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

Have you ever found yourself in a prayer rut?

Perhaps you’ve been saying the same prayers for so long you no longer pay attention to the meaning behind the words. Your prayer routine has become just that, routine. Though it is good to be in the habit of prayer, we must not lose the heart of our prayer.

Prayer is ultimately a relationship between us and God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God, in His goodness, has given us many forms of prayer. Our very lives can be prayers if we let them! Praying in a new way can help us learn about God in ways we have never considered before. If you need a prayer boost, try one of these suggestions! 

1. Amen – This simple prayer means “I believe.”

2. The Sign of the Cross

3. The Our Father

4. The Glory Be

5. The Jesus Prayer – “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

6. Read the Psalms (Start with Psalms 23, 46, and 51)

7. Do a prayer walk and pray for your neighbors as you pass by each home.

8. Prayer to the Holy Spirit – Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

9. Pray that many would hear the call to a vocation to the religious life.

10. Anima Christi

11. Listen to Christian music. Let the lyrics lead you in prayer.

12. Set an alarm to remind you to pray every day at 3 p.m. This is the Hour of Mercy. “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” You don’t have to pray an entire Chaplet; just pause to reflect on Christ crucified for our sins.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     One would think that after the glorious days of Easter things would slow down a bit.  Not at all! Coming up on the 25th of April, His Excellency Bishop Bambera will be here to Confirm our young parishioners, including those from St. Mary’s , Waymart and St. Thomas, Lake Ariel Please keep them in your prayers as they make their final preparations.  On Saturday May 18th we will celebrate First Holy Communion which is always such a beautiful day for God’s little lambs who receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.  Then, something that has never happened before and we are so privileged in Honesdale to once again welcome Bishop Bambera to ordain to the Holy Priesthood, Deacon William Asinari.  Because he is the only one being ordained this year our Bishop deemed it advantageous to have this unique celebration in Deacon’s home parish so that parishioners would be able to witness and participate in an Ordination Mass.  Because this is such a rare occurrence we hope that many of you will plan on being present for the Ordination on Saturday, June 29th at 10:00 AM and on the following day, Fr. Asinari’s First Mass at 10:30.

     During the summer months we have several weddings scheduled and then in the Fall we have the 100th anniversary of St. Bernard in Beach Lake.  That will take place on Sunday, September 29th at 10:30 AM.  Again our Bishop will be with us to offer the Mass and following we will have a celebratory dinner at Lukan’s.  Tickets will be available soon.  There are only 150 places so please make your reservations as soon as possible.

     Kindly mark your social calendars now and further information will be made available as we draw closer to those dates.

     In the closing words from our Lord in today’s Gospel, he reminds us that we are witnesses to all of this.  There is much to witness to in the days ahead may we be worthy disciples in doing so.

Christ is Risen, Indeed He is Risen, Alleluia.

Father Langan

Dear Brothers and Sisters in  Christ, 

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!  Never does this salutation gets old since it expresses the turning  point in world history that should  dominate all our hopes and  aspirations.

Today, Divine Mercy Sunday, completes the Octave of Easter, but reminds us that we are now in the Great  50 Days which will culminate on the Solemnity of  Pentecost. Of course prior to Pentecost we have the  Ascension of the Lord and the Novena to the Holy  Spirit. In these days of Eastertide we continue to  reflect on the wonders of our Lord’s Resurrection  and the budding life of the Church which was born  from the pierced Heart of Her Savior and Bride groom. The Church has always been imagined as the  Bride of Christ. He is the new Adam, the first born  of the new creation, and the Church symbolizes the  new Eve, created from His side. Just as God said  that in marriage the two become one flesh, so too  Christ and His bride, the Church, become one Mystical Body. Our Lord Jesus is the Head and we all are  members of the body by virtue of our Baptism. And  it is through the Sacramental Life of the Church that  the Body is ever nourished with life from her Savior  and Spouse.  

The Church, therefore, is meant to always be chaste  and pure, and Christ in His mercy has given the  remedy for that to be. As we contemplate the Easter  evening appearance in the Upper Room of the Risen  Lord and His Apostles, He immediately reconciles  them to Himself in the Shalom, Peace be with you,  and surprisingly enough He gives the power to those  who are weak themselves to forgive sins. There is no  end to the mercy of God and in a very special way  we celebrate this on Divine Mercy Sunday.  

Today at St. Mary Magdalen, beginning at 2;30 PM  we will have our Divine Mercy Service ( No Mass)  coupled with Padre Pio devotions (who better was  a dispenser of Mercy in our time than he). In the  Presence of the Blessed Sacrament we shall have  Divine Mercy prayers, Rosary, Chaplet, Eucharistic  Procession and Benediction. Come give thanks to  our Savior and Redeemer for the ever-flowing grace  of forgiveness from His Divine Heart. 

Again I would like to recognize and extend thanks to  all who made our Easter celebrations so beautiful and  memorable. Much effort has been put in behind the  scenes by parishioners who love their parish so much  and indeed thanks to all who were so generous in your Easter giving. May God reward you all abundantly.

With Blessings, 

Father Langan