This Sunday, which is the last weekend of the Easter Season, is also Pentecost Sunday , the birthday of the Church and when God gave the gift of His Holy Spirit to mark the beginning of her mission to evangelize the world. This “birthday gift” from God is the Advocate, the Counselor and the Spirit of Love — that is of God’s Love, and not an ordinary love with a lowercase l.

Beginning Monday, June 8 th, St. Catherine of Siena will initiate a partial reopening of the public worship of Mass as well as a return to our public Sacramental Life in the Church (weddings, baptisms, confessions and funerals). Sunday Masses will not begin at this time, but it is our hope that very soon we shall celebrate the Sunday Masses together .

“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified youon earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17) This quote from today’s Gospel of John for our Seventh Sunday in Easter “describes” Eternal Life for us. Perhaps it’s not our “picture” of heaven...

The Archbishop of Hartford created a committee of priests to develop Church guidelines for returning to the public worship of Mass and the Sacramental life of the Church. That committee has done its work and presented it to the Archbishop’s Presbyteral (Priest) Council for their approval. I believe it now is being reviewed by the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. I hope we hear this coming week on good news!

Fear is a powerful motivator, certainly. Amid the changes Jesus’ discourse warned of, He dealt with humanity’s concerns when He told them He had to leave them for a while. He informed His apostles that He will ask the Father and the Father will give another Advocate to them—the Holy Spirit—to guide humanity to all Truth and to Advocate for all. We aren’t alone!

In the first reading this Sunday, again from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear of the creation of the Diaconate and of the appointment of the first Deacons in the Church. Stephen and his fellow companions, in total numbering seven, are made deacons by the laying on of hands—the invocation of the Holy Spirit used in the Ordination rite of the Priesthood and the Diaconate as well as in the Sacrament of Confirmation...

Last Sunday, May 3, was a beautiful warm and sunny day, and part of that warmth emulated from an amazing amount of St. Catherine of Siena families and individual parishioners who came by the church grounds to be Christ’s light to others by “Receiving a Blessing and Becoming a Blessing” for those in need.

A lot is going on in this gospel today. We have sheep and sheepfolds, shepherds, a gate and gatekeeper and we have thieves. But the message is truly about humility and recognizing who we truly need in this world in order to enter into the sheepfold through the gate so that we may have life and life to the abundantly.

During this time of uncertainty many people, even those who no longer practice their faith, need the Church for certain needs—and the Church does not turn her back on them or even ask questions—we do not seek proof of Baptismal or Confirmation certificates or ask to see a parish envelope number—no, Christ asks us to simply open our doors and our hearts.

Last Wednesday, April 29, 2020, was the feast day of Saint Catherine of Siena, the patron saint of our parish church who is also the patron saint of the City of Rome and the co-patron saint—along with St. Francis of Assisi—of Italy. Here’s a little historical information on her, summarized from a 2020 article by Steve Weidenkopf, lecturer of Church History at the Christendom College Graduate School of Theology, and by Bishop Robert Baron’s book, Praying with the Pivotal Players: