Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Happy Easter to all of you and a special welcome to all of our visitors! I pray as you celebrate Easter Mass with us, you may come to know the peace of God in your hearts now and always. You are always welcome to come and to thank God for His many blessings most especially His Son who has risen from the dead and offers forgiveness from our sins! I find that people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, and loneliness is often related to a broken relationship with God. That relationship can be healed and restored with God’s mercy.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Welcome to Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week! Today we begin the holiest week of the year for the Catholic Church. This week the Church commemorates Christ’s death and burial which begins with Palm Sunday. The palms symbolize peace and victory. It was custom during Jesus’ time for people to pay homage by laying palm branches–or even clothes–in front of people who were owed a great amount of respect.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Maybe you have heard the critique that is lodged against Catholic parishes that goes something like this. “I went to Mass at that parish for 20 years and no one even said hello to me.” One could ask why an isolated person didn’t say hello either. But still, hospitality is an essential charism for any community that wishes to grow and flourish! I have heard from many visitors how blessed they felt by the warm welcome that have received at St. Bernadette.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Occasionally, I will receive a call from a parishioner, former parishioner or a non-parishioner who was asked to be a godparent for someone to receive the Sacraments of Baptism or Confirmation in the Catholic Church. Very often the person is requesting a letter from our parish stating that he or she is a Catholic in good standing. This status of a Catholic in good standing is part of what is required to be a godparent. This measure helps to ensure the person receiving the Sacraments will be supported in the Catholic faith

Millions of dollars from the pro-abortion industry are flooding into Arizona from out of State. This includes paying workers to collect signatures in front of grocery stores and other public locations for an amendment to our State Constitution.

We urge the citizens of Arizona not to sign or endorse this signature campaign.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.” This line from today’s Gospel is a reminder of the importance of silence and spending time with Our Lord. Lent invites us to slow down and notice the ways Our Lord is present to us. In our busy schedule is can be easy to forget how Our Lord wants to be with you. Here are some more suggestions from Fr. Ed Broom, OMV on how to make the most out of Lent. Please see last week’s bulletin for Fr. Broom’s first five suggestions.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In today’s Gospel, we hear that Jesus is being tempted by Satan. Jesus will not be distracted by the devil’s efforts as Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Good News: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” As disciples of Our Lord, we know that God, through Christ, has defeated Satan. Even though the devil remains active in our world today, we know a day will come when all evil will be destroyed forever and rule of Satan will be replaced by the Kingdom of God.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Members of our society, and even members of our government, disguise an anti-life agenda by preaching about “reproductive freedom.” Tragically, this disguise is used scare people by concealing the truth and disseminating lies. This disguise often manifests in the form of misleading arguments, to which, I offer these thoughts for your prayerful consideration.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On May 30, 1862, Don Bosco recounted a dream he had: “In the midst of this endless sea, two solid columns, a short distance apart, soar high into the sky. One is surmounted by a statue of the Immaculate Virgin, at whose feet a large inscription reads:” ‘Auxilium Christianorum’ (‘Help of Christians’). The other, far loftier and sturdier, supports a Host of proportionate size, and bears beneath it the inscription: ‘Salus credentium’ (‘Salvation of believers’).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In an age of disinformation and fake news, a group called Arizona for Abortion Access is working to make abortion more available in our state. As they claim on their website: “There are many reasons why someone may decide to have an abortion. But no matter how you personally feel about abortion, every person should be able to make their own decisions with their healthcare provider and those they love and trust.” There are many problems with this statement, not the least of which is the ability to make decisions. The statement does not include the decision of the infant in the womb who would decide to live every time - if given the chance.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The recent declaration from the Vatican this past December entitled Fiducia Supplicans has caused a lot of anger and bewilderment throughout the world. The confusion has led many to wonder about the legitimacy of and reason for the document. Many good and faithful Catholics are clearly frustrated by this document’s wording. For many, the most frustrating and concerning things include the lack of consensus among the bishops worldwide on how to understand and implement the document. Therein lies the problem. Words matter. Many intelligent people are reading this document and finding it difficult to decipher its meaning much less how to implement it in a pastoral way.

Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,

Your participation in the life of our parish is an important way to live the Catholic faith as well as use your gifts and talents with and for others. Being a good disciple includes loving, serving, and giving to build the Kingdom of God, especially within your parish. The underlying motive for the good steward is Jesus’ love for us. When a person accepts that everything has been given to you by God out of His love for you, the only response is to generously give everything back to Our Lord and His Church.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As intentional disciples of Our Lord Jesus, we know there is a cost as we live our faith. Like the Magi, true disciples know in their hearts that giving our life to Christ includes the cross. Living the faith changes us and moves us closer to the kingdom. True faith invites us into an intentional relationship with Jesus Christ… a relationship that includes doing the will of God. Many faithful Catholics know too well that Jesus invites His followers to humbly “take up their cross” and follow Him.