Pastor's Corner

2022   10-30 All Saint Day and All Souls

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This coming Tuesday,  November 1st,  we celebrate All Saints Day.  The Catholic Church recognizes this day as a Holy Day of Obligation.  Speaking on the significance of this day, as reported by the media outlet, “Catholic News Service”, Our Holy Father, Pope Francis reminded the faithful that Christian joy is a sign of holiness that…

2022 10-16   Interested in Becoming Catholic, or Being in Full Communion in the Church? It Is Never Too Late.

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

As we know, various surveys have shown that many Catholics, unfortunately, do not practice their faith on a regular basis.  They appear to take their faith for granted.  However, the Catholic Church is blessed to have many converts who have embraced the faith and truly appreciate it.  They go through a process of inquiry, understanding,…

2022 10-09   “The Rosary is a long chain that links heaven and earth.” St. Therese of Lisieux

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

The month of October, in our faith tradition, is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary.  During this month, on October 7th,  we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and we honored our Mother Mary who has encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary. Pope Benedict XVI has a great appreciation for Mary…

2022 10-02   Respect Life Sunday – National Life Chain

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

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.  Archbishop Hartmayer has encouraged us to promote the Gospel of Life, and protect and cherish the lives of the elderly, the physically and mentally challenged, and the unborn.  He recently…

2022 09-25   Priesthood Sunday

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday in the United States we celebrate Priesthood Sunday.  It is a special day set aside to honor the priesthood and is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday in September.  The day is coordinated by the USA Council of Serra International.  It is a day to reflect upon and affirm the role of the…

2022 09-17   Catechetical Sunday 2022 , “This is My Body Given For You”

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday, the Catholic Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday.  The theme this year is: “This is My Body Given for You.”  The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops stated, “Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a…

2022 09-11  Remember Those who Suffered on that Fateful Day of September 11, 2001,

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday marks the twenty-first anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  Many paused recently to focus on the events of that day.  We as a nation recall the tragic deaths and injuries that occurred at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on the fields of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  We also acknowledge the…

2022 09-04   The Dignity of the Human Remembered On Labor Day

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

As a nation, we celebrate Labor Day. On this day we honor all those who labor for a living. We are encouraged to thank them for their service to their families, and for their service to all those who benefit from their efforts. In addition, we can remember and pray for all those who are…

2022 08-28   Communal Anointing of the Sick

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

One of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church is the Anointing of the Sick.  As reported by the media outlet, The National Catholic Register, Pope Francis indicated that the purpose of the sacrament is to bring Christ close to the recipient.  He stated, “Every time we celebrate this sacrament, the Lord Jesus, in the…

2022 08-21 “Announce with Joy the Beauty of Being a Family”

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Many families in our Saint Brigid faith community, in recent weeks, have returned from summer vacations.  Many of their children have enjoyed summer camps and other leisure activities, and have started another school year.  As families settle into a routine, this may be a good time to remind families of the need for daily prayer…

2022 08-14  The Assumption of the Blessed Mary – August 15th

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Monday, August 15th, we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary.  It is not a holy day of obligation this year in the United States, but it still provides us with an opportunity to honor the Virgin Mary.   Mary is the mother of Jesus, the mother of our Church, and our…

2022 08-07 Honoring Couples for their Endearing and Steadfast Love

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Next Saturday, Archbishop Hartmayer will celebrate a special Mass at Saint Brigid honoring those couples in the Archdiocese of Atlanta celebrating the 50th or 60th anniversary of their marriage.  The goals of a Catholic marriage are the procreation and education of children, and the mutual love of a couple, in a union that is permanent…

2022 07-31 We Thank the Many Faithful, Dedicated, and Holy Deacons Serving Us at Saint Brigid.

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

The Catholic Church is blessed to have men serve as Permanent Deacons.  Those men who are called to the Permanent Deaconate can be married, and they are ordained usually after a rigorous period of five years of training and formation.  Many Permanent Deacons have secular jobs to support their families and strive to balance family,…

2022 07-22   Our Contributions Support the Spiritual, Educational, and Temporal Needs of our Parishes and Our People.

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

At this time, we are in the midst of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal for 2022.  The theme of the Appeal is “Transformed in Christ.”  The Archdiocese has recently sent reminder notices urging parishioners to support the Appeal.  Catholics are invited to make a significant pledge so we can meet the spiritual, educational, and temporal needs…

2022 07-17   Synod on Synodality Meetings. Enhancing the Spiritual Vitality of our Faith Community at Saint Brigid.

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

We are currently in the midst of a process called a synod.  Archbishop Hartmayer has encouraged us to actively participate in this process. As previously noted, he stated in a pastoral letter, “Pope Francis opened a two-year process called the Synod on Synodality (For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission) that will uniquely engage…

2022 07-10   Let us Welcome and Pray for Seminarian Bryan Roberts

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Our Holy Father Pope Francis has called on the Church community to foster and nurture vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life. He noted that vocations grow within the Church, and stated, “Candidates gratefully contemplate the mediation of the community as an essential element for their future. They learn to know and to love…

2022 07-03   God Bless America

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Monday we celebrate the Fourth of July, Independence Day.  On this day, we celebrate the birth of our nation, and we are encouraged to cherish in a very special way the many freedoms we enjoy in this country.  These freedoms should never be taken for granted.  As we know, we live in difficult and…

2022 06-26   A Prayer for National Healing

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Violent attacks and shootings occur all too often in our nation, causing great pain, grief, anguish, and death. As a faith community, our bishops have asked us to seek healing in the aftermath of the recent school shootings in Uvalde, Texas. The U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement: “There have been…

2022 06-19   Celebrating Corpus Christi with the Atlanta Eucharistic Congress and Father’s Day

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday we celebrate the great solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body, and Blood of Christ.  We focus especially on this day on the devotion to the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, a faith rooted in community.  And as a faith community, the Archdiocese of Atlanta celebrated its Eucharistic Congress…

2022 06-12   Join Us in a Grassroots Revival of Devotion and Living Faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Next Friday, June 17th, and Saturday, June 18th, the Archdiocese of Atlanta will sponsor its 2022 Eucharistic Congress at the Georgia International Convention Center. The theme of the Congress this year will be, “Come to Me.”  As in past years, the Congress begins on Friday evening with Mass and a healing service.  It continues Saturday…

2022 06-05   Come Holy Spirit, Come!

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday we see the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus to send the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles as we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. These frightened men who abandoned Jesus at his Passion will be transformed by the Holy Spirit into bold witnesses who clearly show that they not only understand the…

2022 05-29  We are Reminded to Truly Appreciate Our Precious Faith and Freedom, that We Should Never Take For Granted

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

We celebrate Memorial Day as a nation this Monday.  On this day, we remember in a special way those men and women in the armed forces who have made the supreme sacrifice in defense of our nation.  We pray for the repose of their souls, and for all those who mourn their passing from this…

2022 05-22   Bless our Graduates with Love, Protection, Mercy, Strength and Wisdom

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Especially at this time of the year, we remember our loved ones and friends who are graduating from various levels of education.  They have persevered through many years of study, and difficult and challenging times.  Since the health environment has been gradually improving, most graduation exercises can take place in person.  However, for some graduates,…

2022 05-15   Mary, Queen of Peace and Queen of the Rosary

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

May is the month of Mary, and this month we honor her in a special way.  We call her Queen of Peace and Queen of the Rosary and bestow on her many other titles.  Mary is worthy of these titles because she said “Yes” to God in so many ways in the midst of the…

2022 05-08   We Give Thanks to Our Mothers

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday we celebrate Mother’s Day.  In the United States, Mother’s Day was first celebrated in the early part of the twentieth century.  On this day we remember in a special way how much moms do for their families and the many sacrifices they make on behalf of their spouses and children. Pope Francis has…

2022 05-01   Thank the Lord for the Great Gift of the Eucharist

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Next Saturday, many of the children in our faith community will make their First Holy Communion at Saint Brigid.  Hopefully, their parents and other loved ones will present them to share with us in the fullness of the Lord’s Supper for the first time and watch proudly as these children, with great devotion, take this…

2022 04-25   The Sunday of Divine Mercy & Holy Hour

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

This Sunday we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, and we focus on the mercy of our loving God.  The Catholic Church has stated the following about this great feast, as previously noted: “During the Church’s millennium celebration in 2000, Pope John Paul II declared that the Second Sunday of Easter is known as ‘Divine Mercy Sunday’. …

2022 04-16   We Are Reminded the Suffering of the Cross Gives Way to the Glory of the Resurrection

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

Today, Easter Sunday, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.  As Holy Week comes to an end, we are reminded that the suffering of the cross gives way to the glory of the Resurrection.  Just as we share in the suffering of Christ in this life, we hope to one day share in His glory. Through…

2022 03-27   Return to the Lord’s Loving Embrace – 2022 Lenten Mission

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

  We are privileged to host a two-day Lenten Parish Mission on Monday, March 28th, and Tuesday, March 29th.  The mission will be presented by  Fr. Carlos Gonzalez, who will offer a morning session at 10 am and an evening session at 7:00 pm.  Fr. Carlos is an internationally recognized mission presenter and Catholic missionary with…

2022 03-20  Honor our Deceased Loved Ones in Our Call to Discipleship

Written by: Father Neil Herlihy

As Catholics, and as a faith community, we have great reverence for the dead.  Recently in our faith community, we have experienced the passing of many of our faithful.  Fortunately, our parish is blessed with a compassionate and loving bereavement ministry.  Members of the ministry strive to assist, in many ways, the families who have…