ABVM PARISH COMMUNITY

  One of my responsibilities as a pastor is to help the faithful to respond to the specific challenges of the times, that is, challenges to their faith and morals that are presented by the wider culture.   Church history teaches that every culture, in every generation, poses in different ways challenges to faith and morals.   This includes even cultures where the majority of the population believed in God and His judgment.   We should not be surprised since “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).   The effects of sin are present in every generation.             The wise sage Qoheleth of Ecclesiastes tells us, “Do not say: How is it that former times were better than these?   For it is not out of wisdom that you ask about this” (7:10).   If we are tempted to look with longing at the past, we might consider the words of St. Augustine: “You hear people complaining about this present day and age because things were so much better in former times.   I wonder

  WHY RELICS?             After my parents died and their children were emptying the house to prepare it for sale, I remember wanting to take home a few items by which to remember them.   I was a little surprised at this feeling because I am not sentimental.   But besides the set of glassware with the initial “B” – which logically became mine since my sisters have different last names and my brother didn’t want to ship them – I wanted something else.   Today, I have two pictures from my parents’ home which I hang in whatever rectory I am living.   One is a large canvas of swans which used to hang in their living room, and the other is a painting of a street in Montmartre, Paris which my parents bought when my father was stationed in France during the Korean War.                  It is a normal human thing to want keepsakes.   We would like to touch or at least look at a hat that Abraham Lincoln wore or a flag that Betsy Ross sewed.   In the same way, we value things connected to sa

Dear Parishioners,   I present below the statement by our chief shepherd regarding the reimposition, effective today – the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary – of the mandate to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.   As you know, an essential component of the observance of the Third Commandment by Catholics is to attend Mass in person.   The willful violation of the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days is a grave offense against God.   All who are guilty should seek absolution by a sacramental confession as soon as possible.   There are circumstances which human beings face, however, which may prevent them, against their will, from attending Mass.   When this is the case, there is no sin in not attending Mass, but the Lord’s Day should be honored in some way by prayer, Scripture reading and other spiritual practices.   I am grateful to the Archbishop for his pastoral sensitivity in explaining how the mandate ought to be observed.   May we approach this