One time a child came up to me and asked me what did God do before he created the universe? I didn’t know how to answer that, so I copied what the Pope said when he was stumped by the same question. He said before creating the world, God loved because God is love. After that answer he just looked at me and said, “Oh, okay,” and walked away. I got off easy that day!

One of the hardest things to accept and understand in our lives is God’s love for us. It is really hard to comprehend that He loves us personally, much more than we would ever know. It is hard to comprehend that we were created out of love, because sometimes God’s love appears lost in this fallen sinful world. We can get caught up in all the bad news of the world and think that He forgets about us. Think about all of the tragedies that happened this past year. Did we dwell in our anger towards God for allowing these things to happen? Do we think he must not love us for allowing it to happen? Do we think he must not be as all powerful as we thought because He didn’t stop it? If we perpetually think this way, we start to see Him as a Father that falls out of love with his children. We project onto God human flaws where He becomes a flawed Father in our eyes.

We cannot allow ourselves to fall into that trap, because when we do little by little we can get discouraged and angry. We begin to think that we are unloved and then hopelessness creeps in. God shows us his love in so many ways and today we see this in a very special way on the feast day of the Holy Family. We see that God loved us so much that he decided to walk with us.

On this Feast Day, know that Families have a special place with God. His love knocks on the door of families, and find families who love each other, who bring up their children to grow in their faith, and help them move forward in their relationship with Christ. In families there are huge opportunities to create and develop a society centered around truth, goodness, and beauty. In families, there are great opportunities to know that we are loved by one another despite real faults in each other. Families are one of the best ways to witness Our Father’s love for world.

This year my prayer for you is that all of our families have hearts open to God’s love because when we do, we will see that His Love is life-changing.

God Bless,
Fr. Windle

Saturday December 26th
St. Stephen
9:00 am † Lorraine Hendricks
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday December 27th
The Holy Family
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday December 28th
Holy Innocents
9:00 am † Thomas Cox (1st Anniversary)

Tuesday December 29th
St. Thomas Becket
9:00 am † Mary J. Denno

Wednesday December 30th
9:00 am † Lorraine M. Hendricks

Thursday December 31st
St. Sylvester I
9:00 am † Judge Amy Coney Barrett

Friday January 1st
Mary, Mother of God
10:00 am † Joseph Herbert

Saturday January 2nd
Ss. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen
8:00 am † MaryAnne Thess

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Dehan, Robert Farrell, Nina Ferraro, Robert Farrell and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Dolores Brown & William Eagan.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Saturday December 19th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday December 20th
4th Sunday of Advent
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday December 21st
St. Peter Canisius
6:30 am † Deceased Members of the Brown & Casey Family

Tuesday December 22nd
6:30 am † Elizabeth Lodge

Wednesday December 23rd
St. John of Kanty
6:30 am † Dennis McLaughlin

Thursday December 24th
9:00 am Intentions of the Presider
2:00 pm Intentions of the Presider
4:00 pm Intentions of the Presider
8:00 pm Intentions of the Presider

Friday December 25th
Christmas Day
9:00 am Harry Weckerly, Sr.
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Saturday December 26th
St. Stephen
8:00 am † Lorraine Hendricks

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Dehan, Robert Farrell, Nina Ferraro, Robert Farrell and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased …

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

MARY: MODEL OF THE INTERIOR LIFE

            During Advent, the Annunciation is a powerful mystery to ponder as it reveals Mary’s interior life. The movement of Mary’s heart from fear, to wonder, to questioning and then to total surrender is the path we are called to follow in our lives. Every time I hear Mary’s response to Gabriel’s announcement and explanation, I am awed: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Here is a teenager, facing rejection and misunderstanding from her family, her betrothed, and her townspeople. And yet Mary affirms the truth that must be the foundation of our discipleship: “I am the Lord’s servant.” Sometimes it takes fear, and questioning in the depths of our souls, but through ardent prayer, Mary’s intercession, and the grace of God, we can ultimately attain this total surrender.

            Upon reflection, I am sure that we all have witnessed role models who have been shining examples of total surrender to God amid suffering. Both of my parents were diagnosed with fast moving cancer and given six months to live when they were in their early sixties. My mom and dad were both faithful Catholic parents who worked hard and sacrificed much to provide for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of the seven of us. My younger brother and sister were still in high school when my father was diagnosed and died and my mother two years later. Yes, in the early months of their battle with cancer they were both fearful and my dear mother was angry with God for a brief time. However, my siblings and I, as well as our close family and friends were blessed to witness their total surrender and peace with God and all others before they passed. There is no doubt in my mind that they were both immediately admitted to the eternal joy of the Kingdom of Heaven.

            As we continue our Advent journey and prepare for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus, let us offer praise and thanks to God for the vaccines which offer great hope of ending this global pandemic and most of all for the tremendous gift of His Son, Jesus, our Savior and Lord. In imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and our personal role models, let us also pray for the grace to totally surrender our lives to Him. Although we cannot avoid the vicissitudes of this life, through daily prayer, loving service, Mary’s intercession and the grace of God we will attain our ultimate goal, eternal life in the arms of our Heavenly Father!    

Christmas Peace and Joy!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM    

⁺Dear Saint David Parishioners,

Today is Gaudete Sunday, a day of rejoicing, the wearing of the pink. In the readings for this third Sunday of Advent, we note that there is definitely a lot of rejoicing going on! In the first reading we read “to announce a year of favor from the Lord.” We certainly would welcome a year of favor, Lord, especially during this time of COVID-19. Then we would join with Isaiah and say, “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul.” This joyful sentiment does not have to wait for good times but can also be echoed during the difficult challenges of life. How, you may ask? The truth is, God is always present with us in all the ups and downs and in-betweens of life. Jesus tells us Himself in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, until the end of the age!”

In the responsorial psalm the Blessed Mother proclaims her love and trust in God as her soul “proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Her prayer, called the Magnificat is recited by Catholics throughout the world each evening in the Liturgy of the Hours. Some writers have suggested that in places where Mary says, my or me, we replace these pronouns with our own name.

Mary shows definite trust in God because she was not yet married, a young girl of about 13 or 14 years of age, and now she had to tell her fiancée that an angel of the Lord appeared to her and told her that by the power of the Holy Spirit she would bear a Son who would be the Savior of the world. If we picture the scene and imagine for a moment the possible reaction of Joseph — WOW! Mary certainly had deep faith in God and in her beloved Joseph. He gently listened, perhaps nodded his head, and then thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” He too was a man of deep faith and so in a dream to Joseph, an angel confirmed what Mary had told him; therefore, he did not divorce her, but cared for her tenderly, and raised Jesus as if He were his own son.

What beautiful models we have in the Holy Family.  We know, as Scriptures tell us, that Jesus grew in wisdom, age, and grace. Why? Because Mary and Joseph taught young Jesus the love of God and read and discussed the Scriptures with Him. Wouldn’t you have loved to have heard those discussions and the insights of young Jesus, our God and Savior?

This Advent as a family, you too could have similar conversations with your children. As the days until Christmas are fast approaching, take time as a family to read the nativity narratives. You will be surprised at the children’s insights. You may also participate in some family activities together, such as making Christmas cookies, watching Christmas movies, decorating the house and the children’s bedrooms, to list just a few ideas. 

One year many years ago when I taught fifth grade, I gave the following assignment: Pretend you are a prophet today.  Write to the people of your town to prepare for Christ’s coming.  Here is Nicole’s response:

ATTENTION, T.V. WATCHERS – YES, YOU!!!  This is the Prophet Nicole and I have a Christmas message for you. Do not attempt to adjust your television set because I am on all channels.

Do you remember Jesus on His birthday, Christmas Day?  Or are you so caught up with the material “things” of Christmas such as shopping, toys, gifts, and things that you want that you forget the real meaning of this day.

I tell you the time is now to prepare for Jesus.  Make your shopping list, but examine your conscience.  Buy your gifts, but remember to give to the poor.  Make your Christmas wish list, but do not forget to confess your sins.  If you make these your priorities, you will receive the greatest Christmas gift of all – our Lord.  My friends, celebrate Jesus’ birthday as you would your own, with anticipation, excitement, happiness, and most of all with love in your heart.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled program already in progress.
~Prophet Nicole

With these words, I pray that all of us enjoy a very fruitful and peaceful Advent, a blessed Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2021

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary

Rejoice in the Lord, always: again, I say, rejoice. Indeed the Lord is near.
Goal for the week… Spread Christian Joy!

