Dear St. Joseph Family,

A blessed and joyful Easter to you all. As it is with Christmas, Easter is not simply one day, but an entire season that extends until Pentecost Sunday on May 23rd. During this time, we celebrate Jesus’ rising from the grave on Easter Sunday, as well as the period of time he remained with the early Church community until His Ascension 40 days after the Resurrection. I imagine those were incredible days for the Apostles, our Blessed Mother, and many others who encountered the risen Lord as he continued to teach and heal. The Church offers us this extended period of time in order to draw us into this experience of remaining with Jesus so that He can teach and heal us as well.

In his homily on the Easter Vigil, Pope Francis mentioned that Easter is about accepting the invitation of Jesus to go to Galilee to meet Him Who goes before us and waits for us there. It is in “Galilee”, the place where the encounter with Jesus first began, that, despite our failures and defeats, we can begin anew. It is there that we will be amazed by our Lord’s infinite love. Returning to Galilee, Pope Francis also said, is a call to move away from the tomb, to move away from living in the past, and of thinking that Jesus is only a distant memory. Returning to Galilee is a signal that our faith must always be on the road, journeying forward, with an openness to being continually surprised by God.

How do we do this? How do we return to our own Galilee? What can we do, practically, during this period to set it apart, to savor it, to be surprised by God, so that it doesn’t simply become a holiday on the calendar that comes and goes, but a season that informs the entirety of our lives? I would like to recommend three things. Prayer, Reconciliation, and Service.

First, prayer. Not to quote Pope Francis too much, but in his General Audience on Wednesday, he remarked that prayer is the breath of our faith; without prayer, our faith cannot survive. Looking to Luke’s Gospel, the Pope turned to Jesus’ question, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” For so many of us, life can become consumed with organizational success. But Jesus is not asking for this, He is asking for faith, an entrustment of our lives to Him, which is nourished in prayer. Some of us may find prayer difficult. “How do I pray?” we ask. I always recommend coming to church outside of Mass and sitting in God’s presence. Five minutes at a time, then increase. Be silent and open your heart to hear God speak and to receive His love. Prayer is precisely this, not so much us speaking many words, but an exchange of love between God and us.

Second, Reconciliation. Last week we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday. Besides reception of the Eucharist, there is no greater exchange of love that we can regularly participate in than the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is there that we say “yes” to leaving our own tombs behind to begin a new life. Has it been a while since you’ve been to Confession? Don’t be afraid or embarrassed. As I said in my homily on Sunday, nothing means more to me, or any priest for that matter, than welcoming home a prodigal son or daughter, because we’ve been there ourselves.

Lastly, service. Jesus came to serve, that was His mission, to serve us with his dying and rising, and this was the mission He gave to His Apostles and us. And serving is not a burden. It is what flows naturally from the person who has been reborn and set free by God’s mercy. Service is a way for us to experience and prolong the message and dynamism of Easter. Each time we encounter someone in need and share with them what we have received, the Resurrection of Jesus is manifested anew in our world. I am grateful to God for you and for this community that has shown me fervent witnesses to the power of prayer, reconciliation, and service. Continue to live these things and you will inspire many more to love Jesus and be loved by Him.

With much love, happy Easter,
Fr. Mario

Dear St. Joseph Family,

On October 5, 1938, at the age of 33, a young religious nun by the name of Helen Kowalska died in a convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Cracow, Poland. She came from a very poor family of ten children who struggled hard on their little farm during the terrible years of WWI. Since she had only three years of simple education, in the convent she performed humble tasks in the kitchen, vegetable garden, or as a porter. Yet in her simplicity, Our Lord appeared to her and made her the apostle of the wonderful message of Mercy for all mankind. Her scribbling became the diary of Sr. Faustina through which we received the profound wealth of the Divine Mercy.

One such diary note reads: in the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing, the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord; my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.”

Sometime later, Our Lord again spoke to her: "The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous; the red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls...These two rays issued forth from the depths of My most tender Mercy at that time when My agonizing Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross....”

