Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,

Exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,

Let the trumpet of salvation

sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph…

Christ your Son, who, coming back from death’s domain,

has shed His peaceful light on humanity,

and lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen

(Exsultet – Easter Proclamation, Roman Missal, 3^rd Ed.)

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. We recall and rejoice in the infinite mercy of God which flows from the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holy Family will host a Holy Hour of Adoration, Exposition, and Benediction of the Eucharist on Sunday, April 28 from 2p-3p.

One of the great acts of Mercy of God the Father is to feed us body, mind, and soul with the Body and Blood of His Son Jesus Truly Present in the Eucharist. This weekend on Saturday afternoon, we had 31 of our Parish and School 2^nd graders receive their First Holy Communion. I pray the sacramental Graces of this precious and intimate encounter with the God of life and love nurtures a deep and abiding relationship between these little ones with Christ and the Church. We, the greater Church, should rejoice with them and for them as they make this next important step in their Catholic Christian lives.

34 years ago Saturday, April 27, I made my First Holy Communion at Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is both humbling and amazing that now I find myself serving the Lord in the Eucharist at His altar as priest and pastor. On that day so many years ago, I would not have guessed the holy calling God was placing upon my heart. But Jesus already knew. He was already planting His love, His presence, His mission deep within me. It is a great honor to be able to assist these tender souls to draw near to Jesus, to listen to His teachings, to walk in His Way. The great purpose of every human life is to know, love, and serve the Lord God. As we each approach the holy altar to received, may we truly give thanks to God, thanks for the Church, thanks for Christ present in His Sacraments.

Holy Family, centered around the Eucharistic Jesus, pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven,

Exult, let Angel ministers of God exult,

Let the trumpet of salvation

sound aloud our mighty King’s triumph…

Christ your Son, who, coming back from death’s domain,

has shed His peaceful light on humanity,

and lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen

(Exsultet – Easter Proclamation, Roman Missal, 3^rd Ed.)

On behalf of the entire Holy Family Parish and School staff, a happy, blessed, and joyous Easter to each of you. May you encounter anew the Risen Christ in your life, in the life of the Church, in our Catholic Christian Community.

As we place the Lenten days of preparation behind us, we rejoice in Christ’ victory over sin and death by His sacrifice upon the Cross. May we encounter the risen and glorified Jesus Christ in the Eucharistic celebration, as so many of us have encountered Him in Eucharistic adoration these last 40-days. He is always near – to feed, to sustain, to accompany. He is not merely the Christ of the past, so much as Jesus is Christ Risen and alive Today, Here, Now, Forever, Amen!

To those who have joined us particularly for this most solemn celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection this weekend, know that you are most welcome to our community. We are glad you are here. You are valued and treasured. And we, your brothers and sisters, would warmly welcome your precious presence among us more often. If I as the priest and pastor of Holy Family can assist you in being more connected and rooted in our Holy Family parish, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Know of my daily prayers for you.

Next Sunday is known as Divine Mercy Sunday, to recall and rejoice in the infinite mercy of God which flows from the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holy Family will host a Holy Hour of Adoration, Exposition, and Benediction of the Eucharist on Sunday, April 28 from 2p-3p to celebrate. Fr Gries will be available for confessions during this time. We will conclude with a recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet (texts provided). This will be a wonderful way, as a parish family, to come together before Christ in the Eucharist and give thanks for God’s Divine Mercy upon the parish, the community, the Church, and the world. Please join us.

Holy Family, rejoicing in the Resurrection, pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

Sunday, April 28 is Divine Mercy Sunday. This is the conclusion of the eight-day Octave celebration of Easter. The idea of Divine Mercy Sunday has its roots deeply planted in the Old and New Testament and in the early Church Tradition. It is a feast with three distinct dimensions, each emphasizing an aspect of the Paschal Mystery that needs to be brought out more clearly and appropriated by and for the faithful: merciful love, atonement, and covenant.

