Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Parishioners,

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoyed your fill of food and football. But now it is time to change gears as we jump right into Advent without the usual time between these two seasons. As we begin a new liturgical/church year, we look forward to a new beginning, which offers new hope for the future as we look forward to new things to come.

God tells us in the readings (Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:37-44) that good things will come to us if we make ourselves ready through prayer, penance, and almsgiving to receive them.

Let us prepare the way for the best thing of all, Jesus, to come into our hearts. May this new Church year be a happy and holy one for you and your families.

Fr. Carl

“We ought to ask the Blessed Virgin, the angels and
the saints to pray for us that we may receive the
good God as worthily as it is possible for us to receive him.
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

Feast of Christ the King

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925. At that time, it was celebrated on the last Sunday of October, the Sunday nearest All Saints Day. It is now placed as the last Sunday of the Church Year. The symbolism is obvious. Jesus Christ is the beginning and end of all things. He is the alpha (1st letter of the Greek alphabet) and omega (last letter) - see Revelation 1:8.

This feast was instituted to counteract several problems of the times. One was the totalitarianism of Naziism, Fascism, Communism and Socialism which was the attitude that the state was the most important thing in life.

Another problem was quietism, a tendency toward pietism and sentimentalism—the attitude that prayer alone would save the world. So the honoring of Christ the King means that he is the most important thing in life. He sums up the theology of “king” in the Old Testament. The king was to bring the people to God; he was to rule in the name of God; he was to deliver the people from all dangers and provide for all their needs.

May we ask Jesus to do all those things for us. May we make him King of our hearts.

- Fr. Carl

“My friend, dwell on the patience of our Lord!”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

Patient Endurance

Dear Parishioners,

St. Nilus of Sinai

Last week the readings, in focusing our attention to the resurrection, led us to think about the end of our earthly lives. This week, the scriptures call our attention to the end of the temple, the end of time, and the many trials that precede it (Malachi 3:19-20a; Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19). Jesus concludes the gospel by saying, “By your perseverance you will preserve you lives.” That was good advice to the people of our Lord’s time, as the Temple would be destroyed 40 years later. But it’s also good advice for any time, including the times in which we now live. Perseverance is the key to success in every human endeavor, for it’s often the case that less talented athletes, business-men, and people in all walks of life succeed because of their perseverance. As St. Nilus of Sinai wrote, “By the patient endurance in every trial that overtakes you, and in every affliction, whether this be insolence and contemptuous treatment or any kind of disgrace, either small or great; whether it be bodily weakness or belligerent attacks of Satan or any trial what so ever caused either by other people or evil spirits, you will win life for yourself.” St. Paul adds: “With patient endurances we run the race of faith set before us.” This virtue, the queen of virtues, endurance for God’s sake, will make those who practice it stronger than steel.

Let us pray for the grace to acquire this virtue.

- Fr. Carl

“You must close your heart against pride, sensuality, and all other passions—just as one shuts doors and windows so that none may enter. ”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

Death Isn't The Final Answer

Dear Parishioners,

Autumn is my least favorite time of the year. I much prefer warm weather, sunshine, and longer daylight hours to the cold, dreary, and shorter periods of light that will lead us into winter.

However, as the leaves fall off the trees and the grass and flowers die, I am grateful for this reminder that life is short, and my need to prepare for death. So I check my will to make sure to show my gratitude for my family, especially my sister. I also make sure that I am generous to the poor and needy, for they are God’s special friends. But most of all, I want to make sure to show my appreciation to the most important lady in my life, Holy Mother of the Church. After all, it was through her that I was born into spiritual relationship with Holy Trinity and became a friend of Jesus, nourished with Eucharist to grow stronger in the faith, healed of the spiritual illness of many sins, and called to serve the Church as a priest. I owe her everything.

Of course death isn’t the final answer. The scripture readings today remind us of that (Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14; Thessalonians 2:16—3:5; Luke 20:27-38). The mother and her seven sons had such strong faith and loyalty to God that they willingly lost their lives lest they offend the Lord, because they believed in the resurrection. As the seventh son said in his dying words, “It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the hope God gives of being raised up by him… ” (2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14)
And Jesus reaffirms the truth and reality of the resurrection using the words of Moses from the Bible to prove the resurrection is truly real (Lk 20:27-38). May God give us the grace to never doubt it and show that we want to be part of it along with Mary and the saints.