As we celebrate the Divine Mercy Sunday, we too can make her prayer our own: “O my Jesus, each of Your saints reflect one of Your virtues; I desire to reflect Your compassionate heart, full of mercy; I want to glorify it. Let Your mercy, O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and the future life.”

Blessings,
Fr. Sunil Orathel

Dear St. Joseph Family,

I’m not sure how many times the Triduum has begun on April Fool’s day, but there’s an intriguing comparison to be made there, wouldn’t you say? Over the course of the next four days, we will recount the greatest reversal of events that has ever occurred in history. Just when everyone thought that Jesus was dead…the joke’s on them.

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, however, was no joke. It was God’s carefully designed plan. Seeing humanity fall into sin and bent on self-destruction, God knew that the only remedy would be for Him to save us from ourselves, to enter into our own experience, to put death to death. In reality, the joke is really on the Evil One, who 40 days ago tried to tempt Jesus into worshipping him. Jesus resisted him then and brought that initial victory in the desert to completion on the Cross. The devil, who had successfully used his temptations of pride and self-preservation on the scribes and Pharisees, Judas and Pontius Pilate, was defeated by Jesus’ humility and self-gift to the Father.

I think this date of April Fool’s Day is a fitting irony, because it appears that many in our world think that the devil won, and that the tomb which was closed on Good Friday remained that way. And so, they mock God, oftentimes right to His face. This week, a musician created and sold 666 pairs of shoes with satanic emblems on them, which sold out immediately. And on Good Friday, a movie is being released about a young woman who claims to be receiving visions of the Blessed Mother but is really experiencing demonic activity.

That is blasphemy. But the joke is on them, because our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, is risen from the dead. Don’t let anyone convince you that He isn’t.

In the face of these attacks, what I often turn to (besides the testimony found within Sacred Scripture) is the witness of the vast number of people in the early Church who rejected self-preservation to give up their lives for the Gospel. Just think of the Apostles for a second; if the Resurrection did not happen, why would they, and St. Paul, risk their lives to preach that it had? What did they stand to gain? Absolutely nothing. In fact, by preaching this, they gave up everything.
But St. Paul says, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something” (1 Cor: 18, 27-28).

Now, I don’t want this to sound like it’s us against them. Jesus’ message, the message of the Cross, is that it is “us for them.” Yes, “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). And this is perhaps the biggest “joke” of all, that if we love our lives in this world, we will lose them. But if we lose them now, even for those who hate us, we will find them forever.

And this is the great challenge of Easter. As one of my professors in the seminary once said, Easter is a much more difficult season than Lent, because now we must go forth and live for others as Jesus lived for us. By no means does this mean we allow others to walk over us. What it means is that we allow the “power of God” to shine through us, as we teach, by our words and our works, that Jesus is alive, that love and truth are more powerful than lies and death. And you can do this. Do not doubt the power of God. This power, that raised Jesus from the dead, that inspired the martyrs of the early Church to witness to the Gospel, that moves modern-day saints to self-less love and service of their neighbors, is the same power that is poured out upon you. May you experience this power anew this Triduum and Easter season.

With much love,
Fr. Mario
 
 

Dear Friends,

Whether we realize it or not, we are approaching the end of the season of Lent, the season of praying, fasting, and almsgiving. We are remembering the solemn entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem to accomplish the Paschal mystery of his passion, death, and resurrection. We honor the memorial of that event which we celebrate as we hold palms in our hands and sing Hosanna to the King.

The central event of the Paschal mystery - the paschal sacrifice - is embedded between two triumphant events; the solemn entry into Jerusalem and the solemn event of the resurrection. This invites and prepares us to join into the Holy week with our devotions, faith, life, sacrifices, joys, and sorrows. If recollecting those moments from the life of Christ does not arise some feelings and emotions within us, then it might be a good time to examine and rekindle our affinity to the mystery of Christ.

