The world was in the midst of the Great Depression in 1931 and the memories of World War I were still very much alive in the minds of Europeans when in Poland a sister of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938), is said to have been personally visited by Jesus. According to her diary, which was listed on the Index of Forbidden Books for more than 20 years, an image was revealed to her of the risen Lord, from whose heart shone two rays, one red (representing blood) and the other “pale” (symbolizing water), with the words “Jesus, I trust in you” at the bottom. Faustina wrote in her diary that Jesus told her, “I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.”

A happy and blessed Easter to everyone here at Saint Catherine of Siena parish—our parishioners and all our visitors who are joining us for the celebration of the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ! It is our collective prayer—and that of the whole Church—that your Easter Season be filled with the divine and unconditional Love of God; that He who created you out of Love, and then called you to Eternal Life with Him in heaven, now blesses you with His Sacramental Graces as His Mystical Body in the life of the Church.

Alleiuia! Christ is risen from the dead, and in Him we too are born to a new and indestructible life. To Him be glory and praise foreverl During this Easter season, we are called to recognize the depth of God’s love and mercy revealed in Christ‘s sacrifice on the Cross and poured out for us in the sacramental life of the Church, especially in Baptism and the Hoiy Eucharist.

The Easter Triduum is a period (of three days) in the calendar of the Catholic Church that spans from Holy Thursday through to Glorious Easter Saturday. These are the three days that immediately proceeds Easter Sunday, when the Church erupts with celebration over Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. There is great celebration as the Church remembers this event in the history of mankind because it is the realization of God’s plan of salvation for us all. It means that through the blood of Jesus, through His resurrection from the dead, God has made a way for us all to fulfil the real purpose for our existence; that is to live with Him forever.

As the Faith Formation year heads to a close, I want to express my sincere thanks to aeveryone who makes our program such a success—the parents, the students and the teachers. We are blessed at Saint Catherine of Siena with a large and growing Faith Formation program: dedicated and committed parents—that is not always the case in every parish, with more than 650 students who are active and involved, and of course a dedicated group of catechists (more than 60 volunteers). Kathi Bonner, our director of Faith Formation, puts her heart and soul into this program and your children’s successes.

Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”(v.11) In today’s Gospel of John, 8:1-11, unfortunately we hear a consistent message of forgiveness and Truth that often times is received or heard superficially which leads some to go into the “weeds” of the scriptures meaning, viewing this reading’s meaning in a confused or conflated way. There is an adage in communications that says: Communications is less of what’s said and more of what’s heard. That (mis)understanding can be applicable to today’s parable too.