parish, St. Anthony’s in the Diocese of Sunyani (Fr. Domi-nic’s diocese) has reached the halfway mark of completion. The parish is in need of $20,000 dollars (US)to finish the construction. If you are able to assist in this important work please make your donations assoon as possible. Checks should be made out to St. John the Evangelist Church. Our office will make the transfer of funds to St. Anthony’s.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

The 10:30 Sunday Mass will take place at St. Mary Magdalen Church until Labor Day.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It seems that a number of our fellow citizens have become “fast-food junkies”; at least that is what has been reported by social media. From time to time we have all succumbed to the arches, or the pig-tailed little girl, or the crown. You know what I mean. The rapid pace of life has pushed us there. This observation is not an indictment against these institutions, but rather a reflection on how accelerated our lives have become. For instance, have you noticed, especially on newscasts, how quickly people speak anymore? Our mouths are faster than our thoughts and rather than focus on what has been said we tend to drift and thus miss what really is being conveyed.

Poor Martha found herself in a similar situation in today’s Gospel. She missed what our Lord was saying because of her hectic life. Her preoccupation with getting things done, which were out of genuine charity, caused her to miss out on encountering the very Source of charity Himself.

Certainly, progress in spiritual growth is a sane balance between the active and contemplative dimensions of life. We are indeed called to be both Martha and Mary in our pursuit of Christ. And so it begins with discernment: “how do I balance the two?” First, we slow down; second, we practice silence; third, surrender: “here I am Lord. Do with me what YOU will.” These are very simple steps but it really is a challenge to bring them into a healthy practice. Pray, asking our dear Lord and His Mother to show us the way.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Why is loving so hard?  Perhaps because things get in the way.  And what are those obstacles that prevent the vulnerability to love? Fear.  Fear of rejection, fear of being thought naive, stupid, opportunistic, a whole slew of things most of which are imagined. Love so often demands that we expose our wounds, Just as Jesus did and that is frightening. So the response for most is that it is best to avoid getting too involved, just limit relationships especially when we can stay in control.

    But as Moses laments in the First Reading today; “If only we would heed the voice of the Lord…”  And what is that summons but to love the Lord with our WHOLE heart, soul and mind.  Is it possible?  With God  all things are possible. The Lord  longs  for the “whole” of us and that means surrender and when the surrender on our part happens the ecstasy begins.  What is this ecstasy? God and I are one.  What more could we frail creatures hope for?

    So take some time to review what obstacles may be impeding your spiritual growth.  Remember that the month of July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Christ.  Ask Him to cover you in this elixir, washing away your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and preparing your heart to love Him with everything you got.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Today, on this Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we have the opportunity to reflect on the wisdom of God AND His humor!  For how odd it is of God to choose these two!  I say this not with any disrespect but rather with the understanding that the grace of God can and does perfect the lot of us.  Peter, the impulsive fisherman, who had a very limited and parochial view of the world is chosen to feed the lambs of Christ.  Talk about being out of one’s league.

    And Paul, a fiery persecutor and irascible Pharisee, travels, despite every possible hardship, to bring the Good News of Christ to the world.  These two pillars of the Church had such questionable backgrounds but God chose them to do His will.  And what even may be just as strange if not stranger He chose us.  Though we are not called to the same mission as these we are nonetheless chosen to do God’s will with the grace and wisdom He bestows on each and every one of us.

     The question may be: “Well what exactly is God choosing me to do?”    The answer can only be found through prayer and surrender.  This indeed may be a frightful exercise in our spiritual reckoning but to avoid it only results in a diminished appreciation of who we are and what God’s purpose is for us.  Discernment under spiritual guidance and direction is an absolute necessity if we earnestly desire to please God and ourselves.

    Let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as the two young men are who have been ordained on Saturday.  May we support them with our prayers.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

This weekend is the Peter’s Pence Collection, a worldwide collection that supports the work of the Universal Church, including the work of the Holy See and the charitable works of Pope Francis. Take this opportunity to join with Pope Leo to be a sign of mercy to our suffering brothers and sisters. Please be generous.

