True Repentance

by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.  |  02/26/2023  |  A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Parishioners,

Repentance is a notion we hear a great deal of during the season of Lent. While it is certainly true that repentance is one of the great hallmarks of this penitential period of the church year, it is more accurate to claim that it as a hallmark of the entire Christian life. The opening words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark are; This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. (Mark 1:15) The Greek word for repent is metanoia, and is derived from two words from the same language – meta (after, with, above) and nous (mind).

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Lent begins on Ash Wednesday

by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.  |  02/19/2023  |  A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Parishioners,

This week, February 22nd, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. For 46 days, we will be immersed in a season that was originally designed to prepare people for Baptism at Easter, a season which, over time, became a penitential period for all the baptized so that they might celebrate Easter with a renewed heart. Today, Lent can have a variety of meaning and purposes, depending upon individuals. What seems to be a consistent characteristic of the Lenten season is that during these weeks, Christians adopt various prayers, practices and ritual customs that are unique to this time of year hoping to change something in their lives.

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The Sacrament of Penance

by Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.  |  02/12/2023  |  A Message from Our Pastor

Dear Parishioners,

On April 25, 2022 the Vatican Congregation of Divine Worship and the Disciple of the Sacraments, which is the body of cardinals and bishops responsible for the translation and implementation of all liturgical rites, approved a new translation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You may recall that, for several years now the church has been revising all our liturgical texts so that they would be in closer conformity to the official Latin texts from which they are translated. The actual textual changes in the “new” Rite of Penance, now called “The Order of Penance,” are minimal.

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Be Salt of the World

by © LPi  |  02/05/2023  |  A Message from Our Pastor

I recently decided to learn to cook. As I sit at the feet of various YouTube cooking masters, I notice how much of cooking is adding ingredients that don’t provide any more nourishment, like herbs and other seasonings. But man! They make all the difference because they make the meal delightful to eat and share. Jesus calls his disciples “salt of the world.” No one eats just salt. So, Christians are not meant to replace or do away with the world. They are meant to be agents of preservation and glorification.

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