Love One Another

Dear Parishioners,

Jesus gives us a new commandment, to love one another as he loves us (John 13:31-33a, 34-35). Being commanded to “love” is difficult for us to understand. Yet, God’s grip on us and Jesus’ command of theology is supreme. God’s love, goodness and mercy knows no limits.

A child afraid to cross a busy street, and standing beside his mother cried for the mother to hold his tiny hand. Mom’s arms were already full so she told the child to reach up and take hold of her outstretched finger. But the child refused to cross the street even with the offer of the mother’s finger to hold. The child protested, “I don't want to hold your hand, I want you to hold my hand.” Mom rearranged her load, and offered her child a full hand into which the child’s hand slipped confidently. And together they crossed the busy street.

You may meet someone fearful of the busyness and chaos in this world and in need of Christ’s love. Why not take their hand and help them to safely cross to the other side?

- Deacon Robert

“No prayer is ever lost.”
~ The Cure D’Ars

Pray for Our Shepherds!

Dear Parishioners,

I hope you and your families all had a joyful Easter and were able to relax a bit during Easter week. This weekend we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, and rejoice in the fact that we have Jesus as our good shepherd who will give us eternal life and never allow us to perish. This year the Catholic Church on earth has a new shepherd, Pope Francis, who never tires of asking people to pray for him. Of course, between Pope Benedict’s resignation and the election of Francis, there were worries and some apprehensions concerning the future. That’s part of the human condition when any flock is without a shepherd.

Last Monday, April the eighth, the shepherd of our school, Michelle Jones, informed me she and her husband, the principal of Arthur Slade School, were not renewing their contracts. Right now, I imagine there are some concerns and worries here at St. Jane Frances. There need not be. I have formed a search committee to look for a new principal, contacted the Archdiocese to put an ad in the Catholic Review and on the archdiocesan website, and am meeting with human resources to help in our search and selection process. Our school is blessed with great, dedicated, and loyal teachers, has an outstanding curriculum, and has the best STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program in the Archdiocese. This year, thanks to a new online registration program, we are ahead of last year’s enrollment numbers. While Mrs. Jones’ leadership, hard work, and dedication will be missed, I am not worried at all and quite confident that our school will continue to be a beacon of academic excellence in Pasadena and the surrounding areas. In the meantime, like Pope Francis, I ask for your prayers for the school, the new principal, and the pastor.

- Fr. Carl

Follow Me

Dear Parishioners,

After each of the three times Jesus asked Peter to profess his love, Jesus said, “Feed my lambs… Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep.” Jesus said so much more than the words, “I forgive you.” Jesus gave Peter a ministry. He trusted him again with responsibility, leadership, and care of the Church. And then he said again, the very first words Peter ever heard him say to him, “Follow me.”

If Jesus can forgive Peter for his failures and restore him to great usefulness, both to his fellow man and to God, why can’t he do the same for us? Our risen Lord knows about your past, but you still have a future with him. He rose from the grave to tell us that he still loves us and still has a place of service for each and every one of us. And maybe, like Peter and all his disciples from so very long ago, you will recognize him, hear his voice, and accept his forgiveness. All it takes is your “yes” to accept your ministry and follow him.

- Deacon Robert

The Easter Octave and Divine Mercy

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy), which falls at the end of the Octave (8th day) of Easter. Today, we fail to understand the importance of an octave. In the Old Testament, there were many feasts that lasted 8 days. The last day was always considered the greatest day—the grand finale. The early days of the Church celebrated many octaves. Today, there are only two—Christmas and Easter. The greatest is Easter with even the weekday Masses being the greatest feast, a solemnity, during which the Gloria is recited. At the end of the Easter Octave, a special gift is available—a plenary indulgence (remission for all temporal punishment due to sin). All that’s needed is for the person to attend Mass on the Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) are the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff), and recite in any church the Our Father, the Creed, and add a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you). For the plenary (full) indulgence, a person must be completely detached from affection to sin, even a venial sin. Still a partial indulgence will be granted to those who at least, with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.

- Fr. Carl

Happy Easter!

Dear Parishioners,

HAPPY EASTER! Now that the somber season of Lent is complete, our time of penance gives way to the joy of the resurrection. Death gives way to new life and darkness is replaced by light.

Last night in the darkened church, I raised the Paschal Candle with its solitary flame, and sang, “The light of Christ.” From that one candle others were lit so that when I reached the altar, the church was bathed with light. Similarly, when Jesus came into the world, evil was rampant and God seemed to be absent. However, our Lord’s death and resurrection was the flame that has spread light and life back into the world. Unfortunately, sin still remains and evil still tries to extinguish the light of Christ. The temptations of materialism, individualism, hedonism, and relativism are very much a part of our culture, trying to block out the light of Christ. Let us look to Jesus and his bride, the Church, to lead us to truth and eternal happiness.

May you and your families have a Blessed and Happy Easter.

- Fr. Carl

We cannot save ourselves

Palm Sunday

Anytime we hear a narrative from one of the Gospels, we have a fundamental choice to make. Will we simply listen to the story, or will we take the more challenging step and find ourselves in the story.

Who among us doesn’t want to see ourselves as the champion of righteousness and doer of good? But then it happens. Stepping into this story, we realize that, come Friday, we are part of an angry mob, unaware of God’s love for us and our need for grace.

Like the waiting Father, God’s love rushes to us because God knows we cannot save ourselves. So as you make your way through this week we call “holy,” dare to step into this story and hear from the depths of your soul the telling of God’s great love for the likes of you and me. With open hands and a willing heart, with deep humility and overwhelming gratitude, receive from God the gift of life eternal that God offers us through His only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, our Savior and Redeemer.

- Deacon Robert

Embracing Our Mission

Dear Parishioners,

Those of you who were at Mass last weekend know that we have started a project with the Archdiocese called Embracing Our Mission. It’s a capital campaign to address some needs here in the parish and throughout the archdiocese. I welcome this opportunity as it gives me a chance to meet with a number of you to share the vision of our parish and the archdiocese. But more importantly, it gives me an opportunity to get to know a number of you in a more personal way, other than a friendly greeting at the church doors, on the parking lot, or in Lauer’s. So far, I have met with a small number of couples who have, in the course of our meeting, shared a bit of their personal history including their faith experiences. I have found it to be a very beautiful and humbling experience. I look forward to many more such meetings. Obviously I can’t meet with everyone, so I have recruited some volunteers in the initial phase of the campaign, but will need more in the future. We will let you know when. In the meantime, when you get a call, please be kind. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know some of your brother and sister parishioners. Although our goal is significant, I am very confident we will not only reach it, but surpass it. You are a faith-filled and generous people. In the next few months, I ask you to pray for the success of our campaign.

Finally, as Lent comes to an end, we hear the gospel of the woman caught in adultery and the great mercy Jesus extends to the woman (John 8:1-11). You, too, can encounter the mercy of Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Come with your family on Wednesday evening from 7-8:30pm, Saturday from 3:30-4:30pm, or call the rectory for a private appointment. Also, please pray that those who have been away from the Church for a long time will come back home to Jesus.

- Fr. Carl