God bless,
Fr. Carl

“Directly anyone feels they are losing their fervour, they
should at once make a Novena to the Holy Spirit, asking
him to give them Faith and Love. ”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

Recognizing Short Comings

Dear Parishioners,

Niels Larsen Stevns: Zakæ (Christ And Zacchaeus), 1913

Zacchaeus was short in height and short in moral integrity, for he was a tax collector. Back then, tax collectors were usually dishonest and gauged the people for all they could get. They had a quota from the Roman government, and any excess money collected, they could keep. But then he met divine mercy when he met Jesus and was forever changed. He grew! But he didn’t grow taller, he grew in moral stature; he grew in faith, holiness, and generosity. He would give not 10% of his possessions to the poor but 50%! In his encounter with Jesus, he saw his short comings and decided to change for the better (Luke 19:1-10).

Jesus invites us to grow as well. But like Zacchaeus, we must first recognize our short comings and resolve to grow. The sacrament of Penance is the best place to meet Jesus, encounter our short comings, and receive mercy.

- Fr. Carl

“If the friendship of saints living in this world ills us
with love for God, how much more then shall we
gain by considering the saints in glory, by invoking
them, and taking them for our protectors!”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

Open Letter from Deacon Robert

An open letter to my St. Jane’s family and friends… let me begin by thanking you for your many cards, well wishes, and most of all your prayers… prayer works.

Back in March of this year, I was taken to the hospital in extreme pain, diagnosed with a tumor, and had to have emergency surgery. The doctor successfully removed the tumor, but when I woke up, I found myself completely paralyzed… I couldn’t even move my fingers. My son, Michael, told me that I was slurring my words so badly it was assumed that I had had a stroke. Thankfully, I hadn’t, but that was the extent of the paralysis.

I had no idea how to deal with the problem and was ready to give up on life. However, I found myself in a rehabilitation facility (I don’t know how I got there), and the therapists there had other ideas. A young lady (therapist) lifted me out of the bed while I quite loudly protested for fear of being dropped and put me in a wheelchair. She took me to a gym and my therapy began.

I was to remain a resident in a rehabilitation facility, first in Maryland, then in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, until September. You can only begin to imagine my confusion and the roller coaster ride I was on during those months. I could barely use my fingers or talk but somehow learned to walk with a walker. When my health care insurance ended, I was forced to find a place to live but couldn't go home because I was unable to live alone or take care of myself.

My sister offered to have me stay with her family in New Hampshire, another roller coaster ride. Thanks to you and all the prayers, I somehow found the strength and courage to tackle the problem and soon found myself in out-patient therapy in a hospital in New Hampshire. I have to tell you that the exercises caused me considerable pain and frustration, but I am determined to win this battle.

Today, I am still living with my sister and her family and am able to walk (not very far or very long) without using the walker. I hope to soon be able to care for myself, live alone again, and return home. When that happens, I will return to Saint Jane's, perhaps be able to resume my duties as a Deacon, and return to life as I knew it. Until that happens, please continue to pray for me… prayer works and I still have a long way to go before the therapist here will approve my release.

Thanks again for your prayers and support, I hope to see you soon.

Deacon Robert

“I know sure ways of becoming poor: to work on
Sunday and to take the property of others.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

To Whom Much Is Given

Dear Parishioners,

It’s that time of the year when we report our finances from the prior fiscal year. The school did well and the income exceeded the expenses by $46,000. The combination of expert financial management, excellent fund raising efforts, an improved luncheon program, and increased enrollment in day care led to this wonderful result. On the other hand, the parish didn’t so well. For the first time in the past six years, there was a loss (-$55,000). The parish still has ample funds in the bank, but a more positive result is needed to continue the mission of the parish in growing the faith of the people. While expenses have been growing, the offertory collections have been declining as parishioners have been dying, moving into retirement /nursing facilities, or moving to other states.

You, the parishioners, have been very generous, and I thank you. I remember six years ago asking you to make a pledge to increase your donations to the parish which you overwhelmingly did. In subsequent years, I felt no need to do so again. But now it’s time to take a look at our giving history. If you are like me, you may be still giving what you decided upon six years ago. So I encourage you to do two things. Take your gross income and divide it into your contributions to the church. That will show you what percentage you are returning to God the giver of all good gifts. Then take 1% or ½ % (.01 or .005) of your income and add it to your yearly contributions to see if you are able to help a little more than last year. I know some of you are on very tight budgets and I appreciate whatever you can do.

If you are wondering about my commitment to the parish, I try not to ask you anything that I’m not doing. So I put my envelope in the basket every weekend, because I am not just the pastor. I am a registered member of the parish. And while I am not the biggest contributor, I am in the top 10. For as Jesus said, “When much has been given a man much will be required.” (Lk 12:48) God has given me so much that I need to show my gratitude by giving back to him. Besides, St. Paul tells us, “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9:7)

- Fr. Carl

“All difficulties, temptations, sickness and humiliations
become sweet and easy to endure, if one bears them in
union with our Lord.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars