Category: From the Pastor’s Desk (Page 2 of 74)

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

To be a catechist is to be of service to the Lord and  to one another through the ministry of handing on  the faith through witness, word, and example.  In many ways, it is a humbling ministry, for none of us is perfect nor knows all there is to know about our faith.  Yet in our imperfection, God calls us to “make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.”  
Mt. 28:19-20. As a parish community, we should be eternally grateful to our Faith Formation teachers as they exercise their ministry here in St. Joseph’s faith  community.  They not only lead our catechetical  program, but they do so effectively because they live their faith every day, bearing witness to the Gospel message in word and action.  As such – and in conjunction with their classroom instruction – their students learn Christian values and spirituality, and incorporate them into their daily lives.

On this Catechetical Sunday and the first Faith Formation class, please join me in thanking our Faith Formation teachers for their faith-filled dedication to pass on the message of the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church to our fine young students who achieve so much under their tutelage and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

With prayerful best wishes,

Fr. John Mahoney

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

In the photo above, one of our parishioners, Bob Oliver, is painting the Crucifix at St. Michael’s Church in Winthrop, Massachusetts. This Crucifix proclaims itself in an inner-city neighborhood, situated among working-class people and their houses, and backyards. It reminds us that Christ and his victory over suffering is very much part of our world!

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, celebrated every September 14, dates back to the fourth century. Tradition holds that St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, discovered the true Cross in Jerusalem around the year 326 during her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Feast is sometimes called the Triumph of the Cross. Unlike Good Friday, which focuses on Christ’s suffering and death, this feast highlights the victory of the Cross, which brought about salvation and new life for us. Once a symbol of humiliation and execution, it is now a sign of love, triumph, and glory.

With prayerful best wishes,

Fr. John Mahoney

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Exercise, rest, work, socialization, and ongoing faith formation are all necessary for us to have the strength to love and serve God and others. Today’s gospel passage advises that we calculate priorities as we follow the way of the Lord Jesus, keeping him always central in our daily lives. How boring Catholicism would be if merely a set of rules. Our faith formation teachers will be speaking at the Masses this weekend. Notice how they help our young students to lay adequate and integrated foundations for lifelong discipleship through a multi-disciplinary approach to faith development. Our parish program integrates formal Church doctrine, Scripture study, and prayer, with socialization and group activities that build healthy Christian relationships. It’s not a quick fix or a trendy program – it’s a steady  ministry of shaping lives to comprehend and conform to Catholic teaching with the ultimate, divine foundation of loving God and neighbor. Faith formation is the most transformative investment a parish can make. Thank you for your customary generosity and support of our faith formation program here at St. Joseph’s!

With prayerful best wishes,

Fr. John Mahoney

Prayer for Priests

Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our Priests.
Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. 
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.
Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.
Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest.

Amen.

The canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, first millennial saint, and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is scheduled for Sunday, September 7, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square,   Vatican City.
Acutis died in 2006 at the age of 15 due to leukemia.  He was admired for his work in creating a website documenting Eucharistic miracles worldwide.  He was declared blessed in 2020 after one miracle was attributed to his intercession, and a second miracle—reported in May 2024 involving the recovery of a Costa Rican woman from a  severe brain hemorrhage—was recognized by Pope    Francis in July 2024, paving the way for his canonization. 

Frassati, a devout Catholic youth leader, social activist, and mountaineer, died at the age of 24 on July 4, 1925.  He was  beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 20, 1990, who dubbed him the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes” due to his exemplary life of faith and service.