First, Divine Mercy Sunday focuses on God’s merciful love as an event and as a Person! It highlights God’s continuing action of mercy throughout salvation history as recorded in the Letter to the Romans, chapters 9, 10, and 11, culminating in His plan to show Divine Mercy to all! (See Rom 11:32.)

Second, Divine Mercy Sunday focuses on the atonement for sins won by Christ’s suffering and death upon the Cross. This atonement for us was merited by the Passion of Christ for the sins of all persons and times (CCC 1992). It is this atonement that gives us hope for heaven.

Finally, Divine Mercy Sunday focuses on the Covenant of Mercy extended to us by Christ upon the Cross in His Body and Blood. On the octave day of Easter, we too ratify the Covenant of Mercy, reaffirming not only our Baptism – our new life in Christ, but also the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist – which sustain that life of Christ within us and enable us to be Christian disciples.

Saint Pope John Paul II established the Second Sunday of the Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday as a feast day for the entire Church. He did this at the Mass where he canonized Sister Faustina (making her Saint Faustina) on 30 April 2000. St Faustina had a great devotion to Christ crucified and risen. She conversed with him and received visions. She is the great modern-day Missionary of Divine Mercy encouraging all to rely solely upon God’s Divine Mercy for salvation. There is a beautiful chaplet prayer by the same name.

To celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, Holy Family will host a Holy Hour of Adoration, Exposition, and Benediction on Sunday, April 28 from 2p-3p. Fr Gries will be available for confessions during this time. We will conclude with a recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet (texts provided. This will be a wonderful way as a parish family to conclude our Lenten Eucharistic Exposition by uniting together before the Eucharist and asking for God’s Divine Mercy upon the parish, the community, the Church, and the world.

Holy Family of Mercy, Pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

“Hey Father, did you notice that someone covered the statues in church?” Yes, per the permitted practices of the Church, the 5th week of Lent until the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday of the Easter Vigil) is known as Passiontide. During these last days of Lent, we are encouraged to unite our hearts and souls more closely to the Lord in His Passion in a special way. The statues and crucifix are covered until the end of the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday. Images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.

 So why do we veil statues? Statues are veiled to remind us what it would be like NOT to have the fruits of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. If our Lord had not died and rose from the grave; there would be no saints, no images of the passion, no images of the Sacred Heart, no Church, no congregation of Faithful. Because we see them so often, these images become “normal” and taken for granted. By veiling them for a short time, we emphasize how exceptional they truly are. We appreciate their Good News afresh. The veiling of statues is another way to fast during Lent.

• We fast from the Alleluia beginning on Ash Wednesday
• We fast from the Gloria during Lent except for Solemnities
• We fast from viewing the crucifix and statues at the start of Passiontide
• We fast from the Sanctus Bells from the Gloria of Holy Thursday to the Easter Vigil
• We fast from Holy Water during the Triduum
• Finally, we are deprived of the presence of the Lord Himself in the Eucharist (we process the Eucharist out of the church at the Holy Thursday Service) and the celebration of Liturgy of the Eucharist in the Holy Mass on Good Friday (the only day of the year when there is no Mass). 

All of these holy wonders are restored in glorious fashion – solemnly and progressively – during the Easter Vigil. First the statues. Then the Gloria. Then the bells. Then the Alleluia. Then the Holy Water. Finally, the Holy Eucharist. So many treasures in the sacred liturgy that we come to appreciate more keenly during this holy time of year.                              

Holy Family, Pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

In last week’s Gospel, we heard a parable about the fig tree not bearing fruit. While the fig tree was spared another year by the patience intercession of the gardener (i.e., Jesus) so he could cultivate it and hope for a harvest, the message is clear. God will not wait indefinitely for the bearing of fruit ‘lest it exhaust the soil’ (Lk 13:7). I was reminded of an article I had recently read.

