PARISH VOICES

Death, for me, took on a different meaning three years ago. The cancer diagnosis was bleak. Initial reading of the biopsy concurred with CT scans that it was an aggressive cancer. I was a candidate for surgical removal of the tumor (a 9 hour surgery) followed by palliative chemo to give me more time. Two days after the biopsy, I had my regularly scheduled hair appointment. I told Holly, let’s cut my shoulder length hair short. Chemo is around the corner. I went home. The GI

Through the Great Fast we are seeking to be further enlightened by Christ's Gospel, asking that the Light of our Lord penetrate our hearts more deeply so that we can recognize Him clearly and serve Him more fervently. We are on a journey to become transfigured and changed through prayer, fasting and humility, by responding to God's calling to not only receive the light but to 'become' light! During each Lenten pre-sanctified liturgy, the priest comes through the royal doors

Holy Week is upon us. Every day of this week has important themes to encounter, but I am thinking a lot about Holy Friday. I’d like us to consider our own response to the cross of Christ and to our own particular crosses in life. I would like to share with you a painful story from the life of my grandmother. She was born over a hundred years ago. Life was hard, but it was made harder still due to the selfishness of men. She had two girls and a boy...

Suffering is an undeniable part of life. Pain, distress, or hardship is something we all face. For me, suffering has never been just defeat; it has been survival. It shapes our fears, dictates our decisions, and weighs heavily on our hearts. We instinctively try to control our circumstances, believing that if we hold on tightly enough, we can avoid the pain. Yet, as we enter Holy Week, Christ offers another path. He is inviting us on this path with Him. This path is one of su

A work in progress—that’s what we all can claim. We are being refined each day. Hopefully, we are getting closer and closer to God...

Before the Cross, the devil believed death was his greatest weapon. But Jesus reversed this order completely, opening the path to life...

I have heard that St. Seraphim of Sarov would greet everyone he met with, “Christ is Risen, My Joy.” He would call each person, “My Joy.”

I give up my thoughts and I accept what I feel, I bear it, I live it, and I offer it to God. I call to Him in my feelings so He can heal...

I'm a busy person. Too busy, really, and often prone to plunge forward in life with a Sisyphean list of to-dos, virtually impossible to...

Have you ever become ashamed or afraid when you've thought of praying for forgiveness? Asking for forgiveness is priceless.