Blog & Pastor Letters

The Lord is Close to the Brokenhearted – Psalm 34: 18

07-31-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Victor C. Yakubu

By the time you are reading this, I would be in the airplane on my way to Nigeria with Fr. Ishaya Samaila, Fr. Raymond Ogboji and Dr. Susan Moravec, a friend to our diocese. As you have known, I am returning to Zaria, my home diocese, to pay my respects to Most Rev. George J. Dodo (1956-2022) the first bishop of our diocese. He died on July 8th of natural causes. Eternal rest unto him.

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Abraham Drew Nearer

07-24-2022Weekly ReflectionColleen Jurkiewicz Dorman

I’m from the Midwest. My parents and grandparents were all born, raised, and lived their lives in the Midwest. There is a pathological politeness that has worked its way into our genetic code and the thought of inconveniencing another person causes us actual physical discomfort, so we find it impossible to ask for help unless we preface the request with five minutes of apologies and explanation.

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Distracted Visits with Jesus

07-17-2022Weekly ReflectionAllison Gingras

Martha, busy serving and fretting, loses sight of just who this special guest is that has come to her home to dine. There is a subtle connection between this week’s Gospel story and the Eucharist. We can come to Mass so busy and distracted that we perfunctorily go through the motions of Mass, forgetting whom we are so privileged to receive. We all easily forget to be like Mary and choose the best part.

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Who Is My Neighbor?

07-10-2022Weekly ReflectionRev. Mark Suslenko

“Brother Sun, Sister Moon I seldom see you seldom hear your tune. Preoccupied with selfish misery. Brother Wind and Sister Air open my eyes to visions pure and fair. That I may see the glory around me. I am God’s creature, of Him I am part. I feel His love awakening my heart. Brother Sun and Sister Moon I now do see you, I can hear your tune. So much in love with all that I survey.” These lyrics by Donovan are part of the soundtrack for the 1972 movie, “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” that is based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi. They beautifully and simply capture the spirituality of this great saint as they reflect the sentiments found in his Canticle of the Sun.

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Called to Make the Kingdom a Reality

07-03-2022Weekly ReflectionBr. Silas Henderson

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
—Luke 10:1

>When we think about the great saints of our Catholic tradition, we realize that they very often come in pairs: Paul and Barnabas, Perpetua and Felicity, Benedict and Scholastica, Francis and Clare of Assisi, Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, to name only a few examples. Even within my own Salvatorian community, we often see our founder, Blessed Francis Jordan, paired with Blessed Mary of the Apostles (of the Salvatorian Sisters).

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Living the Gospel in a Secular World

06-26-2022Weekly ReflectionDouglas Sousa, S.T.L.

How do I fit the practice of my faith into the demands of everyday life?

Putting our faith into action is the challenge of every believer. We are pulled between making time for prayer and good works on the one hand and raising a family and holding down a job on the other. It is difficult to pray the rosary or study the Bible when supper needs to be prepared, the kids need a ride to soccer practice or when we have to work overtime on a project. It is difficult to keep our minds focused on the kingdom of God when so many other demands are made on our time and energy. 

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix Statement on Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Decision of the Supreme Court

06-24-2022News

“Every human life, from conception to natural death, no matter the circumstances, is a direct gift from God.

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The Sacrament of Abiding Prescence

06-19-2022Weekly ReflectionBr. John-Marmion Villa

Imagine this: you’ve been waiting a long time to attend a conference with a speaker whom you admire. You’ve paid the registration, made your travel plans, settled into your hotel, and now you’ve taken your seat among many others, ready to listen, learn, and be inspired. You are ready to take notes, and you even snap a quick selfie so you can post your attendance to your social accounts, hoping to get some likes and comments. After some dazzling videos and introductions, the presentation begins with some jaw-dropping demonstrations — miracles — for which there are no real explanations, just amazement. Then, a break.

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Trinity Sunday

06-12-2022Weekly ReflectionFr. Patrick Riviere

For years scientists have discovered various elements of our world that seem to push the limits of our understanding. The theory that time actually passes relative to the speed of the individual, the reality that everything is composed of various conglomerations of subatomic particles, the infinite vastness and continual expansion of the entire universe — all these theories boggle the mind. It’s hard to wrap your brain around and truly understand the possibility of some of these theories.

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Send Out Your Spirit Through Us

06-05-2022Weekly ReflectionAllison Gingras

“Lord, send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth,” like many of the faithful, I can’t read those words without finding myself doing so along with the familiar tune of the Responsorial Psalm. In addition to the song filling my ears, an image also formulates within the heart of my imagination. As I read these words, I can almost feel the mighty rushing wind and see the tongues of fire descending and then dispersing outward to all the earth —animating, maintaining, and inspiring all of creation with the Spirit of the God.

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