Saturday December 12th
Our Lady of Guadalupe
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday December 13th
3rd Sunday of Advent
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday December 14th
St. John of the Cross
6:30 am † Sean Cameron Hawley and † Christopher John Hawley

Tuesday December 15th
6:30 am † Agnes Drobins

Wednesday December 16th
6:30 am † Lorraine M. Hendricks

Thursday December 17th
6:30 am Linda Nichols

Friday December 18th
6:30 am † Elizabeth Lodge

Saturday December 19th
8:00 am Intentions of the Lalli Family

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners.

Intentions of the Lalli Family
Sun., Dec. 20^th @ 9 AM to Sat., Dec. 19^th @ 9 AM
Deceased Members of the Brown & Casey Family
Sun., Dec. 20^th @ 11:30 AM to Mon., Dec. 21^st @ 6:30 AM

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Dehan, Robert Farrell, Nina Ferraro, Robert Farrell and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Susan Freda.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Christmas Light

       The winter solstice will be here on Monday December 21^st. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the entire year. It is the first day of winter and the day we are the farthest from the sun. On this day, we have the fewest hours of daylight in the entire year. Science has shown us the importance of light in many ways, from leaves on our trees dying due to the lack of light needed to studies that show the importance of light for our moods. There is even a form of depression that is attributed to the lack of sunlight. It is called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. How is SAD cured? With Light.

      We can take a lesson from this when it comes to our spiritual life. It is the winter of our lives when we sometimes feel farthest from God. We feel something missing. Many people try and fill it with things from this world. It may be material things or even an addiction or some other abuse. The cure for this is the same as it is for SAD, we need to be exposed to light. This light, though, is the light of Christ himself. There is no coincidence that during these longest days of the year we take time to decorate our house with lights. We are trying to drive away the darkness with these lights as we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. As John 12:46 tells us, “I have come into the world as a light so no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” Christ is here to chase away the darkness. To fill the voids in our lives.

      We just need to step out of the shadows of this world and bathe in the light that is Christ. As we allow this to happen, we ourselves become illuminated. We become the creation Christ meant us to be. He not only is the Light of the World, but he calls us to also be the light of the world. He tells us we are the light meant for all to see. Just like the seasonal light grows from the winter solstice, we can grow the spiritual light Christ gives us at this time of year to grow and illuminate others. Remember, just as it was a light of a star that lead the Wise Men to Christ, we can also lead others to Christ with our light. We can use this time to become like the decorative lights on our homes, but we would be true Christmas Lights.

Saturday December 5th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday December 6th
2nd Sunday of Advent
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday December 7th
St. Ambrose
6:30 am † Martin Mansfield

Tuesday December 8th
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
6:30 am † Len Spearing

Wednesday December 9th
St. Juan Diego
6:30 am † Norman Ramsden 23^rd Anniversary

Thursday December 10th
6:30 am † Michael Driscoll

Friday December 11th
St. Damasus I
6:30 am President and Melania Trump

Saturday December 12th
Our Lady of Guadalupe
8:00 am † Anne Dehan

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners. There are no updates this week.

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Dehan, Robert Farrell, Adeline Buccini, Nina Ferraro, Robert Farrell and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Margaret Freda.

Saturday November 28th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 29th
First Sunday of Advent
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 30th
St. Andrew the Apostle
6:30 am † Joanne Fenimore

Tuesday December 1st
6:30 am † Joseph Sheerin

Wednesday December 2nd
6:30 am † Naomi Judge

Thursday December 3rd
St. Francis Xavier
6:30 am † Maureen ‘Bean’ Gibbons

Friday December 4th
St. John Damascene
6:30 am † Phyllis Talese

Saturday December 5th
8:00 am † Paul Donahue

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners.

Len Spearing Sun., Dec. 6^th @ 9 AM to Tues., Dec. 8^th @ 6:30 AM

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Dehan, Robert Farrell, Adeline Buccini, Nina Ferraro, Robert Farrell and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased …

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

What do you do during advent?  Here we are, the first week of Advent. This season always has a way of creeping up on me and maybe you as well.  Each year I always feel rushed to get ready for Christmas, and if you are like me, we may already feel behind as we hurry to decorate the house, both inside and out.  We might put up an Advent wreath in the hopes that we light it every day.  We may try to fit in a year’s worth of shopping in just a few weeks.  With all of these activities, the questions that remain on my mind are: what do we do during advent and why we do it?

