Today, we enter into a Holy Week like none of us have ever experienced. How difficult it is that we cannot gather together and celebrate these holiest of days which brought life, hope, and joy to each of us and the whole human race.

I was planning on taking a retreat the week of March 2-6. Well, two hours after I arrived at the Abbey where I was going to spend some nice quiet time with Jesus and take some wonderful rejuvenating naps, I was on the road back to Savannah!

Another Lent is here! What a beautiful season! We enter into this season with a focus on our spiritual lives and how we can deepen our relationship and love for Jesus. It is a time to evaluate how strong is our friendship with Him and how can it be strengthened.

My trip to Rome for the Ad Limina Apostolorum with Bishop Hartmayer and Bishop Boland was amazing and a trip that I will not forget! It was so stunning that I developed a cold and came down with Bronchitis which I got over at the beginning of the week!

The last two months on the 1^st and 3^rd Sundays, we have sung the Our Father (Pater Noster) in Latin. We began the First Sunday of Advent. After hearing from many parishioners, I have decided that we will no longer be singing this as part Latin in the mass Sundays.

This past week, if you missed it, two programs began again and picked up right where they left off! Walking with Purpose, our woman’s bible study, began again on Monday and That Man Is You, our men’s program, started back on Wednesday morning. Both of these programs have borne great fruit in the lives of the men and women attending them!

Sunday, January 26^th, marks the beginning of Catholic Schools Week! Each year, we celebrate the gift of Catholic Education, namely our Catholic Schools! Our parish celebrates the incredible gift our own St. James School has been, is, and will be to our parish and our community!

This weekend, January 18-19, 2020, we kickoff the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). The Diocese decided to change the name from the Bishop’s Annual Appeal to the Annual Catholic Appeal. This is a more accurate name because it is an appeal not for the Bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, but to support the growth of the Catholic faith and the practice of the faith by the people of the Diocese of Savannah.

Wednesday, January 8^th, the 2^nd graders experienced for the first time the Sacrament of Reconciliation! It was a beautiful evening! These young people received the gift of the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy through this Sacrament of Healing for the first time! This Sacrament is magnificent and is a treasure.

The Sunday after Christmas is named Holy Family Sunday. We celebrate the beauty of the relationship between Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Often, you see JMJ at the top of a letter or card or document written by one of the Catholic faithful.

Here we are. The Last Sunday of Advent has arrived! It has been so quick this year! By now, I hope that all of you have your shopping done and there will be no more bustling around and running from this place to that place, from this party to that party. Rather, I hope and pray that these next two days can be spent with and in a good amount of quiet for you and your families.

We had an amazing week last week at St. James! Matt Fradd came to Savannah to be our speaker for our Advent Parish Mission. The mission was not only inspiring and called us all on to a greater and deeper holiness, but it was also very practical.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this fall, we participated in the Forming Disciples, Leading All to Christ program to increase our offertory for the purposes of increased evangelization opportunities and strengthening our ministries. This program gave everyone a chance to reevaluate what they were giving in the weekly offertory so that St. James could continue the good work being done and increase evangelization and outreach efforts. I would like to give a little report on the results in this Pastor’s Corner.

Today marks the 1^st Sunday of the New Liturgical Year for us! We begin every New Liturgical Year with these 4 weeks of Advent anxiously awaiting to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ on December 25^th at Christmas! Here are a few ways we are marking this New Liturgical Year.

Congratulations, Dr. Les Haddad and Mrs. Cindi Vogel!

Today, Bishop Hartmayer will bestow the Bishop Gartland Award upon them at the 11:30 AM mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. They are both a blessing to our parish. As they continue to serve, may we see in them an example of how to use our gifts and talents at the service of our fellow parishioners, our parish community, and our Church.

This year, I have nominated Dr. Les Haddad and Mrs. Cindi Vogel to receive the Bishop Gartland Award for their service to our parish community! Dr. Haddad has been leading the Sunday morning Bible Study for 15 years (give or take a few) on a consistent basis. His expertise and insights have helped many grow in the faith. Mrs. Vogel has been an usher at the 7:30 AM mass for 15 years (give or take a few). She always greets people with a smile and with great joy! She brightens up the early Sunday morning mass crowd.

The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of the Christian Life. There is no greater public display of union with Jesus Christ, union with the Church (her authority and her teaching), and union with our brothers and sisters in faith.

State Championship for the BC Raider Team! Congratulations to the BC Raider team who won the State Championship last weekend in Griffin, GA! A few young men from St. James are on the team and they represent us and their families very well. Good work men and congratulations from your St. James family!

