The weekly collection, every week at each parish, belongs to the parishioners, not the pastor. Every pastor who is doing his job has to be very serious about how that money is spent. It has to be for the parishioners’ welfare. I am happy to say that, while I’m convinced we need to save more for future capital needs (painting, roofs, plumbing, etc.), the parish has always paid its debts in a very timely way, and that is due to your generosity. I thank you!

So many pastors and parishes cannot say the same. In fact, sixty-five parishes rely on outside assistance to pay for their ordinary operations. An additional sixty-three schools also struggle financially. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be choosing between the ministries and activities to support, and which ones to let go, because there just isn’t enough…but there are many pastors who have to make those kinds of decisions every week.

Back when I was teaching full-time in the seminary, I travelled quite a bit, throughout the United States, giving continuing education talks on the Scriptures to many groups of priests. One of the things that I discovered is that many dioceses throughout the nation have big campaigns, like Together in Mission, but almost all of them aren’t for the poor parishes, but for the support of the chancery offices. I applaud the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for having a collection strictly for assisting our poor parishes. Let’s have it clear in our minds, these are our parishes. We belong to each other and share a common mission to bring people to an experience of Jesus and to become His disciples.

The Together in Mission collection enables the parishes and schools it helps to fix or replace roofs, paint walls, and upgrade electrical systems. It buys school textbooks and classroom technology. It keeps the lights on and pays for employee insurance. It helps parishes with their ministry and education programs. It pays essential salaries. It provides security at Catholic schools in tough neighborhoods to keep children safe.
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The cause is just and the need is great. There is a careful distribution of the money raised, and prudent monitoring. In essence, it is money well spent. I can’t encourage you enough, please be supportive of this collection. You have done so much to ease my mind of great financial struggle. Can we do the same for others?
Thank you!
 
Siempre adelante!
​
Fr. Patrick

Also visit: Together in Mission - Our Story is Hope

Dear Friends,

​This weekend’s mass readings are of course rich with meaning. They also have a pattern of contrasts and juxtapositions, in a sort of mirror image between the first reading from the prophet Jeremiah and the Gospel which is Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount.

Another interesting bridge between Jeremiah and Luke is this: At the end of the “blessed are yous”, Jesus says “for their ancestors treated the [true] prophets in the same way. At the end of the “woe to yous”, Jesus says “for their ancestors treated the [false] prophets in this way.”
 
Jeremiah was a true prophet of God and he was horribly treated – remember the passage about his being cast into a muddy pit because the king didn’t like the prophecies he was making? Jesus Christ was a true prophet and we know he was horribly treated: scorn, torture and cruel execution.
 
This can all be a little unsettling for those of us who have comforts in this life: enough to eat, adequate clothing and shelter, gainful employment, the love of families and friends.
 
But our second reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians has juxtapositions of its own and reaffirms the truth about Jesus to which we cling – that he was not only a true prophet, but the Son of God, risen from the dead:
 
If for this life only we have hope in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all. 

BUT...

Now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
 
Siempre Adelante,
 
Dominic MacAller
Worship Minister