“But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (Mk 10:6-9) “Marriage is the intimate, exclusive, indissoluble communion of life and love entered by man and woman at the design of the Creator for the purpose of their own good and the procreation and education of children; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a Sacrament.” Gaudium et Spes, 48 Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of the “wedding feast … [Read more...]
Our Lady of the Rosary
October 7 In 1571 Pope Pius V instituted “Our Lady of Victory” as an annual feast to commemorate the victory of Lepanto, where Christian forces successfully thwarted an attempted invasion of Western Europe by the Muslim forces of the Ottaman Empire. The victory was attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a Rosary procession had been offered on that day in St. Peter's Square in Rome for the success of the mission of the Holy League. In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of this feast-day to “Feast of the Holy Rosary". This feast was extended by Pope Clement XII to the whole of the Latin Rite, inserting it into the Roman Catholic calendar of saints in 1716, and assigning it to the first Sunday in October. Pope Pius X changed the date to 7 October in 1913, as part of his effort to … [Read more...]
Respect Life Sunday
A Prayer for Life to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament O Jesus, you came that we might have life—and have it in abundance. Together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, you form us in our mothers' wombs and call us to love you for all eternity. As your most precious gift of human life is attacked, draw us ever closer to your Real Presence in the Eucharist. Dispel the darkness of the culture of death, for you are the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. By the power of your Eucharistic Presence, help us to defend the life of every human person at every stage. Transform our hearts to protect and cherish all whose lives are most vulnerable. For you are God, forever and ever. Amen. … [Read more...]
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Feast Day – October 5
Born in Füssen, Bavaria, in 1809, Francis Xavier Seelos was well educated and had a special gift for languages, but his most outstanding characteristic was his humility. He was ordained a Redemptorist priest in Baltimore, Maryland in 1844. Always loyal to the Order's charism, he was at heart a “missionary with a constant smile on his lips and a generous heart, particularly toward the needy and outcasts,” his followers said. His confessional was always open to everyone, and he heard confessions in German, English, and French, from anyone, regardless of their ethnicity. As a priest, he was distinguished for his “simple lifestyle and language,” so much so that his sermons were heard and understood even by the most simple. Of all the souls entrusted to his care, the ones he was especially fond … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – September 29, 2024
At that time, John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.” Jesus replied, “Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mk 9:38-40) Most of us here at Good Shepherd Parish call ourselves Catholics. But what does it mean to be “Catholic”? You might hear different definitions these days. When I was working in the Vatican, someone who “wasn’t Catholic” was someone who didn’t follow the Holy See in matters of doctrine. On the other hand, there exists a group called “Catholics for Choice” that purports to be “Catholic” while attacking the moral teachings of the Church and promoting the … [Read more...]
Religious Education
First Holy Communion classes begin on Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 9:15am in the Rectory. Confirmation classes begin on Sunday, November 3, 2024 after the 10:30am Mass in the Rectory. Please contact the rectory office to register so we can ensure we have sufficient teaching materials for each student. Please contact Msgr. Nalty directly if you or someone you know is interested in coming into full communion with the Catholic Church through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults. … [Read more...]
St. Francis of Assisi – Blessing of the Pets
October 6 at 11:45 am Feast Day - October 4 Many of the stories that surround the life of St. Francis of Assisi deal with his love for animals. Part of his appreciation of the environment is expressed in his Canticle of the Sun, a poem written in Umbrian Italian in perhaps 1224 which expresses a love and appreciation of Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Mother Earth, Brother Fire, etc. and all of God's creations personified in their fundamental forms. Francis' attitude towards the natural world, while poetically expressed, was conventionally Christian. He believed that the world was created good and beautiful by God but suffers a need for redemption because of the primordial sin of man. He preached the universal ability and duty of all creatures to praise God (a common theme in the Psalms) … [Read more...]
Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels
October 2 Angels are intellectual beings created by God with a natural higher dignity than man; they have intelligence and will, are personal and immortal. Good angels serve God and help man. They always behold the face of God in heaven (Matt. 18:10). Christ is at the center of the angels. Each one of us has a Guardian Angel to accompany us through life and shield us from the assaults of demons and even temporal evils, except what God permits for spiritual advancement. Keep close to your Guardian Angel! Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, too rule and guide. Amen. … [Read more...]
St Thérèse of Lisieux – October 1
THÉRÈSE MARTIN was born at Alençon, France on 2 January 1873. Two days later, she was baptized Marie Frances Thérèse at Notre Dame Church. Her parents were Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin (the only married couple ever canonized together). After the death of her mother on 28 August 1877, Thérèse and her family moved to Lisieux. She was one of nine children, and of the five daughters who lived to adulthood, all became nuns. From an early age Thérèse wished to embrace the contemplative life, as her sisters Pauline and Marie had done before her in the Carmel of Lisieux, but she was prevented from doing so by her young age. On a visit to Italy, during an audience granted by Pope Leo XIII to the pilgrims from Lisieux on 20 November 1887, she asked the Holy Father with childlike audacity to be … [Read more...]
From the Pastor – September 22, 2024
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” (Mk 9:35-37) What does it mean to be “the best”? Our American society puts a premium on it. If it’s high school, the best student is the “valedictorian.” If it’s high school sports, then the best team is the “state champion.” Pro football awards the “Lombardi Trophy” for winning the Super Bowl, and professional baseball gives the “Commissioner’s Trophy” for winning the World Series. Locally, Gambit Magazine list an annual “Best … [Read more...]