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, thank you to all who have participated in our “Forming Disciples, Leading All to Christ” program by returning a Commitment Card! Only 20% of our parishioners have returned a Commitment Card. I am not sure why the percentage is so low. It should be 100%! Everyone, even if they cannot increase their gift, can fill one out and return it. They can check the box that they are praying for the success of this program.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am overwhelmed by the response of so many of you who have participated in our “Forming Disciples, Leading All to Christ” program! I count as those who have participated NOT only those who increased their offertory, but those who have turned in a Commitment Card. Anyone who turns in a card receives a Thank you.

October is a great month of celebrating the Saints! No, I am not talking about my New Orleans Saints going on a winning streak and running roughshod over their NFL opponents. Though I do hope that happens, I am writing about all the many Saints we celebrate this month. Here is the list: St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus (the Little Flower) (October 1^st), our Holy Guardian Angels (have you ever celebrated your guardian angel? October 2^nd), St. Francis of Assisi (October 4^th), Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos (ministered here in the USA October 5^th), Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7^th), St. Denis and his companions (October 9^th), St. John XXIII (October 12^th), St. Theresa of Avila (October 12^th), St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (October 16^th), St. Ignatius of Antioch (October 17^th), St. Luke (October 18^th), Sts. John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and companions (the North American Martyrs were martyred here in our country and in Canada October 19^th), St. John Paul II (the Great! October 22^nd), St. John of Capistrano (October 23^rd), and Sts. Simon and Jude (Apostles October 28^th). How will you celebrate these brothers and sisters of ours who practiced heroic virtue?

Thank you for your overwhelmingly positive response to our “Forming Disciples, Leading All to Christ” Program. This Sunday is Commitment Sunday in the program. If you have filled out your commitment card, please put it in the basket as it is passed around. At each mass there will be a chance to complete a card and pass it in.

Our Mission as a parish is to get people to heaven, to form disciples and lead all to Christ. We do this by loving God and our neighbor. All our ministries are ordered in this love, to accomplish this goal.

Families celebrate each other! Our family in faith is no different! Two of our parishioners have accomplished some amazing physical feats in the past few weeks.

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

At this time each year, the financial position of the parish is distributed in the bulletin to all the parishioners for the sake of transparency and disclosure and to show good stewardship on the part of the Pastor, the Staff, and the Finance Council. This past year we ended in very good shape. Thank you for your continued generosity!

Last Sunday at the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Hope on the Isle of Hope (we celebrate mass there every 1^st Sunday of the month at 8:00 AM) at the end of mass, I was walking back through the front door and something caught my eye. A split and crushed goldfish was on the floor (not a real fish, the Pepperidge Farm Goldfish snack we all know and love!). My heart filled with joy! My soul soared! I was so happy!

Last Sunday we said goodbye to Fr. Jason Adams and Fr. John Paul Heiser, OSB! Today, we say Welcome to Father Peter Lanshima and Fr. Patrick May! We are blessed at St. James the Less to receive these two new priests! Each of them will bring their own personal gifts and talents and we look forward to seeing how Almighty God uses them to bring His Word to us and how He uses us to help form them as new priests!

Last Sunday afternoon, the church was filled with beautiful music flowing from the organ, the piano, and voice. Those of us present got a taste of the Divine while being blessed with such beauty! Lewis King, Charles Ancheta, and Catherine Lynch set our souls soaring to the heavens! Thank you!

Today, we are excited about the concert at 4:00 PM! Our summer seminarian, Lewis King, will be teaming up with our Music Director, Charles Ancheta, to produce a beautiful lineup of music, which will glorify Almighty God! Good music produced by skillful musicians and singers raises the heart and soul to heaven and brings us into contact with God who is all-beautiful. Please come! No tickets are needed and we will have a light reception afterwards.

Tuesday, July 16^th, the Church celebrates Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This is the biggest feast of the year for our Carmelite Sisters at Our Lady of Confidence Monastery on Coffee Bluff. Each year they have a Triduum of masses on the evenings of July 14, 15, and 16. Everyone is invited to attend! Since I have been here in Savannah, I have tried to make these masses and celebrate this great feast with them.

Last week all the announcements were made for the new assignments that impact life at St. James the Less. Fr. Jason Adams will be leaving after 5 years and going to St. John the Evangelist parish in Valdosta. Fr. John Paul Heiser, OSB, will be teaching full time at BC. We will be receiving two newly ordained priests, Fr. Patrick May and Fr. Peter Lanshima.

Last week was Trinity Sunday and Father’s Day. This Sunday is Corpus Christi! We celebrate that most precious gift from Our Lord Jesus – His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. He gives Himself to us in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as food for our journey of faith. He gives Himself to us in the Blessed Sacrament to be adored and worshiped.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we celebrate today the Most Holy Trinity! God has revealed himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - One being, one substance, and three persons. This is the central mystery of faith. We profess it each time we recite the Creed, each time we make the sign of the Cross. These three persons work in us and in the world together and cannot be separated in their action. Though distinctions can be made, they cannot be separated.

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirt and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the Earth.”

Celebrating the Solemn Feast of Pentecost brings us back to our Confirmation when we were sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit! We have all received the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit – fear of the Lord, piety, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, understanding, and wisdom. These are given to us so that we can be good disciples of Jesus Christ.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus into heaven. The earthly life of Jesus ends here, but He is present with us still in the tabernacle, in the Eucharist. His presence is now hidden and only through eyes of faith can we recognize Him. Under the appearance of bread and wine He remains with us. In every tabernacle in every Catholic Church He remains. What a gift!

In late January and early February, after New York enacted a barbaric law enshrining abortion and granting unprecedented access to abortion, I wrote three Pastor’s Corners addressing this. Since we gave such thought and time to such evil, perhaps we should give the same thought and time to great good and light which shines in the darkness. Let’s celebrate life!

This week and throughout this month of May new chapters in many people’s lives begin! Our 8^th Graders are moving on to High School. Our High School Seniors are graduating and moving on to jobs or college. Our College Seniors begin their careers or go on to graduate school. Our parents are experiencing this for the first time or the 3^rd time or the last time.

We are celebrating the 4^th Sunday of Easter this weekend. How are we celebrating it? In the sanctuary, we still have the Easter Candle and the priest and deacon still wear white vestments. These show us that we are still in that Easter Joy!

Yesterday or today, Saturday, May 4^th, depending on which mass you attend, our 2^nd graders received their First Communion! What a blessing it is to receive our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity! These young people begin this amazing journey now with Almighty God.

What a beautiful celebration of the Paschal Mystery, that is, the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord! Everything was magnificent! The choir and the servers were extraordinary! The decorations were gorgeous! Thanks to all who had a hand in it!

Rejoice! Our Lord Jesus is Risen!

This past week, we walked with Jesus through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. We ate that Last Supper with Him where he spoke to us of imitating him and being servants for one another.

I would like to issue an invitation to each of you. Join us as we walk through the Holiest of Weeks celebrating the beautiful mysteries of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Delve deep into the beauty and mystery of the faith with your brothers and sisters of St. James the Less!

Earlier this year, I wrote a series of Pastor’s Corners in response to the murderous legislation passed in New York and proposed in Virginia. The second in this series addressed our personal response to abortion and these horrors being proposed and promoted throughout our country. Well, the rubber hit the road last week on my way to retreat.

I remember opening The Southern Cross and immediately, my chest swelled with pride! Each year, the St. John Vianney Vocations Ministry in Savannah holds the Vocations Essay Contest and receives submissions from all 16 schools throughout the Diocese of Savannah. This year St. James School won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! We swept the medals!

On Thursday, March 21st, forty-six of our young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation! These young men and women are now fully initiated into the Church. They can be lectors, ushers, participate in all our ministries and begin to live a life in the Spirit using the gifts the Lord has given them!

Everything is green and Irish this weekend in Savannah! March 17th, the feast day of St. Patrick, is a day of celebration for all Irish and those of Irish descent and even those Catholics not of Irish descent! Even though the parade was on the 16th of March, we celebrate St. Patrick all weekend. This is a day to celebrate the faith of this man who was a disciple of Jesus Christ and a missionary who evangelized Ireland.

This past Monday, St. Anthony of Padua visited the parish and many people took the opportunity to venerate his relics and ask for his intercession. We believe that as a man or woman grows in holiness, even their body becomes sanctified. We are a united body and soul and both are healthy or sick, joyful or sorrowful, together. Not just our soul is sanctified. Our body is sanctified as well. Many of our parishioners and some of the faithful from other parishes in Savannah or even from the Diocese of Charleston came to pray and attend mass and ask for St. Anthony’s intercession. It was a beautiful morning!

In the midst of all the seriousness going on around us, I came across the Alliance of American Football with my brother. The two of us watched these games and predicted what the plays would be before they happened in real time! I am a Level 10 Captain right now! Sure makes watching football so much more fun! This league can teach the NFL a thing or two with some of the rules, transparency, and interaction with fans that they have in their broadcasts! Anyway, it is a nice change of pace from all the gravity surrounding us!

Last week, we reflected on the personal reaction we should have as Catholics to the assault on life seen in New York and around our country. In this Pastor’s Corner, I will address the question of excommunication and refusing to admit persons to communion and who makes these decisions. How should the Church react as an institution and what would that look like?

As the days go by after the New York abortion law has been passed, how should we Catholics react? How should the Church react? Excommunication? Refusal of communion? These are questions that are going back and forth all over the internet and Catholic publications and talk shows and in conversations between good Catholics. The law passed in New York and the talks of more laws in Virginia and Rhode Island are demonic and barbaric.