Pastor’s Post (Page 6)

Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for the coming of the Lord. We spend a lot of time preparing in our lives. Getting dressed: what to wear? is it appropriate? is it in style? Going to dinner: where to go? what am I going to eat? do I get dessert? Going shopping: what do I need? what store is best? how much can I spend? And I could go on. But what about preparing for the coming of…

When you listen to the parable of the Final Judgement in today’s Gospel, what stands out for you? Is it what you didn’t do for the least of God’s people, or is it the good things you have done and continue to do for His creation? There are so many opportunities to follow the works of mercy as outlined in the Gospel. Can’t list them all is this short paragraph. But I’m sure you know them just by being a…

THANKSGIVING is a time to reflect on the blessings received and to express our gratitude for them. Be thankful for your Family & Friends. Thanksgiving is a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate the joy of togetherness. Be grateful for the people in your life who support you, love you, and make you feel valued. Be thankful for Good Health. This we can sometimes take for granted. Be thankful for our bodies and the ability to move, breathe,…

In today’s Gospel, we hear the parable of the ten wise bridesmaids. Jesus is telling His disciples to stay alert and be ready for He will not always be there in person for them. Today, we are those disciples to whom the Lord is speaking. Are we wise or foolish? Are we alert to our faith? Or are we distracted by the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life? There is a lot going on around us – work keeps us…

In one of his homilies, Pope Francis reminded us of how the Eucharist unites us with our loved one, those still with us and those who have gone onto eternal life. He said: “In the Eucharist, we in fact encounter the living Jesus and His strength, and through Him we enter into communion with our brothers and sisters in the faith: those who live with us here on earth and those who have gone before us into the next life,…

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us to live by the two great commandments: Love God with everything we have and love our neighbor as ourselves. Pope Francis summed up these words at a talk he gave to pilgrims in Rome. He said: ”We are a community nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. Communion with the Body of Christ is an effective sign of unity, of communion, of sharing. One cannot participate in the Eucharist without committing oneself to…

From a homily by Pope Francis: God knows how difficult it is, He knows how weak our memory is, and He has done something remarkable: He left us a memorial. He did not just leave us words, for it is easy to forget what we hear. He did not just leave us the Scriptures, for it is easy to forget what we read. He did not just leave us signs, for we can forget even what we see. He gave…

From a homily of Pope Francis: “The Eucharist gives us a grateful memory, because it makes us see that we are the Father’s children, whom He loves and nourishes. It gives us a free memory, because Jesus’ love and forgiveness heal the wounds of the past, soothe our remembrance of wrongs experienced and inflicted. It gives us a patient memory, because amid all our troubles we know that the Spirit of Jesus remains in us.” The next time you go…

This is our Ministry Fair weekend. Our Parish Hall is set up to serve you by sharing with you all that happens here at Our Lady of Victory. It is designed to help us discover and develop our own spiritual gifts by sharing our time with our community of faith. In James 2:26, we read “For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” Come to the Fair and see the opportunities…

To me, the Church is Family. Family means we take care of each other: encouraging, supporting, and helping each other. Next weekend is our MINISTRY FAIR. The Church Hall will be set up in a away that when you come over, you will see all the things your family members do as Church. Some help through the liturgy as lectors, altar servers, or Ministers of Holy Communion. Some support the Church by reaching out to the needy, through the food…

Words from Pope Francis: “In the Eucharist, we in fact encounter the living Jesus and His strength, and through Him we enter into communion with our brothers and sisters in the faith: those who live with us here on earth and those who have gone before us into the next life, the unending life. This reality fills us with joy: it is beautiful to have so many brothers and sisters in the faith who walk beside us, supporting us with…

From a homily by Pope Francis: “The Eucharist communicates the Lord’s love for us: a love so great that it nourishes us with Himself; a freely given love, always available to every person who hungers and needs to regenerate his own strength, To live the experience of faith means to allow oneself to be nourished by the Lord and to build one’s own existence not with material goods but with the reality that does not perish: the gifts of God,…