Pastoral Letter - March 2026

My Dear Parishioners,

Praise Be Jesus Christ! While the phrase "In Like a Lion, out Like a Lamb" refers to the weather of March. This year, the phrase might direct us to the Lord. As we begin March in Week 2 of Lent like a Lion and conclude it with Holy Week and the Passover of the Lamb. Certainly, there is much activity in this month; Some things to be aware of:

• 1)This Wednesday, at 6:30PM, we will have a Memorial Mass for Mary Mich. Many of you know the Mich Family. In January, their daughter Mary died unexpectedly. This Mass will be a chance for us to gather as family with the Mich Family. There will be no Stations of the Cross or Confessions on Wednesday.
• 2)Next Sunday, we welcome to our parish Irish Tenor Mark Forrest. I strongly encourage everyone to make a point to join us next Sunday for this evening of healing and prayer. Mark is a gifted man who has not just a wonderful voice but a beautiful heart. His leading us in prayer before the Eucharist will be a great blessing. Next Sunday, March 8 at 7PM.
• 3)The following week, mid-March, brings us to our parish Forty Hours Devotion and the parish Solemnity of St. Joseph. We will welcome Fathers Chris Walsh and Allessandro Giardini back to St. Joseph's for our Forty Hours. Then that Saturday, we welcome Bishop McIntyre who will be here to confirm our young parishioners.
• 4)Finally, beyond the mid-point, we continue to ready ourselves for Holy Week!

In closing, I share Pope Leo's Angelus reflection from last Sunday. Be well.

Peace Fr. Rogers

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

Today, on the First Sunday of Lent, the Gospel tells us about Jesus who, led by the Spirit, enters the desert and is tempted by the devil (cf. Mt 4:1–11). After fasting for forty days, he feels the weight of his humanity: physically, through hunger, and morally, through the devil's temptations. In this, he experiences the same struggle we all face on our journey. By resisting the evil one, he demonstrates how we, too, can overcome the devil's deception and snares.

Through this Word of life, the liturgy invites us to view Lent as a luminous path. By means of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we can renew our cooperation with the Lord in the crafting of our lives as a unique masterpiece. This involves allowing him to cleanse the stains and heal the wounds of sin, as we commit to letting our lives blossom in beauty until they attain the fullness of love — the only source of true happiness.

To be sure, this is a demanding journey. There is always the risk of discouragement or of being drawn to easier paths to satisfaction, such as wealth, fame and power (cf. Mt 4:3–8). These temptations, which Jesus himself faced, are merely poor substitutes for the joy for which we were created. Ultimately, they leave us dissatisfied, restless and empty.

For this reason, Saint Paul VI taught that penance — far from impoverishing our humanity — enriches, purifies and strengthens it, as we move toward a horizon that has "as its aim love and surrender to God" (Apostolic Constitution Paenitemini, 17 February 1966, I). Indeed, while penance makes us aware of our limitations, it also grants us the strength to overcome them and to live, with God's help, in deeper communion with him and with one another.

In this time of grace, let us therefore practice penance generously, alongside prayer and works of mercy. Let us create space for silence by turning off televisions, radios and cell phones for a while. Let us meditate on the Word of God, approach the Sacraments, and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit who speaks to us in our heart. Let us also listen to one another — in our families, workplaces and communities. Let us dedicate time to those who are alone, especially the elderly, the poor and the sick. By giving up what is superfluous, we can share what we save with those in need. Then, as Saint Augustine taught, our prayer offered in this way — "in humility and charity, by fasting and giving, by restraining ourselves and pardoning, by paying out good deeds and not paying back bad ones, by turning away from evil and doing good" (Sermons, 206, 3) — will reach heaven and give us peace.

We entrust our Lenten journey to the Virgin Mary, our Mother who always assists her children in times of trial.