2016 07-10 Reach Out to Your Loved Ones and Invite Them to Mass.
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Many of us have friends, relatives, siblings, co-workers, or neighbors who are Catholic but who do not come to Mass on a regular basis. They may fall away from the active practice of the faith for a time but some eventually come back and begin participating in the life…
2016 07-03 Fortnight for Freedom
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This Monday we celebrate the Fourth of July, Independence Day. On this day, we remember and appreciate the birth of our nation. This day also marks the end of the “Fortnight for Freedom” Campaign sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Campaign included the celebration…
2016 06-19 We Celebrate Father’s Day and We Remember All Fathers in a Special Way
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Today we celebrate Father’s Day and we remember all fathers in a special way. As we know, Pope Francis has placed great emphasis and focus on fatherhood. Being a father is a great privilege and also a great responsibility. He encouraged fathers to look to Saint Joseph as…
2016 06-26 We Are Challenged to Set a Good Example for Others, and to Truly and Publicly Live our Faith
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Catholic author Scott Richert has reminded us that “…we are called to be Christian together; while we can and should engage in private worship of God throughout the week, our primary form of worship is public and communal, which is why Sunday Mass is so important.” As Catholics…
2016 03-27 Celebrate Easter – Be a Witness for Christ
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Today we celebrate Easter Sunday. We celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Once again we welcome all to our vibrant Parish community. We especially welcome all those who have completed a thorough period of inquiry, education and catechesis and will have received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, or the…
2016 03-20 Celebrate and Experience the Joy of Palm Sunday
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Today, on Palm Sunday, we focus on the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. In our faith tradition, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week during which we commemorate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. As we know, this week is the holiest week in the…
2016 03-13 We Are Challenged to Follow the Example of Saint Patrick
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy We celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Patrick is a saint known primarily for his great missionary work with the Irish people. He was a priest and later became a bishop in the fifth century. While living in England, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he lived as…
2016 03-06 Prayer Should be an Integral Part of our Lenten Journey of Faith
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy As Catholics, prayer should be an integral part of our Lenten journey of faith. Catholic author Scott Richert says that prayer is a form of communication, a way of conversing with God. Prayer may be formal or informal. The word “pray” means to “ask earnestly.” Mr. Richert states, “In…
2016 02-28 We Invite You to Participate in the Lenten Initiative; “24 Hours of Mercy”
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This Friday as a faith community we are invited to participate in the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative, also known as the “24 Hours of Mercy.” The publication, “Catholic Communications” reported that The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization has said the theme this year…
2016 02-21 We are Privileged to Sponsor a Lenten Parish Mission Presented by Dr. Allen Hunt and Parish Penance Service.
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This week from Monday February 22nd to Wednesday February 24th we are privileged to sponsor a Lenten Parish Mission presented by Dr. Allen Hunt. He is a well-known Catholic author and radio host, who converted to the faith in 2008. He is also a dynamic speaker and conference leader…
2016 02-14 We Continue our Lenten Journey
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This week we continue on our Lenten journey. Lent is a good time to focus on what is truly important in our lives. Renewal and conversion of heart and mind should be key goals for many of us. Our Lenten experience should include a clear and compelling witness to…
2016 02-07 Ash Wednesday is Feb. 10 – Allow the Lord to Effect a Lasting Transformation in our Hearts and Minds.
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Next Wednesday in the Church year is Ash Wednesday. Many Churches are full as people flock to Church to publicly humble themselves before the Lord. It is a day of fasting and abstinence. Pope Francis has called on us to discern in our hearts why we fast. In an…
2016 01-31 The Feast Day of Saint Brigid and Respect for God’s Children at Mustard Seed Communities
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This Monday, February 1st, we celebrate the Feast day of Saint Brigid, the patron saint of our Parish. She joins Saint Patrick as one of the patron saints of Ireland. Saint Brigid is known for her extraordinary spirituality and prayer life. She is also known for her Christian charity….
