Last weekend in the Gospel we heard that Peter was the Rock upon which Christ would build His Church and that what Peter and His apostles bound on earth would be bound in heaven, what they loosed on earth would be loosed in heaven. Peter was the rock , he was called the Blessed by Christ. This weekend the Gospel (Mt 16:21-27) puts Peter in a different light. He is still Blessed and he is still the Rock, but it seems that Peter has also become a barrier or obstacle to Christ?s mission and ministry. CLICK TO READ MORE

Our Music Ministry at St. Catherine of Siena is blessed to have so many talented volunteers who help us pray through liturgical music each week. Each of our groups would like to continue to grow this year. If you have ever thought of joining one of the groups, now is the time! Please contact Susan Zybert, susanzybert@comcast.net, for more information. CLICK FOR MORE DETAILS!!

As with every Gospel, this week Matthew (16:13-20) poses powerful question(s) for the modern hearer. Let’s begin with the first question which Jesus Himself asks His disciples: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” This is a great spiritual exercise that we all can do. Sit down somewhere quiet, where nobody will disturb you. Give yourself 20 minutes of complete silence. Turn off the TV, the radio, the iPhone—clear your mind and tell your spouse or your kids to clear the room. Put the dog outside, too. Maybe, if you need it to calm down, put on some VERY quiet, soothing music. CLICK TO READ MORE

In last weekend's gospel we had another miracle - the walking on the water by Jesus, and for a short while by Peter - and that miracle, like all miracles in the gospels, are meant not as magic to entice us or to lock us into following God, but rather are meant to illustrate to us God's great power and our absolute dependence upon God. As I mentioned in last weekend's homily the point of these miracle is to lead us all into complete and absolute Trust in Christ... CLICK TO READ MORE....

I am reaching out to potential altar servers and am asking if you would consider joining this important ministry. We have a great team of altar servers but we could always add to this ministry, which is so important to the celebration of the Mass. If you are at least in GRADE 4 and would like to consider being an altar server, I am inviting you to a meeting to be held on September 8th at 4:00 p.m. in Russell Hall where I will explain in greater detail the role and responsibilities of an altar server.

As we prepare for the academic year ahead with school and religious education classes just around the corner (yikes!), it is timely to have a reminder about the role of godparents and Confirmation sponsors as soon the numbers of baptisms begin to pick-up and our Confirmation program gets ready to begin. CLICK THE TITLE TO READ MORE...

In this 19th week in Ordinary Time we hear again from the Gospel of Matthew (14:22-33) which points us to the power of God over the natural world. This is not magic, as modern television shows would want us to consider, but rather it is the nature - or natural act - of God's power over creation. It is the Created working in and amongst and through the created world. We are shown how wonderful God is and how powerful He is, and what an impact it will have on our human lives if we stay focused on the Lord. That focus on the Lord is the challenge we all face in this created world...CLICK TO READ MORE

We have been planning a few changes to the interior of the Church proper, specifically the sanctuary area. Our goal is two-fold: first, to improve the site lines of the church from all seating areas. This will occur by raising the sanctuary floor so that the seats in the rear of the church, near the atrium entrance, are no longer obstructed by those sitting in the front of the church. Second, we want to soften the starkness of the interior of the church and connect it to the beauty of God's creation, something that is wonderfully recognized by our very pastoral setting. In a sense, we want to bring the outside in...CLICK TO READ MORE!

he following article was written by The Reverend Robert Barron, a Catholic priest and rector of Mundelein Seminary and well-known producer of The Word on Fire Catholic educational series... ?Though you would never guess it from the paucity of coverage in the major news media, there is a fierce persecution of Christians going on in the Middle East...CLICK TO READ MORE!!!

In our weekend readings we hear of the "pity," and the concern for our "nourishment, both physically and spiritually," and also we hear of the "Love" that God has for us that is so powerful and firm that nothing on earth can separate us from that Love- nothing -except for our freely made choices. Our God is a God who is both divinely rational and divinely committed to us?it is as the reading states, an eternal covenant that the Lord will renew with us. A covenant is so much more than an agreement or a contract?both of which can be broken or amended...CLICK TO READ MORE!