Fond Farewell

Dear Friends of Pastorate of the Visitation,

It’s hard to believe that the first two years of my priesthood are coming to a close at my beloved first priestly assignment here at St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake. Thank you for welcoming me, inviting me into your homes, developing friendships, and just wanting to talk. You have greatly blessed me. I am thankful to God for you, and I will miss you. 

Some of the treasured memories that I will keep in my heart include: first and foremost, the time we have spent together as the Body of Christ listening to His Word, receiving our Lord in Holy Communion, worshipping our mighty and loving God at Mass. Bringing about new life in Baptism. Joining a man and woman as one in Holy Matrimony. Strengthening the sick and those close to death through the Holy Anointing. Celebrating the reception of First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Celebrating Holy Week, Triduum, Easter and Christmas Masses, and other Solemnities. Visiting the elderly homebound each month and bringing Jesus in the Eucharist to them. Offering funeral Masses for our loved ones who have passed on. Time in the Confessional being forgiven. In Eucharistic Adoration. These are the supernatural joys of being a priest—being a “father” during the most sacred moments in life—a privilege beyond all telling, gifts freely given to us by our loving God.

I am thankful to God that the Body of Christ is alive and well in our pastorate, that the Lord calls so many here to serve Him and each other. I’ve loved spending time with you in our pastorate ministries and events, including men in the Knights of Columbus, women in Walking with Purpose, children in our Religious Education classes, youth in our vibrant middle school and high school ministries, our young adult group, RCIA, liturgical ministers and altar servers, our music ministers, the 7 Sisters, the Scouts, and VBS, to mention just a few. I’ll miss our Lenten Fish Frys and other parish meals and gatherings, Stations of the Cross, St. Patrick’s Day bazaar, Trunk or Treat and Easter egg hunts, Staff lunches, and the many other good ministries and events I did not list, as well as the countless celebrations and other good reasons for gathering together.

I’m also thankful to all who have helped lead, volunteer, or participate in some of our more recent pastorate ministries and events I’ve been honored to be a part of, including the annual Family Axe-Throwing Challenge & Pig Roast, men’s groups, Blessing of the Trucks, 3-in-1 Evangelization initiative, 3-in-1 Apologetics talks, Going Deeper, Seekers, the Lenten Mission on prayer, the St. Dymphna ministry for mental health, the Liturgy Committees, the Garden and Flower Committees, and other ministries that extend the Kingdom of God on the Pasadena Peninsula beyond our familiar boundaries.

You’ve shown me what it means to be a priest of Jesus Christ. You’ve helped form me to be a better priest, and for this I am eternally grateful. Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I move on to my next assignment on July 1, as you remain in mine. I look forward to seeing you at my Farewells.

Gratefully yours in Christ,
Father Jim (Bors)

Transitions

Dear Friends of our Pastorate,

This weekend, we will be celebrating the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This is the first time we will be wearing green on Sunday since early February. But as we know, there is nothing “ordinary” about Ordinary Time. We as a church continue to worship and celebrate our faith in Jesus Christ at our two beautiful parishes.

As we know, there are some transitions occurring at our Pastorate. Fr. Jim will be completing his time with us at the end of this month to begin his new ministry as the Archbishop’s Priest-Secretary. His farewell Masses at St Jane Frances will be June 23rd with a reception following the 11:30am Mass in the Parish Hall. His last weekend at OLC will be June 29-30. We are sad to see him move on, but look forward to welcoming Fr. John Bilenki with us in early July.

We are also seeing some transitions in our Religious Education and Youth Ministry programs with Melissa Boyle leaving at the end of July and Diana Healy transiting into a better work-family balance. Our open positions are posted on the Archdiocese website. We have received several applications for the Youth Ministry position and will begin conducting interviews very soon (if not already). We are still anticipating additional applicants for the part time Religious Education position. This is a great position for someone who wishes to serve the parish but is limited in time. If you are interested in applying or wish to hear more about it, please reach out to me.

We also are planning to complete two major capital projects at both parishes. The remainder of the St. Jane Frances School roof will be replaced over the summer, and the Church Roof and Clerestory project at OLC will begin later this month. The OLC project will require us to vacate the Church for a couple of weekends (I am hoping we will be able to limit it to one weekend), so we will be celebrating Masses in the Gathering Place. We will be sure to let you know when that will take place, but it is looking like it will be at the end of June or early July.

