Celebration of First Holy Communion

04-29-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary’s,

This weekend we will be celebrating a Mass for First Communion at the Noon Mass. How beautiful and touching it is that our youngsters receive the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time. We pray for them and also their parents. It is our great hope that the children’s parents will now bring them faithfully to Mass each weekend. The parents have honored the commitment they made at the time of the child’s baptism and now need to continue to honor that public promise of “raising them in the ways of our faith” by faithfully attending Mass and also assisting them with Religious Education.

READ MORE

Believe in the Lord and ourselves as His disciples

04-24-2022Pastoral ReflectionsRev. Brian F. Manning

What helps us to define the early church are three elements found in the first reading. You will note that the first element is the apostles. They are central because they witnessed, in a strong sense, the Resurrection. The church, as a community, is the second element. In fact one that was slowly increasing in membership. The third element is the regard others held for this community as a holy and healing group of people.All of these points come to have profound meaning in the Gospel of today where we are reminded that faith does not depend upon seeing.

READ MORE

Parish Pastoral Council Elections

04-22-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Our Parish will be holding Our Parish Pastoral Council Elections this late Spring. Below is a Description of the Role and eligibility requirements. Folks will be invited to nominate parishioners during the weekend of May 7-8 in the church by filling out a nomination paper and placing it in the baskets at the door of the church when leaving or by email.

READ MORE

If We Believe and Follow Him, Then We Will Rise With Him

04-15-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Pastoral Reflections In the cathedrals of archdioceses, such as our own and also in dioceses throughout the world and in addition, in monasteries and religious house chapels throughout the world, there are many, many “first readings” at the Easter Vigil. Parishes are not expected to participate in proclaiming all the various readings of the Easter Vigil, consequently we do not realize how subdued the scripture readings of Easter Sunday are compared to the solemn vigils of cathedrals etc.

READ MORE

Easter Triduum

04-14-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

May the Celebration of the Sacred Mysteries of our faith during these three Holy Days bring you and those close to your heart God’s grace, healing and strength. May you experience the joys and hope of the Resurrection of Christ in your daily life.

A Blessed and Happy Easter,
Father Brian

Unite Ourselves with Jesus on the Cross

04-08-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

This weekend at Mass we begin “the holist week of the year” with the Celebration of Palm Sunday. This trium- phant and noisy event stands in stark contrast to the sacred events we celebrate later this week in the Sacred Trid- uum (the Three Days) which mark the Last Supper, the Institution of the Eucharist and Priesthood on Holy Thursday, the death of Jesus on the Cross on Good Friday and then on Saturday evening into Sunday morning the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. We all shout “Hosanna” on this Palm Sunday even though we know of the events later in the week. It is also from this additional knowledge that we know Jesus rose from the dead and from that truth our Palm Sunday takes its final meaning and shape.

READ MORE

A Special Deepness from our Encounters with Jesus

04-03-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

In this week’s Gospel, we are not surprised when we learn that Jesus is being again tested by people. From the high Temple authorities to the officials of government, to the villagers He meets and even His own people of his village, Jesus is constantly being tested and questioned. In this passage, in particular, we realize that He is being manipulated and setup. His foes take advantage of a woman and humiliate her to get at Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees should know better because of their religious upbringing and education, but it does not seem to matter. They perceive Jesus to be a threat to them; they think that to use that woman was inconsequential. In their opinion and treatment of her, she was dispensable.

READ MORE

Spam Emails / Holy Week / Patrimony Summary

04-01-2022Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

I have been told via email or in person that some folks are getting emails from me asking if they have some time to help me. These emails are fakes and really are fraudulently seeking money from you. I get anywhere from two to ten a week with various parishioner’s, family or friend’s names with the same request etc. I always delete them without reading them or sending them back to the alleged sender. Never open them always delete them, never send them back. Just delete them.  You do not need to get a computer virus. The scammers target the public email of priests in parishes. When in doubt, delete and do not open.

READ MORE