Advent is the beginning of the Church Year. The new year in the Church does not begin on January 1st, but is today, the first Sunday of Advent.  I love new year’s because it is a chance to hit the reset button and begin all over again. Many of us may be happy to be done with this year and can’t wait until things get back to normal. Before it does, here is a suggestion for those who feel off in life and who know that we have to put new habits in place.  Let us allow Jesus into those dark corners of our lives, let him bring his light to the things we never thought could be healed and restored. 

Jesus has so many gifts in store for us, but unfortunately it is possible to ignore him and not see what he wants to offer us.  We see this denial of Jesus lived out in so many people in the gospels.  We see it in King Herod, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the people in Jesus’s hometown.  These are just a few people who were religious and did the religious acts, but did not want Him into their lives for many different reasons.

Do we want him in our lives? As we prepare for Christmas, here are some reflection questions to get us started:  Where have we allowed Jesus in our lives this past year?  Where have we denied him?  What is Jesus offering us during times of suffering? Do we see these challenges as gifts?  How are we allowing Him to prepare our hearts and minds to light our lives?

This Advent at Saint David Parish, Deacon Chris Mars and I will lead night prayer, benediction and give a little reflection each Monday at 7:00 PM.  We will have a Day of Recollection Sunday December 13 after the 11:00 AM mass. Details of this day can be found in the bulletin.  These are great opportunities to quietly reflect on the blessings, disappointments, and gifts Jesus has given us and wants to give us in front of the Blessed Sacrament. My Hope for this Advent for all of us is that we take advantage of these moments of reflection.  We allow Jesus to dig a little bit deeper into our lives more than ever before as we commit ourselves more to Him.  Advent is a great time for new beginnings, so please don’t wait to be healed and restored!

God Bless,
Fr. Windle

Saturday November 21st
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 22nd
Christ The King
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 23rd
St. Clement I & St. Columban
6:30 am † Gladys & Warren Fenstermacher

Tuesday November 24th
St. Andrew Dung Lac & companions
6:30 am † Deceased members of the Link & Simpson Families

Wednesday November 25th
St. Catherine of Alexandria
6:30 am † Edward Fowler

Thursday November 26th
9:00 am † Mr. & Mrs. Beck

Friday November 27th
9:00 am † John Kenney

Saturday November 28th
8:00 am † Dot Cassidy

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners. No updates for this week.

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Dehan, Robert Farrell, Adeline Buccini, Nina Ferraro, Robert Farrell and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Brother Hugh Maguire.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Our Ultimate Goal — The Kingdom of Heaven

The Scriptures teach us that the one great purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth was to establish the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven for his people forever. This Kingdom is not a physical, earthly or geographical location but a spiritual realm, attained by walking in the Spirit of God and producing fruits of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, compassion, and holiness (Galatians 5:22-23).

When listeners, including His disciples, could not understand His message of the Kingdom, Jesus explained through parables what one must do to enter the Kingdom. The parables Jesus told at the beginning of His ministry were meant to exhort the listeners to choose the Kingdom of God or risk the consequences of rejecting it. However, the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the Talents, and this Sunday’s Parable of the Sheep and the Goats were relayed by Jesus toward the end of His public ministry. These parables describe the Kingdom of God at the end of the age – which include the Second Coming or the Return of Christ, the final judgement, plus eternal reward or punishment.

 Jesus used the imagery of sheep and goats to foretell a future time of judgement. He called the sheep the “blessed” and invited them to inherit the kingdom that had been prepared for them from the beginning of time, because they had treated Christ’s needy brothers and sisters – the hungry, the thirsty, the impoverished, the sick, the naked, and the imprisoned – with care and compassion. By contrast, the King declared the goats “accursed” and assigned them to the eternal fire. They would have to suffer exclusion from the Kingdom of Heaven because they had closed their eyes to the needs of the least of the brothers and sisters of Christ. They had opportunities to minister to the Lord through caring for the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick and the prisoners, but they failed to do so.

What is the message for us?

The entirety of Jesus’ teaching and the whole truth of the Scriptures indicate that worship and prayer are crucial in order to obtain God’s grace so we can accomplish what He is calling us to do: that is, to keep on loving, forgiving, giving, healing others, seeking, listening and hoping in the Lord with a joyful heart. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats is not about God’s judgement upon us. It is rather about us – about you and me – and about the choices we make in our lives. We can make choices that separate us from God and from others or we can make choices that bring us closer to God and others. The choice of heaven or hell is something we have to make for ourselves. No one can make the choice for us. We will be judged on love – our love for God and our love for others, particularly those in need. The Kingdom of Heaven is the eternal reward for those who believe in Jesus and are faithful to him until the end.

May each one of us attain our ultimate goal – eternal happiness with God in the Kingdom of Heaven!

Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday November 14th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 15th
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 16th
St. Margaret of Scotland & St. Gertrude the Great
6:30 am † Harold Kormos

Tuesday November 17th
St. Elizabeth of Hungary

6:30 am † Sandra DeLaurentis
Wednesday November 18th
Dedication of the basilicas of Ss. Peter & Paul
6:30 am † Harold Kormos

Thursday November 19th
6:30 am † James O’Neill

Friday November 20th
6:30 am † William McMahon

Saturday November 21st
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8:00 am † Mary Rose Tobin

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners.

Gladys & Warren Fenstermacher
Sun., Nov. 22^nd @ 9 AM to Mon., Nov. 23^rd @ 6:30 AM

Deceased members of the Link & Simpson Families
Sun., Nov. 22^nd @11:30 AM to Tues., Nov. 24^th @ 6:30 AM

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Behan, Robert Farrell, Adeline Buccini, Nina Ferraro and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Edna Dougherty & Debra Getz.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

⁺Dear Saint David Parishioners,

       The first reading today reminds me of my dear parents. My Dad was blessed with a very lovely and worthy wife, my Mom. We kids would think it weird when dad would swing mom around dancing to one of their records and then give her a big smooch. We would all shriek, “Ew!” Mom and Dad would just laugh and give each other a loving glance. As I fondly remember these times decades later and reflect on their love for each other, I can see it was definitely selfless love. Mom and Dad had their priorities straight and we kids witnessed it firsthand. For them, God was first, then each other, followed by us kids. My parents were surely generous, especially when one considers all that is entailed with raising 11 boys and two girls, such as, doing three loads of wash a day, keeping the house clean, peeling five pounds of potatoes for dinner, getting the weekly groceries, changing 1000s of diapers over a period of time for 13 babies, packing lunches for school, and all the other happenings of daily life in a big family. In my estimation, Mom and Dad have a high place in heaven for their countless labors of love.

      My parents also had a holy fear of the Lord, striving daily to do God’s will. When we kids knew money was tight, we would often hear Dad say to Mom, “Leona, don’t worry, God will provide. We’re rich in livestock, not money.” We could tell he really believed that God would provide and although we didn’t live in a mansion, we had plenty – that is of what really matters, the deep love of our parents, the learning and living of our Catholic faith, the fact that hard work and determination are important in life, and that helping those less fortunate than ourselves is a sacred responsibility. Another important life lesson stemming from living our Catholic faith in action was that, after an argument or fight with one or more of our siblings, we were expected to forgive one another. Often the forgiveness was begrudgingly, but then one of the brothers would make a funny remark and the air was cleared until the next time. Life is never perfect, or problem-free; therefore, we experience more peace and joy in life when we let go and let God be in control. We deceive ourselves and get into trouble when we try foolishly to reverse the roles and think we are God; we have everything under control. That never works. We learn this lesson over and over and over again! It is part of our fallen human nature. That is why God’s life in us – grace – is so essential!!!

      One special blessing for our family was that the public school with a baseball field, swing sets, sliding board, see-saws, and b-ball nets was behind our house, so that when Mom needed a break, she would enthusiastically invite us to go outside and play. We gladly obliged; otherwise, it would have meant some housework project, like cleaning the cabinets, and any kid in their right mind would obviously choose the playground over a household task.

      As the second reading reminds us, “We are children of the light.” By focusing our individual lives and those of our families on living and practicing our faith, we need not fear the evil one because Jesus is always with us. We just need to entrust our lives to Him each day and He will and does always provide us with the graces we need to do His will. Jesus has gifted us with the talents and abilities to follow in His footsteps. It is our responsibility in life to use these blessings to the best of our ability for the greater honor and glory of God, for our families, neighbors, and those in need. With God’s grace, we have the hope and confidence that when our earthly life is ended, we will hear our loving Savior welcome us into our heavenly home with the joyful affirmation, “Well done, my good and faithful friend.”

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary

Be Prepared

When my family was younger and all my children lived at home, my wife would make a list of chores for them to do when they would get home from school. They were to have these chores done by the time my wife would get home from work. The first thing my children would ask, after of course complaining, is what time she would be home. Her answer every time would be, “I don’t know.” Now sometimes this may be true, because she may have some errands to run after work but what she is actually saying to them is, “Don’t procrastinate and get the jobs done.” This is an easy trap to fall into. We always think we have more time.

The virgins from the Gospel today thought the same thing. They thought they had enough oil and thought they had plenty of time. They were wrong. The early Christians believed that Christ was returning soon. When that didn’t happen they started to let down their guard. They started to believe they had time to prepare for Christ. This is who this Gospel is addressing. We are called to be diligent and prepared for Christ.

There could also be a second theme for this Gospel. Could Christ have been talking about preparing for our own deaths? None of us know the time of our own death. The only time we have to prepare for heaven is when we are alive. It makes sense to get our spiritual house in order. To make sure we are filled with the spiritual oil that makes us the light for Christ to see us. How do we do this? We start to imitate the virgins who were prepared. Maybe we can liken them to the Saints. People whose lives were dedicated to preparing for Christ. I know we cannot claim to be saints, but we can imitate what they did. We can prepare by using the Sacrament of Reconciliation. By receiving the Eucharist. By meeting God in prayer.

Advent is just around the corner. A time when we are preparing to welcome Christ in the world. Let us use this holy time to refill our lamps and become the light we are called to be. To be prepared.

May Jesus live in our hearts forever.
Deacon Chris

Over the last ten years, there has been a huge rise in superhero movies in our culture and on thinking of this one time I asked children in school why they liked them so much.  They said they like them because they had great power, were good people, protected people, and fought evil!  After they talked about what they liked about superheroes, I asked them to share some of their favorite ones.  Each one had a unique super power, but all had the same good qualities.  In our lives, heroes come in many different ways and styles. Who are your heroes in life?

There was a woman that I heard speak one time talking about her family’s heroes.  She was originally from New York, but now lives in Durham, England.  When she and her family got there, she said that her sons had heroes in America that were mostly made up of these great sport athletes, but soon they began to find new heroes in their lives.  These new heroes helped them come to embrace the faith all because of their move to England. They embraced the faith because they lived in a town where Catholics were martyred. The witness of the martyrs excited her sons so much, that they started to became real to her sons.

It became real to these boys because their school was built on where some of those Catholics were martyred. Living there, they were able to find out more about those martyrs’ lives.  Not only did they want to know about these heroes, they wanted to live these heroic noble, godly, catholic lives.  They wanted to live them in such a way that the teaching of the catechism or learning the rules of the faith or the history of the faith had never impacted them before.  They started to see super heroes in these saints. For example, this woman talked about how significant it was learning about Saint Margaret Clitherow. St. Margaret was a Catholic woman who used to hide priests in her family’s home. We might not know what the Catholic Church had to deal with in 16th century England, but it was forbidden for a Catholic to exist in England during that time because it was a threat to the queen. They had to celebrate mass privately in hiding.  They would also build holes in their houses to hide priests if the authorities came looking for them.  St. Margaret was one of the people that built those holes. She was eventually arrested when they found out what she was doing and she died defending the faith. 

This is just one example of many great stories of some unknown saints we are called to discover more about as we celebrate All Saints Day today.  This day reminds us in a special way that ‘greatest,’ in terms of God, has nothing to do with talent. Greatest in the kingdom of God has to do with listening to Jesus and doing what he tells us.  So, let us never stop learning about these heroic saintly men and women. Let them inspire us in our age.  Let our hearts burn with fire and be willing to be those great heroes of our Church.

God Bless,
Fr. Windle

Saturday November 7th
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 8th
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 9th
Dedication of the Lateran basilica
6:30 am † Stella Cox

Tuesday November 10th
St. Leo the Great
6:30 am † Peter Lentini

Wednesday November 11th
St. Martin of Tours
6:30 am † Mary Louise Zappitelli

Thursday November 12th
St. Josaphat
6:30 am † Phyllis Talese

Friday November 13th
6:30 am † Lorraine M. Hendricks

Saturday November 14th
8:00 am Edward Janoski (6th Anniversary)

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners.

