This past year our parish Vocations Committee has brought some special days to our attention: International Marriage Day (around St Valentine’s), Good Shepherd Sunday (after Easter, when we pray for vocations to priesthood), Buy Your Priest a Beer Day (yes, that’s really a thing). We have one coming up this week—and one that may present an unfamiliar notion for us—Day of Prayer for Cloistered Life. This Thursday the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin, the day when Joachim and Anne bring the child Mary to Jerusalem, where, as ...

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Last weekend we had lots of things going on. We put on the costumes for Halloween. We celebrated All Saints Day. We heard magnificent music at the All Souls Day Requiem Mass. We celebrated Sunday for the first time as one consolidated parish. But, we missed something during those days. The Church sets aside this week for prayer for vocations—vocations to religious life as sisters and brothers, vocations to the permanent diaconate, vocations to the priesthood, vocations to sacramental married life. We didn’t miss the moment entirely. We’re always pray...

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We’re in a season of change. Kids go back to school. Then the first chilly evening. The first frost touches the garden. The moment when we can’t find a pumpkin to carve because the store’s just put out the Christmas decorations. Today’s a change for us. We’re now St. Boniface Parish, in both St. Lawrence and St. Boniface Churches. We officially have a new territory—all of South Side until we near Bastress, the East End of Williamsport until we reach the borders of Loyalsock Township. And we have another project at the end: growing into...

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This past week was the annual Priests’ Convocation, I appreciate again how good is to be away. Good to be in a different space, among people I don’t see every day, doing a different set of tasks. But, in the end, we’re ready to come home. We ask each other the question: “What’s next week like? Will it be a quiet week?” This year the answer is most definitely “no”! We have several things going on this week. They’re all good, they’ll help us grow in our faith. So, let’s not allow it to slip by. Now: The B...

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Not an easy read, the insert in today’s bulletin. It asks to change and change is never without its challenges. It’s written in rather technical, legal language. I can understand why we might stop reading and look for the easy version. But, I’m glad we have those words. They protect our rights and line our responsibilities. One set of words really struck me. It’s in the title— which I’m not sure I ever paid much attention to—for the Diocesan planning process. Vision 2030—that much I’ve known and used for years!--Creat...

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There are weeks when I wish the bulletin deadline weren’t quite so early in the week. And not because I’ve wasted time or been lazy or too busy to come up with an idea. But, because sometimes something’s just happened on a Tuesday and I’d like to reflect on it with you. Like this past week, when we had our listening session about the upcoming consolidation of St. Lawrence and St. Boniface parishes. As I write these words, that meeting hasn’t yet happened. I don’t know what people will say, what they’ll hear, what they’ll th...

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We’re always interested in names. Think about the conversations expectant parents happen over the options—Who in the family wants a namesake? Which names are in fashion these days—and do we opt in or avoid? We listen to hear the confirmation name a young person has chosen. At a wedding we want to know: Name change or not? Hyphenated for her? Or for both? And, of course, as our parishes move to a closer union, we know the name questions in the air. But, that’s not the name I’m talking about today. It’s the Appeal—what used to be t...

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Think about the last words Jesus spoke before he left this earth. Think about what he didn’t say. And think about what he did say. He didn’t say: “You’re my Church. Be glad that you’ve heard the good news. Hang on to it, it’ll get you into heaven.” No, Jesus said: “Go, proclaim the good news to all the nations.” Our faith isn’t a treasure we’re to cling to, it’s meant to be shared—boldly and lovingly. Let’s think about what this means to us: Live a vibrant Christian life. The philosopher ...

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Some of you have asked about what progress we’ve made with the pipe organ. I haven’t said much about it since informing you of the various problems Tropical Storm Debby brought. I haven’t done much up until now because I haven’t had answers to give you. An organ is a complicated instrument. Repairing one that’s damaged requires a number of steps—and decisions. First of all, as you can see, we’ve removed the console from the church. That allowed us to have mold remediation done promptly. We’ve removed the carpet that was, ra...

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In his final homily a few weeks ago, Deacon McCarroll asked the question: “Was it worth it?” He pointed that question in more than one direction, but it was rooted in the Eucharistic Revival, an American project that tried to counter indifference to the Eucharist and a time for conferences and talks, processions and days of adoration, a renewed focus on how we offer and receive this Sacrament. Of course, we’ve had the added blessings of a summer when we reflect on Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse from John’s gospel. And now all that&rsq...

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