Some of the questions that are in the gospel of Sunday could guide our thoughts into the depths of our faith, our hearts, and to the Paschal mystery: Why are you doing this? What are you doing? Why has there been this waste? Why do you make trouble? Where do you want us to go? Where is my room prepared? Surely it is not I? Are you asleep? Can you not keep awake with me for one hour? Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Is it with a kiss that you betray? Have you come out to seize a robber? Have you no answer? Are you Christ, the savior? What do you think? Are you the King? Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews? What do you want me to do? Why? What evil have I done? My God, Why have you forsaken me?

As we enter into the week of meditating on this mystery of redemption, we are stunned at the way God planned and accomplished his mission through his son Jesus, which was not completed without my cooperation. We wish everyone the joys and fruits of the reflection on the mysteries of our salvation. I accompany you all with my prayers as we let ourselves be guided by the spirit to relive these moments of liturgical and spiritual solemnity.

Blessings,
Fr. Sunil Orathel

Dear St. Joseph family,

Happy Feast Day of St. Joseph! I want to congratulate the group who completed the 33 Day Consecration to St. Joseph. Because it was such a meaningful experience, another group is being formed to begin the consecration on March 29, so as to finish on May 1, the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker. If you would like to join, please fill out the registration form here. This group plans to meet weekly, instead of daily, to pray and reflect on the short daily meditations that you will read on your own from the book written by Fr. Donald Callaway. We have some books available to purchase for $15.

Moving on to returning to the Basilica for in-person Mass, I’d like to remind you about my bulletin letter from a couple of weeks ago. In that letter, I highlighted a couple of important aspects of attending Mass in person and asked you to reflect upon your physical capacity to return to Mass, even if only outside. I invite you to continue to consider this invitation, as the schedule for returning to a regular schedule for indoor services continues to clarify. In the next week, expect to see a schedule for Holy Week and Easter.

In preparation for indoor Mass, we will be holding a training for ushers on Saturday, March 27th, from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. At this meeting, we will walk through the protocols, which are not complicated. I am asking you to consider coming to this meeting, even if you are not a current usher. Just so you know, I am asking that 7-9 ushers be present at each Mass. If we want to resume a normal schedule of 4-5 Masses on a weekend, that will require about 35-45 ushers. Right now, we have a committed team of about 25 ushers. So, you see the need.

On a more spiritual note, as the season of Lent moves toward completion, I invite you to take some time to reflect on how these last weeks have been. Has your prayer, fasting, and almsgiving led you to a deeper awareness of your need for Christ, and His desire to satisfy that need, like the woman at the well? If not, you still have a couple of weeks left. Come to the Basilica for prayer, especially on the next two Fridays from noon-7pm, and spend time before the Blessed Sacrament. Come to Confession on a Monday from 6-7 pm or Saturday from 3:30-5 pm. Do something out of the ordinary for someone, even something very simple, and you will find joy. Then you will be ready for Easter.

With much love,
Fr. Mario

 

Friends,

This is the year of St. Joseph as declared by Pope Francis. St. Joseph is the patriarch and the patron of our parish. The solemnity of his feast on the 19th is fast approaching. The nine-day novena in preparation for the feast begins on March 10th. We congratulate the team that is doing the 33 days of consecration to St. Joseph and invite others to take the opportunity to know and seek His intercession.

We are not as familiar with Joseph as Pope John the XXIII wrote. Joseph, except for some slight springing of references to him here and there in the writings of the fathers of the Church for long centuries remained in the background, in his characteristic concealment, almost as a decorative figure in the overall picture of the life of Jesus. It took time for devotion to go beyond and take root in the hearts of the faithful as a sign of trusting abandonment. St Jose Manyanet reminds us that after two thousand years we started only now to glimpse something of the mystery in which Joseph is immersed.

 In the Old Testament (Gen 41:55), we have the story of Pharaoh who told people that were affected by famine and distress "Ite Ad Joseph" - “Go to Joseph”, which has become a key in approaching St. Joseph as the foster father of Jesus, protector of the church, patron of a happy death, a model of workers, head of the families and such titles.

