Where Is Your Heart?

Dear SJF/OLC Pastorate Friends,

In the long form of this weekend’s Gospel (Lk 12:32-48 or 12:35-40), Jesus continues to remind us of his hope that we will see the value of heavenly treasures over earthly possessions. He says: “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” What do you hold near and dear to your heart? If we are honest in answering this question, we will have a very clear understanding of what our priorities are, of what is of most value or importance to us. The late Cardinal George of Chicago said something to the effect of the only treasures we can take with us to heaven are the treasures we give away on earth. So I would ask you to ponder this question: Do I treasure (aka love and serve) God with all of my heart, being, strength, and mind or are there other treasures I value more in this life? Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.

Now that August has arrived, it is only a matter of weeks before our school routines begin once again. There is a routine that hasn’t really recovered since the Covid pandemic began, and that is the return to Church for 30-40% of our pre-Covid Mass attendees. Some people certainly have some legitimate concerns being in large crowds, such as people who are immuno-compromised or have other serious health issues. However, if this is not you, then Fr. Jim and I, along with the pastoral staffs of both OLC and St. Jane Frances wish to personally invite you to return to the celebration and participation of the Mass on a weekly basis!

If you have been going to sporting events, or gathering with friends for parties, or travelling to on vacations, or going out to restaurants, then you have more than likely returned to a normal life. And thank God for that! But if returning to Mass has not been part of this return, then it is time. As Catholics, we believe that something very special and amazing happens every time we celebrate Mass. By the prayers of the priest and by the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine offered at each Mass becomes the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, just as Jesus told us it would whenever we do this in memory of him. You can’t receive Jesus in the Eucharist by watching the Mass from home. It’s just not possible.
 

So, I ask you to please share this letter with your family members and friends who have not yet returned to the weekly celebration of Mass and say to them that Fr. Steve and Fr. Jim (and Jesus as well) long to see them each Sunday at St Jane Frances and OLC, because without a doubt, we most certainly do have a treasure to give to you each week – the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist! May your heart long for this treasure! Thank you for keeping us in your daily prayers as we certainly do for each of you!

God Bless,
Father Steve

Lasting Treasures

My brothers and sisters,

For some reason, the desire for more and more seems to be imprinted in our fallen nature. Just like Adam and Eve, we are grasping, reaching out for more. We are not satisfied with what God has provided for us. But material goods cannot be the purpose of life for a Christian. They can never satisfy the longing we have in our heart.

Putting our energy into obtaining more wealth, power, and social status distracts us from our Christian mission of serving God and loving Him with all of our heart and spreading the Good News to our neighbor. While material things are not necessarily bad, letting them become “gods” is idolatry. We cannot put material things in the place of God in our life. Only the one true God can really bring us lasting peace and contentment. Any happiness derived from these worldly pursuits is temporary and leaves us empty.

Our treasures must be mercy, love, kindness, and charity. This is the wealth of God. When we pursue these, then we have heard our Lord’s message and are on the path of a true disciple. Then we will be truly rich in what matters to God.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Meet Fr. Jim

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

THANK YOU! I love being your Associate Pastor! Thank you for warmly welcoming me at Our Lady of the Chesapeake and St. Jane Frances. I’m very happy to be here and enjoy greeting you after Mass and getting to know you at parish events and other gatherings.

ABOUT FATHER JIM. If you’re looking for conversation starters, here’s a little about me... SPORTS.
Following in my late father’s footsteps, I’m a Baltimore Orioles and Washington (Redskins) Commanders fan. “Go Navy, Beat Army!” OUTDOOR HOBBIES: Fishing, hiking, camping, riding my bike, vegetable gardening, “driving in the country,” and exploring waterways. INDOOR HOBBIES: Home improvements, and cooking healthy & delicious food. I love spending time with my sons and daughter in law. I like history, and am enjoying learning about the history of the beautiful Pasadena Peninsula of our Pastorate. I love when you share with me something about yourself and your family, often leading us to discover things we have in common.

RAISING A FAMILY NEAR THE WATER. My wife Shirley and I raised our two sons in Cape St. Claire on the south side of the Magothy. I’ve been in the same house for 34 years, and I love walking two blocks to the community beach & dock to pray Evening Prayer when I’m home. Shirley and I enjoyed paddling the Magothy and south shore creeks in our 2-person kayak. My son, Michael, and I enjoy sailing the Magothy in our small sailboats, although he’s much more skilled than I am; he was on Broadneck High School’s Sailing Team. My son, Jeff, rowed crew in high school, sailed the Coast Guard’s tall ship Eagle from the Gulf Coast of Florida to north of Nova Scotia one summer, and has competed in the famous Na Pali Challenge Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Race off the Kauai Coast. And my daughter-in-law Julia, raised in Florida and Texas, is quite the fisherwoman!

SUNDAY’S GOSPEL. “Ask and you will receive.” (Luke 11:9). Why does it sometimes seem that God does not answer prayer? Because of our limited perspective. God answers EVERY prayer with one of two responses: 1. “Yes” (with perfect timing, which sometimes means waiting). or 2. “I have a better plan.” God always answers prayer from the perspective of eternity. “How much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" (Luke 11:13). Sometimes what we ask for in prayer will neither help us nor others get to heaven. Other times when we pray, we or our loved ones remain suffering. Yet there is a mysterious power of suffering for Christians: suffering leads to the cross, which leads to the resurrection. We no longer have to fear death—Jesus is Risen! Let our prayers lead to Jesus rising in our hearts.

