Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
We are privileged to have a relic of Blessed Stanley Rother here with us at St. James this past week! You have two more days to venerate the relic and ask his intercession. His time with us here ends Tuesday, April 25th. He is the first US born priest to be beatified and martyred. He was killed because he stood up for the faith and stood with the people he served. As a priest and pastor, I look to him as an example of what it means to be a shepherd of the flock the Lord has given to me. Fr. Rother’s life and death show us what it means to serve and lay our lives down for one another. The times of veneration of the relic and prayer follow in the bulletin.
Holy Hour for Healing
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. At St. James, we will have a Holy Hour for Healing at 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 30th. We will pray for the healing of those effected in any way by child abuse. Deep wounds in victims, families, and friends take a long time to heal and we want to pray that the Lord Jesus continues the healing work only He can do. Each Sunday, we have a Holy Hour for Healing and pray for those who are ill – physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. This Holy Hour is dedicated to those who suffer from the wounds of child abuse. Please join us in prayer by your presence and participation.
St. Catherine of Siena
The summer of 2001 I spent 6 weeks in Siena, Italy studying and improving my Italian fluency (so that I could better understand the professors in my theology classes…and could more graciously find my through a menu and wine list!). During my time there, I had a chance to get closer to St. Catherine and know her a little more. Her feast day is April 29th (this Saturday). She was quite a woman! Her love for Jesus and her dialogues with Him are shining examples of faith! She also had a fierce love for the Church. When Pope fled Rome and lived in Avignon, France, this young woman went up there and went right up to him and demanded that he return to Rome. He was abandoning the flock that was entrusted to him. He needed to be brought back to what was important St. Catherine did just that. She is buried in Rome at Santa Maria sopra Minerva near the Pantheon.
St. Catherine and Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us! May each of us be faithful to the vocations to which our Lord has called us!
Happy Easter! May the Hope and Joy of the Risen Lord Jesus fill your soul and your homes this Easter Season!
~ Fr. Daniel Firmin