2016 01-24 Prayer for Christian Unity and The Archbishop’s Annual Appeal 2016
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This weekend we are completing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We were asked during this week to unite in prayer with our Christian brothers and sisters. We were invited to pray for peace in our world and to pray for those Christians who are being persecuted, especially…
2016 01-17 The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This weekend as a nation we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for his work in promoting the dignity of the human person regardless of skin color. In honoring his legacy, we recognize the great strides that our country has made in overcoming the racial injustices…
2015 12-27 The Feast of the Holy Family and “Come Home For Christmas”
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Next Sunday we will conduct a conference to assist people in their desire to learn more about the Catholic faith. We will also strive to effectively address questions or concerns some may have about the faith. In addition to inviting those who are not Catholic to learn about our…
2016 01-03 Begin This Year Of Mercy with a Christ Renews His Parish Renewal Weekend
Guest column from Deacon Tom Huff It’s hard to believe that a new year is upon us. Pope Francis has declared 2016 as the Year of Mercy. He declared the Year of Mercy because, “It is the favorable time to heal wounds; a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting…
2016 01-10 The Baptism of the Lord, The Year of Mercy and the “Living the Eucharist” Lenten Program
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy As we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis reminds us that “our baptism has also given us a share in the Church’s mission of evangelization; as disciples, we are also missionaries.” He has called on us to ask the Lord “to renew in us…
2015 12-20 Jesus “Emmanuel” Comes to Us
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy At Christmas, we welcome the Christ Child into our world, into our homes, and into our hearts. Jesus “Emmanuel” comes to us. In a Christmas message, Pope Francis said that Jesus brought light and grace to the world and that grace “made salvation possible for the whole human race.”…
2015 12-13 Our Lady of Guadalupe
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy On Saturday December 12th, we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the patroness of the United States, Mexico and all of the Americas, as well as the protector of the unborn. She is a religious as well as a cultural figure to the people of…
2015 12-06 Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Our Advent season has begun and we thank all who participated this past week in our Advent Mission. On Tuesday we will celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Holy Day of Obligation as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary who was preserved from all stain…
2015 11-15 The Conclusion of the Synod of Bishops on the Family
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy The Synod of Bishops on the Family has recently concluded. Catholic News Service reported that the synod tried to find better ways to convince the world of the importance of the family based on the lifelong marriage of one man and one woman. It also reported that Pope Francis…
2015 11-22 We Thank the Lord for the Gift of Our Precious Faith
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Today, as we celebrate the feast of Christ the King, we can thank the Lord for the gift of our precious faith. The word “Eucharist” means “giving thanks” and the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. Our Church leaders remind us that the Lord establishes a…
2015 11-29 “In The Desert, I Prepare the Way of the Lord” Advent Mission 2015
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy We are pleased to provide an Advent Parish Mission presented by Fr. Francis Reque of the Order of Saint Benedict. Fr. Francis is an experienced mission leader and spiritual director from Saint Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. A Parish Mission can be viewed as an opportunity for spiritual healing,…
2015 11-08 Celebrating Veterans Day 2015
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy In the United States, Veterans Day is traditionally observed on November 11th. At the invitation of Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Archbishop Gregory will celebrate a special Mass at Saint Brigid on Tuesday, November 10th at 9 a.m. to honor our veterans. We will remember in a special way our…
2015 10-11 Pray The Synod on the Family Will Bear Much Fruit, and Integrity of Family Unit Strenthened
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Throughout his papacy Pope Francis has repeatedly expressed his concern for the family. He called the family the “leaven of society” and challenged families to live lives of Christian witness. He spoke of the Christian family as an institution that prays, keeps faith, and experiences joy. These sentiments were…
2015 10-04 We Are Called to Promote the Gospel of Life – Respect Life Sunday
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy Our Bishops remind us that this Sunday we celebrate Respect Life Sunday. As Catholics, we are encouraged to promote the dignity of all human life from conception until natural death. We are called to promote the Gospel of Life, and protect and cherish the lives of the elderly, the…
2015 09-27 Our Stewardship Renewal to Share the Unique Gifts of our Time and Talents
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This Sunday Pope Francis concludes his historic trip to the United States. During his visit, he was greeted with great warmth and affection as he spoke eloquently about the role of the family. In addition to his great concern for the family, he has also expressed in the past…
2015 09-20 Pope Francis’ Visit to the United States
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy As we well know, Pope Francis will soon be coming to the United States. He enjoys immense popularity in our nation. Primarily through his acts of charity and his obvious concern for the poor and marginalized, he has garnered admiration and respect from many, including non-Catholics. During his time…
2015 09-13 The World Day of Prayer for Peace
From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy This past Friday as a Parish, we participated in the World Day of Prayer for Peace sponsored by the Catholic fraternal organization, the Knights of Columbus. The leaders of the Knights of Columbus invited us to pray for peace among nations. They also invited us to “…pray that religion…