Here is an excerpts: “The percentage of Catholics in the world has remained steady, while the number of priests has decreased for the first time in almost a decade, according to Vatican statistics. Meanwhile, the numbers of bishops, permanent deacons, lay missionaries and catechists have all increased, it said. At the end of 2017, the worldwide Catholic population exceeded 1.3 billion, which continued to be about 17.7 percent of the world’s population, said a statement published March 6 by the Vatican press office… According to the statistical yearbook, the number of Catholics increased in every continent… At the end of 2017, most of the world’s Catholics (48.5 percent) were living in the Americas, followed by Europe with 21.8 percent, Africa with 17.8 percent, 11.1 percent in Asia and 0.8 percent in Oceania. For the first time in since 2010, the Vatican statement said, the total number of priests – diocesan and religious order – around the world decreased, going from 414,969 in 2016 to 414,582 in 2017. Ordinations of diocesan priests continued to decline slowly from 6,577 in 2012 to 5,815 in 2017… There were more than 15.6 million baptisms around the world in 2017 and more than 2.3 million Catholic weddings.” (Carol Glatz, CNS, Mar 6, 2019;

Number of priests declined for first time in decade, Vatican says

[A graphic summary of this was in the Criterion – March 22, 2019]

There are lots of numbers, and numbers of course can be presented in various ways. But I think it fair to say that the Church is in difficult times worldwide, and for lots of real reasons. Reasons that are often beyond the control of any one Catholic, whether priest or in the pew. These numbers are rather sobering. And in many ways, the mimic what we see locally here in our parish of Holy Family, in the deanery, and in the Archdiocese. Holy Family’s number of Baptism, Marriages, and number of registered households are down over the last decade since 2010. While a few of the neighboring parishes seem to be holding steady, most of their “growth” is really just redistribution of existing Catholics between parishes rather than bearing new fruit by children or converts.

In my 9-months here at Holy Family, I have done 2 weddings. Neither couple went on to live in our parish boundaries or become part of the parish (they both had a childhood ties to our parish). We have only 1 wedding confirmed for next year. Since arriving I have only done 6 infant baptisms (under 2). And in our 65-year history, no man baptized at Holy Family has ever become a priest.

These things could be said of many parishes in the Archdiocese. I don’t have any immediate answers. I see some good things happening at Holy Family. The increased prayer before the Eucharist and Mass engagement. Some real energy in the school. A rising desire to engage the faith in Scripture Study and ongoing communal service. Yet, I view many of these things as simply ‘cultivating and fertilizing.’ These are not, as yet, the fruit the Master desires.

Holy Family, Pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

“The Church draws her life from the Eucharist. This truth does not simply express a daily experience of faith, but recapitulates the heart of the mystery of the Church. In a variety of ways, she joyfully experiences the constant fulfilment of the promise: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20), but in the Holy Eucharist, through the changing of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord, she rejoices in this presence with unique intensity. Ever since Pentecost, when the Church, the People of the New Covenant, began her pilgrim journey towards her heavenly homeland, the Divine Sacrament has continued to mark the passing of her days, filling them with confident hope.” (St Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, #1).

It has been great to see everyone visiting the Eucharist during Exposition. I’ve been hearing from more than a few what an amazing experience it has been for them. More than a few, commented they didn’t know what to expect, and have been pleasantly surprised. All have been respectful and prayerful. I’ve even seen a couple of parents with children. Children are most welcome! They too should know the Lord present in the Eucharist. Jesus himself said, “let the little ones come to me” (Mt 19:14). While parents likely know this better than I, it would be good to be mindful of the shorter attention spans of the little ones. An hour can be a long time even for adults, for children a very long time! Feel free to bring books, quiet toys, or simple activities for them in the pew, but it would be best if they were not roaming the church. I’ve also seen several married couples coming together. I pray this time before the Lord who blessed your marriage, may strengthen, improve, and enhance your marriage.

Thank you the teens who presented the Silhouette Stations of the Cross on Friday March 15 under the capable direction of Dan Schoenfelder. Both the Holy Family School students and the parishioners enjoyed both opportunities to pray, remember, and experience the Passion of Christ in this unique way. It was my first such experience. Very nice!