We are reminded by Pope Pius XII that Joseph who was so engaged in protecting and providing for the family at Nazareth, now from heaven is lovingly guarding the whole church and all its members. If anyone cannot find a master to teach one to pray, says St Teresa of Avila, take Joseph and you will not go astray. May our devotion to him draw us all closer to Jesus who reminds us in the Gospel that our lives in truth and light give glory to God.

Blessings,
Fr. Sunil Orathel

Dear St. Joseph family,

This week we moved into the Basilica for daily Mass at 11 am, a little bit ahead of the schedule that I wrote about in the Bulletin two weeks ago. I want to thank all of you who have attended, for your patience with making some adjustments from Mass to Mass. This is an important step for our community. As I wrote in that bulletin, with recommendations from the Re-opening Committee, I have decided to look at a move-in date for Sunday Mass that mirrors conditions that are similar to when the county gave us approval to return indoors in the late Summer/early Fall. If you are not coming to daily Mass, and you have time during the week, consider attending, as it will help you to gauge your readiness for attending Sunday Mass inside.

I’d like to note that there is no sign-up for daily Mass, as there is (and will continue to be) for Sunday Mass. Yet, all the other protocols apply. Please wear a mask at all times, keep 6 feet distance (pews are marked off to help this), and do a health screening for yourself before you arrive. If you have any cold or flu-like symptoms also associated with COVID-19, please stay at home.

In addition to moving inside, we also began a 12 pm Mass in the quad two weeks ago. These first two weeks, the registration has been lower than expected, about one-third, to half of the 9:30 am attendance. Now, I recognize that attending an in-person gathering makes some of us recoil, especially those of us who are older or have a pre-existing condition. Sometimes, however, we don’t worry about it so much. A couple of weeks ago I was helping out a friend who has hit some tough times. I met him at Walmart in order to help him buy some essential items. The amount of people inside and the lack of social distancing had me scratching my head. Unless you have gone into total hermit mode, I would venture to say you have had similar experiences over the past year. When we go to the store, we don’t really bat an eye, but when it comes to attending even an outdoor Mass, some of us run for the hills. I understand how this can be the case for you if you are older or have an underlying health condition, but if you are younger and have no underlying health issues, I’d like you to consider why.

You may respond, “well, I watch Mass on tv,” or “I go to the drive-through.” Not to mention, “we are dispensed from attending Mass on Sunday.” All good points. So, let me posit a response of my own. It is important to attend Mass in-person (if we are healthy enough to), because the gathering at Mass is sacramental, which means that it is a visible sign of some invisible reality. God, from the beginning of history, has desired nothing else but to gather all peoples to himself, which Jesus Christ brought about through His Church. When we come together in our small community, we are actually a sign of the Universal Church present throughout the world. We affirm that God is active, and his plan is coming to fruition. Second, the visible actions that take place at Mass reflect what is happening in heaven. There, Jesus Christ offers the Father perfect worship with all the angels and saints around him. At Mass, we are drawn into Jesus’ act of worship. To put it plainly, what happens at Mass is a foretaste of heaven. Don’t we all want to experience that in-person?

I am not writing this to guilt-trip anyone. If, because of your health, you do not feel safe attending Mass outside, then by all means, stay home and watch the live stream. But a year has gone by since the pandemic distanced us, and I sense that some members of the Church are convincing themselves that they can get by on their own. Weighing all your personal circumstances, I invite you, with sincere love, to consider if one hour a week at Mass, outside, is something that you can do. You are important to me and your faith family. Stay healthy physically, but also spiritually. And if I am preaching to the choir, maybe this letter is a summons for you to invite someone to Mass with you who has not been in a while.

