Oofda. Despite January being the month we implemented the new long-term schedules for our parish family and my New Years idea of 2025 being the kick-off of a much-needed time of stability for our communities, the last month and a half have been relatively crazy. We've had guest priests - and the related deviations from our new schedule! - for the last four weekends, a vicar away on much-deserved vacation with his family & friends in India, and (most recently) the gift of snow to contend with. It's hard to believe that we're only six weeks into 2025. Happily, Father Gali returns to us this week and (God willing), we can start enjoying the fruits of all the work we have put into getting to this point. Lord knows I'm ready for some...

Yesterday (Monday, February 3), I had a meeting with some of our music leaders of the central region parishes (Queen of Angels & Saint Joseph). We were connecting to discuss Mass settings for the remainder of Ordinary Time, the upcoming Lenten & Easter seasons, and beyond. We also talked through some considerations on silence in the Mass, where it may be most helpful to let music give way to quiet. Aware that our communities span not just multiple churches but several generations (and at least two major language-speaking groups), we spent nearly an hour hashing out how we could both draw people into the prayer of the Mass in ways ancient and new. First listen to the video, then go to his more (most?) popular pre-Christian work....

Over the years I have tried to have a regular practice of reading - daily reading of the Scriptures, of a spiritual book, and (more recently) something recreational. Of all of these practices, getting into the Bible was especially challenging. I've always liked the idea of reflecting on the word of God...but actually sitting down and engaging it was hard work, at least at first. But after reading even just a little bit of the Bible every day, I'm almost finished with my third read-through! On the recreational side of things, I am currently making my way through Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings (the fifth book of his VERY long Stormlight Archive series, itself set within his grand worldbuilding effort in what he has dubbed the The...

Welcome back to Ordinary Time! With the conclusion of Vespers (Evening Prayer) this Sunday, the solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, we concluded the Christmas season and entered into the first week of Ordinary Time. As the legendary Malcom Reynolds said, "Oh, I long for a little dullness"! Though I love the holiday season, I, too, am ready for a bit of regularity and routine. With the beginning of the new year, our routine across the parish family is seeing what I hope will be some newfound stability. After six months of discernment, I made my final decision on the new weekend Mass schedule, which took effect on January 1. Each of the three regions of our parish family  - west (Saint Anne parish & Saint Thomas the Apostle mission),...

This Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany. I must admit that I was delighted at the opportunity to (re)introduce the tradition of blessing chalk for use in blessing the doors of one's house on this day. Taken from the old Roman Ritual, the blessing itself speaks to the intention of the house blessing: "Bless, + O Lord God, this creature chalk to render it helpful to men. Grant that they who use it in faith and with it inscribe upon the entrance of their homes the names of thy saints, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, may through their merits and intercession enjoy health of body and protection of soul. Through Christ our Lord." In the course of actually using the chalk (see the blessing text below - a printable PDF for anyone...

Merry Christmas! I hope that you have had - and are yet still having - many wonderful celebrations of the Nativity of the Lord. Speaking for myself, the marathon of Christmas Masses was both delightful and exhausting (I slept for a solid six hours after the last Mass on Christmas day!). There are many delights to recount from the Masses, but a couple especially stand out. I always enjoy the blessing of the Christmas tree(s) before Mass and the blessing of the manger after the homily. Though the blessing of the trees went just fine, we had a moment at one of our churches (you know who you are! ;-)) when we realized we had forgotten to actually put the baby Jesus in his manger! Happily, one of our sacristans was at hand to retrieve the Lord...

At long last we arrive at Christmas. Though Advent is relatively short - sometimes quite short, depending on where December 25 lands - there is something about the anticipation of the Nativity and makes it feel especially long. From start to finish, Advent urges us to look beyond its four weeks and consider the humble first coming of Jesus in Bethlehem and His glorious second coming at the end of time. Thankfully, one of the graces of the celebrations of Christmas is that it is relatively easy! Apart from a few liturgical extras (the blessing of the Christmas tree(s), the blessing of the manger, and the Christmas proclamation), all four Masses are of the same structure as any Sunday Mass....but with Christmas hymns! That said, there are...

In my experience, the week before Christmas is often a quiet one. I won't say it's exactly peaceful - we all have various last-minute things needing done personally and ecclesially! Still, I find that the proximity (and inevitability!) of the coming celebrations help focus priorities. There's something about Gaudete Sunday, with it's brighter colors and joyful message that serves as a kind of re-orientation to what we're all about: the coming of Christ! I found myself especially joyful this weekend after receiving a call from a dear friend of mine. She and her husband, after a years-long time of desiring to start a family to no avail, find themselves expecting a child - she is just finishing her third month of pregnancy (often, as I...

I hope you'll forgive a fairly late AND brief pastor's notes this week. I chose this image from NASA - it speaks to the crazy (wonderful though it has been!) of this week. Between the Immaculate Conception, driving to the Palisades (and back) for a priest retreat day (230+ miles!), Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations (starting at 6 am and getting home around 8 pm), and Simbang Gabi tonight, it has been a veritable whirlwind. I suspect I am not alone in looking forward to a good night's rest when this week & weekend is over - it may sound strange, but I think Christmas Masses will be a breeze in comparison! In any case, with all the feasts this week, I hope you've had wonderful celebrations yourself. And if you can, come to the Simbang...