Holy Family, Pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

§ Happy and Blessed St Patrick’s Day §

Even in the midst of Lenten repentance, it is good to recall those members of the Christian Faithful who were victorious in service to Christ and the Church. St Patrick certainly was certainly such a person.

Patrick was born around 389ad. At age 16, he was kidnapped and carried captive to Ireland. There he was put into service as a herdsman. After 6 years, he escaped and fled back to Britain. In a dream, he was told to go return to Ireland in order to Christianize the people. In 442, Pope Leo the Great commissioned him to organize the Catholic Church in Ireland. He tirelessly preached the Gospel. He famously used the shamrock as a symbol of the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – Three Persons in One God. He died in the year 461 at the monastery of Saul.

While many think of St Patrick’s Day as simply a day of parades, ‘green beer’, corn beef & cabbage, Irish dancing, “Kiss me” pins, and partying, St Patrick’s Day should just as much call to mind the actual man who freely gave his life in humble service to build and expand the Kingdom of God by the evangelization of the Gospel. Ireland, and indeed, the whole world needs more of that from all of us of Irish heritage or not.

The story of St Patrick may give us pause for another reason. He was kidnapped, enslaved, and used – what we would today (at least in one of its many forms) call Human Trafficking, which unfortunately is all too real and present in the world. Fortunately for him and for the whole of Ireland, he managed to get free. Thanks to God, he did not allow the natural horror of his enslavement to embitter him, but to empower him to bring the saving message of Christ to people who did not yet know such freedom, love, and mercy. Talk about using a cross and crises to change the world for the better. God works in mysterious and miraculous ways in those who allow themselves to be ‘captured’ by His Grace and Mercy and to use their lives to build God’s Kingdom.

Let us pray for all victims of Human Trafficking. Back in mid-February of this year, Pope Francis recently met with approximately 110 persons representing survivors, young people, and members of the committee organizing the International Day of Prayer and Reflection against Human Trafficking. The Holy Father underlined several times that he has “never lost an occasion to denounce human trafficking as a crime against humanity.” The Pope took the opportunity to encourage the young people present to “meet with the survivors of human trafficking,” and to learn the signs that someone might be living in slavery. He said that because young people are so open, they might have the courage to say what they see happening around them. The audience concluded with a prayer to St Josephine Bakhita, the Patron of the Victims of Human Trafficking. (https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2018-02/pope-world-day-trafficking-young-people.html)

Being truly Pro-Life means recognizing and attending to all threats to the dignity, safety, and sanctity of Life from womb to tomb, from conception to natural death. We not only pray for greater respect but are challenged to work in word, deed, and vote for such respect to become a reality.

St Patrick, Lover of the Holy Trinity & Lover of the Holy Family, Pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

to those who signed up and have begun our Lenten Eucharistic Exposition.

I am both blessed and humbled by the tremendous response of so many. I continue to pray that this Encounter with the Eucharistic Christ will bear much fruit for our parish, community, and Church. Even if you did not sign-up, you are most welcome to show-up! The east church entrance nearest the parish office will be open during Exposition. Times will be 8a (Mass) – 8p Monday to Thursday, 8a (Mass) – 2p on Friday. Stop in to sit, to pray, to be with Christ for as little or long as your able.

Stations of the Cross with the school (all welcome) at 2p on Fridays Mar 8 & 15, Apr 5 & 12.

Stations of the Cross for the whole parish at 5:30p on Fridays of Lent.

A Reminder of the Regulations for Fasting and Abstinence

In the United States, Ash Wednesday (March 6) and Good Friday (Apr 19) are days of fasting and abstinence. All other Fridays of Lent are days of abstinence only. Some form of penance is especially encouraged on all Fridays throughout the year. The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc). The law of fasting allows only one full meal and two lighter meals in the course of the day and prohibits eating between meals. All persons between their 14^th and 60^th birthdays are bound by the laws of fasting and abstinence. The obligation for fasting and abstinence is lifted for those who are pregnant or sick. Fasting and abstinence are penitential practices meant to aid us in the interior change of heart that is so necessary for all Christians.

During Lent, we Catholics think much about the Lenten big Three: Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. In part, that is as it should be. Those three spiritual, and utterly biblical, practices have deep roots in our Catholic Christian history. They are effective pathways forward in holiness and to deeper discipleship. They incorporate the offering of our hearts, minds, and souls to God and others in love and mercy. However, it is not the practices themselves that are most important, but what the practices are meant to facilitate – an Encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ in His Paschal Mystery – His suffering, death, and resurrection. We Christians are to imitate Christ in the whole of His Paschal Mystery so as to share in the fruits that flow from it. Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving play a role in this transformation to the extent that we focus less upon the what of our pray, fasting, and almsgiving, to focus more upon the whom to which we pray, fast, and almsgive – the True Lenten Trinity: Father, Son, and Spirit. May your Lent be truly blessed as we together draw ever nearer to the Source and Summit of Life and Love.

Ash Wednesday Masses on March 6: 8a (school), noon, 6:30p

Ashes will be distributed at each.

Holy Family, Pray for us.

~ Fr. Gries

Thank you to those who have already signed up and made a commitment to Christ by committing to a dedicated weekly hour of prayer before the Eucharist.

I am thoroughly convinced that adoration of our Lord is the greatest thing we can do, outside of attending Holy Mass itself. Our attendance at Holy Mass on the weekends, at Holy Family, is very good, and I thank you for your faithfulness to the Third Commandment of keeping holy the Lord’s Day. I invite you to go even deeper in your spiritual life, by making a commitment to spending an additional hour with our Lord in consecrated silence – “Mass + 1”.

Here are five more reasons for Exposition and Adoration of the Blesses Sacrament:

1. Transformation: “Just as the soft rays of the sun melt ice, so the sweet rays of grace of the Son of God in Adoration melt icy hearts” (Fr. Rob Garvey).

2. God’s Gift of Love: The Holy Eucharist is the continuation of the Incarnation of the Word on earth. It is the prolongation of His Presence in the world. It is the literal fulfillment of His words, “Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.” It is the fulfillment of His name, Emmanuel – God is with us.

3. Love for love: Eucharistic Adoration is an expression of our love for Jesus, Who loves us so much that He never wants to leave us and so stays with us night and day in the Blessed Sacrament. Through Adoration we answer Jesus – love for Love.

4. Social conscience: “The worship paid to the Divine Eucharist strongly impels the soul to cultivate a ‘social’ love by which the common good is given preference over the good of the individual” (Mysterium Fidei).

5. Our common vocation: St. Therese the Little Flower said, “My vocation is love,” and this is the vocation of all adorers. Through Eucharistic Adoration, we respond to the call of Jesus to “watch one hour” with Him. Each Holy Hour we make touches Christ’s Heart and releases a new outpouring of His Love upon the world.

We continue to sign up for a Eucharistic Holy Hour. You can commit to a specific hour or give us your general availability with name & contact information, and we will fill in the schedule with your help. We will need as many people as possible (nearly 100) to commit to a weekly hour in order to be able to offer this gift of Grace.

“Father, I’ve read about Eucharistic Adoration and heard you speak about it. I’m interested but cannot commit to the same hour each week.”

The parish needs to secure nearly 100 committed volunteers so as to ensure the exposed Blessed Sacrament is never left alone. But this does not mean that others who have not signed up cannot come to adore and worship and pray. The church will be open for all. The push for commitments is to be able to guarantee adorers at all hours of Exposition, so that I can offer Exposition in this way to the parish. Please, come. Please, pray. Please spend an hour with Christ each and every week. Please, even if you’ve not signed up for a particular hour of the “Twelve Hours of Grace”. Please.

Ash Wednesday Masses on March 6: 8a (school), noon, 6:30p

Ashes will be distributed at each.

Holy Family, Pray for us. ~ Fr. Gries