Peace in Christ,
Father Jim

Welcome to the SJF/OLC Pastorate!

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

This weekend we are entering into a new era as we launch the Pastorate of St. Jane Frances de Chantal and Our Lady of the Chesapeake! I am very excited to be beginning my ministry as Pastor of St. Jane Frances while continuing as Pastor at Our Lady of the Chesapeake. As many of us know, our two communities were actually one community for many years, until the continued growth in Riviera Beach and Lake Shore led to the establishment of OLC in 1980. Now as times have changed, we are being invited to work together once again to continue the Church’s mission in our beloved communities. And we have lots of work to do!

We also welcome one of the newly ordained priests for our Archdiocese as our Associate Pastor, Fr. Jim Bors. Fr. Jim will be living at St. Jane Frances while I will be living at OLC, but our living arrangements do not mean we will not be present to both communities. After the first couple of weekends of introductions, Fr. Jim and I will be celebrating Masses at both parishes each week. The presider schedule will be posted on our websites for both parishes, so you will know who will be where each week (and we will know where to be as well!)

As we all know, there can be some uncertainty with change. We get used to the routines of the past and don’t always know what to expect in the future. I want to let everyone know at both parishes that it is my desire and prayer that this first year of our Pastorate will be one we all use to get to know each other and/or reacquaint ourselves once again, including a chance for Fr. Jim and I to get to know all of you at both parishes. Hopefully, we will be gathering together not only for Mass but also for social activities, and realizing that all of us love our Catholic faith and desire to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ by our words and deeds. I believe the first step in becoming missionary disciples to others is to become missionary disciples to each other, and begin the work of re-evangelizing our own family members and friends who have drifted away from our parishes over the past few years. So let’s begin to dream about the positive ways we can do this together!

This is the dawning of a new era, with its share of joys and challenges, but if we remain focused on our mission as disciples, and the fact that we are all members of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, then I believe the Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us down the path we are journeying together. Welcome to the SJF/OLC Pastorate!

God Bless,
Father Steve

Fr. Carl’s Farewell

NOTE: A Word From Our Pastor was initiated in May 2010 at the direction of Fr. Carl Cummings, and consisted of 636 weekly messages written by Fr. Carl and attending deacons as published in the parish bulletin. As of Fr. Carl’s retirment on July 1, 2022, the blog content will now be written by our new pastor, Fr. Steve Hook, and associate pastor, Fr. Jim Bors. Below is the last blog post written by Fr. Carl.

The Eucharist: Much More Than “Bread And Wine”

Brothers and Sisters,

This week we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ also known as the Feast of Corpus Christi. This celebration is a special opportunity to worship the Lord Jesus, the true and eternal Priest, who is really present in the sacrament of his Body and Blood. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, and the grace and divine life that Jesus gives leads to ever greater holiness and joy in this life and eternal salvation in the next.

In the gospel reading (Lk 9:11b–17), the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is a prefigurement of the Eucharist, in which Jesus continues to miraculously feed the crowds through offering us his body, blood, soul, and divinity under the form of bread and wine. The multiplication of the bread was a miracle for the people, and it still is today—a miracle that takes place every day on all of the altars of the world. The term for this miracle of changing the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood is called transubstantiation. And when the priest consecrates the body and blood of Jesus Christ on the altar, he stands “in persona” of Christ. He acts in the place of the Lord himself, for all of us. Jesus has no human body to do this, except for theirs, and that is why we need our holy priests. They are the treasure of our church.

Thank you Fr. Carl and all priests for your unselfish, loving service to the Lord and His people.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Love And Harmony

Dear Parishioners,

BRR… that’s what we sometimes say in the winter on very cold days. Yet we also say it in the summer in well air-conditioned places like movie theaters and restaurants. Recently, I heard the same about the church. Unfortunately, we are not able to vary the settings to change as the outside temperatures do, and as the day progresses the outside temperature rises; doors open and close; people come and go. So if you want to be comfortable, I advise you to bring a jacket or sweater to Mass. Last Sunday, it was a bit chilly during the 8:00 a.m. Mass, but by 10:00 it was comfortable. By the way, does anybody remember the 50s before air conditioning, when men wore coats and ties and ladies wore dresses and stockings? I do. But I also remember the Mass lasting only 40 minutes and being celebrated in Latin. They were certainly interesting times.

Perhaps you noticed I haven’t been around the last 3 weeks. I contracted the COVID virus and am now fully recovered. I wasn’t that sick; I only a bad cough and no fever. After my quarantine, I went on a scheduled 2-week vacation before returning to the parish. Currently, I am preparing to turn over the parish to Fr. Hook and welcome Jim Bors as the new resident priest. In the meantime, I will be packing, moving, and organizing for a turnover with Fr. Hook.

Last but not least, today we celebrate Trinity Sunday and the fact that our God is a Trinity of persons living in love and harmony with one another. Created in the image and likeness of God, that’s how you and I are supposed to live. Let’s pray for the grace to do just that.

Fr. Carl