Little Bethlehem will be in our Parish this weekend displaying their carved olive wood religious items which will be for sale after the 5:30 vigil Mass and after 7:30 and 10:30 Masses.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Though we have returned to the season of Ordinary Time and the “wearing of the green”, we have celebrated and will celebrate today the second of the two Dogmatic Solemnities that are the bedrock of our Faith. Today is Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Christ Solemnity.   Again we approach this Mystery with awe and wonder and perhaps ask ourselves: “does God really love us this much that He condescends to be the Bread of Life for our spiritual and physical nourishment?”   I guess He does. And that should bring us to our knees in humble thanksgiving and gratitude. 

     As Catholics and with our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Churches we have the unique privilege to partake of the very Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for which others could only hope.  In order to be a  true Sacrifice there must be a priesthood which is guaranteed by Apostolic Succession, possessed only by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.  Therefore our reverence and devotion to the Holy Eucharist must be of ultimate respect.  We genuflect or bow before our Eucharistic Lord upon entrance into His Presence in Church.  We refrain from unnecessary talking because of our recognition that He is here.  We humbly receive Him upon our tongues or upon the throne of our hands held before our hearts and consume this precious gift before we leave the Altar. Sometimes we can become a little bit careless in these things and Corpus Christi is always a good time to renew our behavior in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

     This Solemnity is also a good time to renew our earnest prayers for an increase of vocations to the Holy Priesthood.  Remember: “no priest, no Eucharist”,  So it is incumbent on all to pray daily that God will choose holy men to serve His people as priests.

      The Holy Eucharist is of course the most intimate means by which we are united to God, individually, and to one another collectively. That is why one must be in union with the Church in order to receive our Lord.  And, of course, in order to receive Him we must be in the state of grace, that is, without mortal sins.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession), assures us that we are properly disposed to receive our Lord in Holy Communion.

    As we participate in the Corpus Christi celebrations we recall these teachings of the Church and renew the joy we have in knowing that He is here.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     Having made the transition from Eastertide to Ordinary Time (this is the 11th week in O.T.), the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity initiates where we will be going throughout the coming days.  All things unfold through our understanding, limited though it be, of Who God is and how close He desires to be with us.  One God, Three Divine Persons, co-equal, co-eternal: Father, Son (Who took on our humanity) and Holy Spirit (ever moving amongst us) is the Supreme Being Who fashioned each one of us a to figure Him out but St. John’s beautiful words; “God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him.”

      When we make this our meditation our understanding of God becomes ever more intense.  We realize Who we are drawn into and how daily we are called to mold our lives as He Who made us.  The Son has shown us how.  The Spirit infuses us with the necessary gifts.  And the Father waits for us to come to Him, not just in the future but here and now.

       Congratulations to our fifteen newly Confirmed young parishioners. May they be true to their Faith all their lives.

          And blessings of strength and wisdom upon our fathers on their special day.

With Blessings,

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

      The Great Fifty Days now culminate with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  This feast of ancient Israel was a celebration of God’s blessings upon His people with the first fruits of the Spring harvest.  Like Passover, the faithful would bring their sacrificial gifts to the priests for blessing and thanksgiving and rejoice that God had “multiplied” their good work with an abundance.   Now, at the New Christian Pentecost, the seeds that were planted by Christ in His Sacred Passover bear fruit, not with grains and produce, but with human beings who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.  Our forebears in the Faith are the new harvest and it continues to be cultivated by the Eternal Word of God, being enlightened by It and nourished by His Sacred Body and Blood.  We are therefore in a continuous Pentecost until the end of time.  The Holy Spirit, Whom the Father and the Son have sent, endlessly motivates, advocates, generates, protects, guides and directs the Church, ever sanctifying Her in the mission of spreading the Gospel.  This work of the Holy Spirit invigorates us both collectively and individually as we put into practice the 7-fold gifts bestowed upon us at our Confirmation.

     Today, at the, 10:30 Mass we rejoice with and for our young parishioners who commit themselves  to living the Christian life and accepting the responsibility of being more perfect witnesses to Jesus Christ.  May they flourish in His sight as we assure them of our prayers and support.

    We extend congratulations and hopeful encouragement to all those who have graduated these past weeks.  May they be open to receiving God’s inspiration for their future, keep them safe from harm, and faithful to Christ at all times and in all places.

     We shall conclude our celebration of the Great Fifty Days with the celebration of Solemn Vespers on Pentecost evening in St John’s.  Rosary will be prayed at 3:30 and Vespers and Benediction will follow.

With Blessings,

Father Langan