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Friends,

God did not even spare His own Son, but send Him to us so that we can have the transformational effect in our life, as we are reminded during this season of Lent. We want to list a number of small actions/attitudes that may help us in our effort to feel good with the Lenten season. Adaptations according to individual situations make the suggestions a practical possibility. Following is a list of sample practices that can prompt us in making the season transformational.
Gathering as a family to pray
Visit the Blessed Sacrament
Join/pray Stations of the Cross
Pray the rosary
Abstain from social media
Share an inspiring story
Read the story of Jonah
Donate food Help someone in need
Appreciate one another
Write a letter of gratitude
Reach out to someone ignored by you
Make peace with someone
Listen more
Visit someone (Zoom)
Speak less
Fewer beverages (coffee/drinks)
Have some family time
Share your meal
Invite someone to discuss faith
Read about missions
Listen to spiritual talk
Draw a scene from the bible
Compose a poem/ reflection on-lent
Think of St. Joseph
Learn about Christian denominations
Appreciate your parents
Visit a senior living home (window)
Remember the disabled
Work on inner healing
Perform Manual labor
Clean the devotional objects at home
Less TV time
Watch a religious movie
Visit a cemetery
Less gossip
Fill positive attitudes
Share your faith experience
Visit a neighboring church
Moments of silence
Read the parable of the prodigal son
Think of the people in your life
Remember those who are saddened by you
Confession Receive Eucharist
Learn the prayers Practice patience Know your neighbors
Take a spiritual walk
Recite the act of contrition
Pray the divine mercy
Read about saints
Display a Cross at home
Less sugar intake

Blessings, Fr. Sunil

Dear St. Joseph Family,

On this first week of Lent, I want to remind you that you are in my prayers. As I mentioned in my homily on Ash Wednesday, I have come to really enjoy the season of Lent (almost as much as Christmas ☺). For me, it is like participating in an extended retreat. As a priest, I am required to take an annual retreat and have been doing so since my years in seminary formation. They have been incredible moments of grace, in which my relationship with God has grown, free from the noise and distractions of daily life. My prayer is that this Lent you will be able to retreat a little with Jesus, who said to his disciples, “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile." By doing so, I hope you too will appreciate this season, marked by what can seem like the strenuous discipline of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, as a time of rest, and intimacy with God.

In order for you to enter into this experience, I am happy to share several options for spiritual growth and refreshment. Like many retreats, which are led by a “retreat master,” who gives daily talks, we have structured our weeks during Lent so that there is something for you to participate in almost daily. I encourage you to look at the schedule and make the intentional choice to participate in some, or all, of the offerings.

A word of an update on indoor Masses. For the time being, we are going to remain outside. The weather seems to be in our favor, and so we will take advantage of that. The preliminary plan, however, is to monitor the numbers closely and make a concerted effort to return indoors once the county returns to the Orange Tier. You may remember that this was the tier which we were in when we were making plans to return indoors in the Fall. Consistency with this guideline seems prudent. In the meantime, we will be considering a move indoors for daily Mass a little bit sooner. This is because the number of parishioners does not reach the same amount as Sunday Mass. I appreciate your patience and understanding as I, and the reopening committee, weigh many factors. Your safety is our #1 concern.

Lastly, a word of gratitude to our volunteers who assist with Mass in the quad and drive-through communion. This community owes you a tremendous debt of gratitude. On Ash Wednesday, I assisted with seating people at the noon Mass, and I tell you, it is a sacrifice to serve in this capacity as you try to simultaneously focus on Mass. Being an usher truly is a labor of love. And so, my request goes out to all of you to consider sacrificing some of your time to participate in this ministry. The more ushers we have, the more we can allow each other to rest from these duties. And, if we all arrive at Mass early, that makes it easier on the ushers as well.

And our drive-through workers, thank you too! Like our Mass ushers, most of them worked both distributions of the ashes. And Ash Wednesday evening was a sight to behold! A line of cars out on the street, flowing consistently for the entire hour. That night, I was thinking, the Catholic Church is alive! And it is alive because of our faithful ministers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

With much love,
Fr. Mario

Dear Friends,

To rise from ‘slavery to saint’ is beyond words and imagination. To transform from ‘leprosy to clean’ requires faith and healing. To advance from ‘search for love to love’ is a blessing and an accomplishment.