Tax free donations (nothing will go to the Archdiocese) are being accepted for both projects on our online giving platforms. Links to online giving can be found on our websites. This is also a great way to maintain consistent giving to your parish when you are traveling this summer, so please consider signing up for online giving at GiveCentral (OLC) or ParishSoft (SJF). Thanks

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation - St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake - in your daily prayers!

God Bless,
Father Steve

Corpus Christi: Solemnity Of The Most Holy Body And Blood Of Christ

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Blood of the Covenant and why Jesus “had to” die. On today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), in order to appreciate the depth of God’s great love for us is in our readings on the “blood of the covenant,” it would be helpful to review the meaning of the ancient covenant.

More than a law, a covenant is a legal means to establish kinship between two previously unrelated parties. The establishment of a covenant in the ancient world was the most significant and sacred agreement that any two parties could make. It was sometimes made between nations or kingdoms, as was the case between Isaac and the pagan king Abimelech (Genesis 26:26-31). It involved each party making an oath to the other under God, the shedding of the blood of an animal, and a meal, often liturgical in nature. An animal’s blood was shed to clearly illustrate to each party that “If I don’t fulfill the oath I’m committing to today, may God slit my throat just as we’re slitting the throat of this animal.” Covenants were not made lightly.

With this background, we see in Exodus 24 (today’s first reading) that the people of Israel under Moses knew exactly what they were committing to in their covenant with Yahweh. In response to Moses receiving the 10 Commandments and the Law on Mount Sinai, they said, “All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do.” Moses ratified the covenant by slaughtering oxen upon an altar and sprinkling their blood on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant.” At this point, the people were committed; if they broke the covenant, they knew they deserved to die. Then, soon after, Israel broke the covenant by worshipping the molten calf, and other occurrences.

But God in his compassion and love for them (and us) decided, “I’m going to be the one to die for them”: he become one of us in the Incarnation and sacrificed his lifeblood on the cross. This is mind-blowing! God fulfilled BOTH ends of the Covenant: He continually poured out his covenantal love for the Israelites for centuries, and when they did not love in return, breaking their covenantal oath, God also paid the price of their death. This is the full import of the Incarnation of God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and the offering of His Body and Blood of the Eucharist (Corpus Christi) at the Last Supper. Recalling Moses’ words from the old covenant at Mount Sinai, Jesus ratifies God’s “new and eternal covenant” at the Last Supper in today’s gospel: "This is my blood of the covenant.” We participate in Jesus’ renewal of the New Covenant in the liturgy of the Mass—a solemn sacrifice, an offering of thanksgiving (literally: “Eucharist”), and a family communal meal. God gives us Himself, even his very Body and Blood, for our salvation in heaven and so that through the grace of the sacraments we may be conformed to His image and transformed by the renewal of our minds on earth (Romans 12:1-2). Thank you, God, for your covenantal love!

Peace in Christ,
Father Jim

Praise The Holy Trinity!

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In his three years of public ministry, Jesus had made many personal references to his Father, and to the future coming of the Holy Spirit. However, in today’s gospel—the last verses of the gospel of Matthew—Jesus explicitly presents the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (a plural list of three), as one in name (not names): “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Why does Jesus make such a strong connection between our salvation, via Baptism, and the Trinity, and why is this so important to us as Christians? 

The power of the Holy Trinity in Baptism. Baptism unleashes a virtually limitless outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit in the soul (indeed, the entire Trinity dwells in our soul at Baptism) including: 

1. a change to the soul itself—an indelible spiritual mark that no sin can erase, 2) 
2. the forgiveness of Original and personal sin, 
3. the infusion of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity into our souls, which become the working material for our spiritual growth, and 
4. a new birth of water and the Spirit—without which no one “can enter the kingdom of God.”

Being “born anew” (or born from above, or born again) in Baptism makes one:

1. “a new creature,” 
2. an adopted son/ daughter of God,
3. a “partaker of the divine nature” (2 Cor 5:17, 2 Pet 2:4, Gal 4:5-7), 
4. a member of Christ and co-heir with him (1 Cor 6:15, 12:27; Rom 8:17), and 
5. a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13).

In Baptism, the Most Holy Trinity gives the baptized person sanctifying grace—the grace of justification—which does 3 things for us: 1) 

1. enables us to believe in God, hope in him, and love him (through the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity), 
2. gives us the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and 
3. allows us to grow in goodness through the moral virtues.

Baptism also:

1. incorporates us into the Church, the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13), 
2. gives us a share in the common priesthood of all believers (1 Pet 2:9), and 
3. is the bond of unity among Christians.

Thus, a Christian’s entire supernatural life has its roots in Baptism, the sacrament that weds the Holy Trinity to our soul… THIS is why Jesus makes such a strong connection between our salvation, via Baptism, and the Holy Trinity. Praise the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Peace in Christ,
Father Jim (Bors)

Happy Pentecost!

Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Pentecost. This feast day commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the nascent Church (Acts 2:1-11). That is why it is also sometimes called the “birthday” of the Church. Just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit is sent to continue the mission inaugurated by Jesus passion, death, and resurrection. The Holy Spirit continues to be poured into us at every moment of the day, for God’s Spirit is active always and everywhere and is here to assist us with our discipleship, as long as we are receptive. 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!

What do we know about the Holy Spirit? According to the Glossary in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Holy Spirit is “the third divine person of the Blessed Trinity, the personal love of Father and Son for each other. Also called the Paraclete (Advocate) and Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit is at work with the Father and the Son from the beginning to the completion of the divine plan for our salvation.”

The Church also teaches that there are (1) seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord; and (2) twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. The gifts of the Spirit help us sustain ourselves in the moral life (CCC 1830). “The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory” (CCC 1832). The Holy Spirit has much to offer us, as long as we are receptive to the Spirit’s actions in our lives.

Please plan to join us for our first Pastorate of the Visitation celebration of the Feast of the Visitation on Friday, May 31st at 8:30am at Our Lady of the Chesapeake. There will be a potluck breakfast to follow the 8:30am Mass in the Gathering Place. Everyone from both parishes is encouraged to attend as we celebrate our pastorate. Also on May 31st is our Pastorate’s Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at St. Jane Frances Hall. Please call the St. Jane Parish Office to RSVP 410-255-4646. Thank you to all of our pastorate volunteers!

Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—St. Jane Frances and Our Lady of the Chesapeake—in your daily prayers!

God Bless,
Father Steve

Feast Of The Ascension

Brothers and Sisters,

We celebrate this Sunday the feast of the Ascension, when we recall how after Our Lord had appeared to His disciples for 40 days after His Resurrection, He ascended into heaven. The reason today’s feast is so important is that we are recalling that all of the recent events in Jesus’ life have not only happened but that they were shown to us, shown to us that we might know about it, believe it, and place our hope in it. Jesus endured these events so that we would walk in His footsteps. By walking in His footsteps, we take up and continue His mission in the world. And Jesus is indeed with us.

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading from Mark (Mk 16:15-20), we learn that our union with Jesus is expressed in practical ways: driving out demons, communicating in new languages, protection from harm (both external and internal), and healing of the sick, by laying on of hands. These things will happen not because of our ingenuity or strength, but because of Jesus’ presence and power. The real point of listing out these practical ways or signs is to communicate to us that with faith in Christ, we can do what is impossible for a person without faith. We who believe deeply now become Jesus’ mouth for preaching, His hands for healing, His eyes for seeing, and His feet for walking. We have been given a mission. We must evangelize with our words and with our deeds, through our sufferings and our complete offering of service to others just as Jesus did. May we always be open to the Lord working in our life and live as though we are on a mission.

God Bless,
Deacon Howard

Happy Mother’s Day!

Dear Friends of our Pastorate of the Visitation,

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and maternal figures in our lives. You are a blessing to all of us!

I wanted to let everyone know that Melissa Boyle has accepted a new position as a Theology teacher at Archbishop Spalding High School for this upcoming academic year. Melissa’s last day with us at St Jane Frances will be July 31st. I am very grateful for Melissa’s dedication and service to our parish and pastorate over the past five years. She will be missed.

Our pastorate is planning to fill Melissa’s position with a part-time Coordinator of Children’s Faith Formation to oversee our programs for children ages Pre K–5th Grade and a full time Youth Minister to work with our Pastorate’s Middle School, High School, and Young Adults faith formation programs in close collaboration with Tim Janiszewski from OLC. Diana Healy will be making some adjustments to her time commitments due to more constraints with family circumstances, and plans to continue offering her support to our middle school activities as her time allows.

These positions have been posted on the Archdiocesan website. We are hoping to complete the hiring process by the end of June. In the meantime, please keep our parishes and pastorate in your prayers—that the Lord will bless us with lay ministers who can continue to help us serve and evangelize our pastorate community.

God Bless,
Father Steve