John Fitzpatrick Sun., Nov. 15at 9amà Fri., Nov. 13 at 6:30am
Harold Kormos Sun., Nov. 15 at 11:30am à Wed., Nov. 18 at 6:30am

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, John Flickinger, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Behan, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased …

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Saturday October 31st
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday November 1st
All Saints Day
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday November 2nd
All Souls Day
6:30 am Edward Fitzpatrick

Tuesday November 3rd
St. Martin de Porres
6:30 am † Harry O’Brien

Wednesday November 4th
St. Charles Borromeo
6:30 am † Celestine LaRew

Thursday November 5th
6:30 am † Donald Budge

Friday November 6th
6:30 am † Deceased members of the Legion of Mary

Saturday November 7th
8:00 am † Carlos Pinto

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
       We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners.

Carlos Pinto Sun., Nov. 8^th @ 9 AM to Sat., Nov. 7^th @ 9 AM

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Behan, Robert Farrell, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Patricia Troilo & Michael Curcio.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

THE CALL TO JOY

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. . . Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Mt. 22:37-39)

            I once read a story of a ninety-year-old Catholic Iraqi widow named Victoria whose city was overrun by ISIS fighters. Unable to escape because of her age, she spent several days hiding in her home, praying with a few of her friends. Speaking of this ordeal, she later said, “Prayer sustained us.” When she eventually went out in search of food and water, she was confronted by ISIS fighters who threatened to kill her if she did not convert immediately to Islam. Victoria and her friend Esther replied, “We believe that if we show love and kindness, forgiveness and mercy, we can bring about the Kingdom of God on earth as well as in Heaven. Paradise is about love. If you want to kill us for our faith, then we are prepared to die here and now.” The ISIS fighters miraculously spared their lives.

            These women had lost everything in this senseless war but in the midst of these hardships, they chose to love God in constant prayer and to even share this message of love with those who did not consider them worthy of living simply because they were Christians. They put the only thing that they had left – their lives – on the line to speak boldly of God’s loving plan to communicate His love to unworthy humanity. These women could act with such heroism because for them, love of God and neighbor was more than a mere Commandment, but it was a necessary path to the joys of Paradise. “Paradise is all about love.”

            Throughout the many challenges of the present pandemic, can we choose to love God and neighbor with all that we have to the very end? If our answer is YES, we may still experience difficulties, but we will also have a deep interior joy that nothing or no one can take away. God calls us to love Him and others because He wants to share with us His own beatifying life even as we travel through the hardships of these days. The Commandment to love God and neighbor, as well as all the Commandments, are avenues to enter the joy of the Lord. We cannot consider the Commandments, especially the Commandment of Love, apart from God’s love for us and His desire to share with us His own joy.

            In Jesus Christ, God has freed us to love and offered His Son to us as a model of love.  The grace that flows from the Son of God to us is to bring us to love the Father and others as Christ did. It is in loving like Christ that we share the joy of His Spirit. The Commandment to love God and neighbor is further engraved in our hearts each time we encounter Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Through the reception of His own Body and Blood, Jesus enables us to pattern our lives more closely to His. Because we are infinitely loved by God, we must strive daily to practice this greatest of all Commandments—Love of God and Neighbor. If we cooperate with God’s Grace and Love faithfully, our reward will be a share in His deep, interior joy now and throughout Eternity!

God bless you!
Sr. Kathleen Fitzpatrick, IHM

Saturday October 24th
St. Anthony Mary Claret
8:00 am † Anthony & Adelina Mascaluso
4:00 pm Intentions of the Parishioners

Sunday October 25th
9:00 am For those affected by COVID-19
11:00 am Intentions of the Presider

Monday October 26th
6:30 am Edward Lydon (4th Anniversary)

Tuesday October 27th
6:30 am † Helen Ramsden

Wednesday October 28th
St. Simon & St. Jude
6:30 am † Daniel J. Fitzgerald

Thursday October 29th
6:30 am † Alois R. Reimel

Friday October 30th
6:30 am † Lorraine M. Hendricks

Saturday October 31st
Mem. of Blessed Virgin Mary
8:00 am † Norman Ramsden

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Changes to the Daily Mass Intentions
We have rescheduled the weekend mass intentions, so that no intentions are missed. Sunday mass will be offered for the Intentions of Saint David Parishioners. No updates this week.

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Remembering in our Prayers…
… all those who are sick …  Josephine Gallo, Mary Trauger, Loretta Boyle, Al Messina, Mike Dunn, John Flickinger, Edward Pulaski, Margaret DeLucas, James Behan, and the residents of Garden Springs and the Landings.

… all those who are deceased … Kathleen Papp.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.