Josephine Bhakita (1879-1947) was a nonChristian local slave girl from Sudan, whose Feast we celebrated on February 8th. Bhakita displayed tremendous courage and the irrepressible virtues of a soul. She did not give up even though that would have been very easy, she refused to seek revenge or even speak of it, nor did she allow hate to poison her life when she later became a free person in Italy. She refused to allow the wounds of the past to destroy the promises of her future and remained a simple Canosian sister who guarded the gate, cooked or mended the clothes, and earned the loving title of ‘Black Mother’, all with a simple smile on her face. The realization of the presence of the uncleanliness or leprosy of various natures within the individual and in society makes the person seek the healing touch of Jesus. The proof of the cleansing is shown through the actions that follow the healing. Even if the actions are not public, the effects of conversion and healing can reveal the glory of God and the profoundness of the human soul.

Our search for love makes us encounter others and share their being with us. It is strange yet true that both the failures in human love and its ultimate experiences lead us to seek and be immersed in the love of God. The red roses and the red glittered gifts might also remind us of the love poured on us through the red life-giving blood that has been shed for us. Let all our thoughts and deeds as reminded by St. Paul be "for the glory of God".

Blessings,
Fr. Sunil Orathel

Dear St. Joseph Family,

This month of February is Black History Month. As I said in some remarks approaching Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday, his day is not a “day off” but a “day on.” Similarly, may the remembrances of this month not be isolated to one month out of 12, but let all of us seek to continue to educate ourselves about the history of our Black brothers and sisters, and to celebrate their contributions to our country and our world. For my part, I will be reading more of Reverend MLK’s sermons. You can find a few here.

This Saturday, we will be anticipating the World Day for the Sick. This day was inaugurated by Pope St. John Paul II, and falls on March 11, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes. Our Lady appeared to a peasant girl named Bernadette in 1858 and told her to dig in the ground. In that spot a spring of water emerged, which to this day continues to flow, and where millions of pilgrims journey with their sick companions in search of healing, both in the body and in spirit. My brother-in-law, who was diagnosed with cancer, was fortunate to go to Lourdes with the Order of Malta in 2018.

On Saturday the 6th, Bishop Barber is inviting the diocese to celebrate Mass with him via live stream on their Facebook page at 10 am. You can join them there, or you can watch our Mass on our Facebook page or come to the gathering space at 11 am. Afterward, we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick as we used to do more frequently. Thus, I’d like to take this opportunity to delve into this Sacrament a little deeper.

Contrary to what many people think, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not “last rites.” It pains me when families wait until the last moments to call me to come and anoint their family members (if they even call at all). It seems that some people think that if they call the priest to anoint their sick loved one that they are somehow prematurely sounding the death knell. No, do not hesitate to call for the Anointing of the Sick.

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick should be administered at the moment when someone finds out that they are due to in danger of death, due to sickness or old age, or those preparing for serious surgery. This is because the Sacrament is not some kind of ticket to the after-life, but a prayer for strength to endure the suffering that is ahead. Indeed, a Sacrament is an encounter with Jesus Christ, the living God, whose ministry was bound up in comforting the sick, which is why it is ideal that the celebration of the Sacrament takes place when the recipient has their mental faculties, so that they can experience the Church praying with them in solidarity, that they may courageously unite themselves to Christ as they carry their cross, and as we pray for health to be restored.

What this means is that not everyone should receive the Anointing of the Sick. I often see healthy people approach the minister for this Sacrament when we hold communal services. Perhaps we have our own spiritual maladies that deplete us and make us feel wounded and frail, but for those who are healthy in body, we have the Sacraments of Confession and Eucharist to heal our spiritual wounds and fortify us. So, this Saturday, please allow those who are truly sick in body, or who even have a mental illness, to receive the Sacrament.

In a similar vein, Pope Francis has declared that the fourth Sunday of July will be celebrated as the World Day for Grandparents. The fourth Sunday will be a day that is close to the Memorial of Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus. Pope Francis has often spoken about these significant people in our lives, of their value and essential contributions to society, as they connect us from one generation to the next. Unfortunately, grandparents, and people in this age group, often find themselves forgotten, or, as Pope Francis has said before, victims of the “throwaway culture.”

May all of these celebrations remind us that we are all members of the same family, that we all have an incredible dignity in God’s eyes, and that we are all deserving of love.

With much love,
Fr. Mario