Dear Parishioners,
In the Gospel this weekend, we hear the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee is righteous and looks down on others, while the tax collector humbly acknowledges his sinfulness and begs for God’s mercy.
We are called to recognize our need for God’s grace and mercy. This requires humility and a willingness to let go of our pride and self-reliance.
Let us pray for the grace to be humble and open to God’s will, so that we may grow in holiness and become better disciples of Christ and remember that we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves and to be a light to the world. Let us renew our commitment to serve others and to work for a more just and compassionate world.
We must also be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, allowing God to guide us and transform us according to His will.
Pray for Peace!
God Bless you,
Fr. Cyrus
Dear Parishioners,
This weekend we celebrate the
70th anniversary of our Diocese which was founded on August 6, 1953, by Pope Pius XII. At all weekend masses we will celebrate a special votive to observe the 70th Anniversary of the Diocese. The votive Mass will replace the 29 Sunday in Ordinary time.
Let us pray that by all we do together in the coming years to celebrate Christ in our lives, the accumulated effects of our work will renew our church by fostering faith communities where every person who is baptized can come to deeply know the Lord and enter missionary discipleship for a lifetime. Please know that all the people of the diocese will be remembered in my prayers during this joyful observance. Sincerely yours in Christ, Bishop Frank Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport
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We congratulate Vincent Penna, who is the 2023 recipient of the Saint Augustine Medal of Service to our parish.
Pray for Peace!
God Bless you,
Fr. Cyrus
Dear Parishioners,
In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast, where the king invites all to his son’s wedding but some refuse to come. This parable reminds us that God invites us to His Kingdom, but it is up to us to accept His invitation.
We live in a world that is full of distractions and temptations that can prevent us from accepting God’s invitation. We can become so focused on our own desires and ambitions that we forget about God and His plan for our lives. We can also be afraid to accept God’s invitation because we are afraid of what it might mean for us. But God’s invitation is not one of fear or condemnation. It is an invitation to love, joy, and peace.
Let us pray for the grace to accept His invitation and to live our lives in accordance with His will.
Pray for Peace!
God Bless you,
Fr. Cyrus
Dear Parishioners,
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us the parable of the wicked tenants of the vineyard.
The vineyard owner sends servants to collect the produce from the tenants, but they are beaten and killed. Finally, the owner sends his son, thinking they will respect him, but they kill him too. Jesus then asks the crowd what the owner will do to the tenants. They respond that he will put them to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.
We are the new tenants in the vineyard, because to whom much is given, much is expected. In whatever position we find ourselves now we must be ready to give a positive and fruitful account to the master and Lord of the vineyard. When we ignore the weak, the poor, and those we are supposed to take care of, when we fail to render justice to whom it is due, when we overturn the truth and prefer lies, and when we bring other pain and sorrow instead of joy, we do not bring about a fruitful vineyard. We are called to build our lives on Jesus and his message of love and mercy.
Accepting Jesus as the heir to God’s vineyard in our own lives is very important. Allowing him to take his rightful position in our lives, which is God’s vineyard, is the only way we can bear good fruit.
“I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. “(Mt 21:43)
Peace be with you!
God Bless,
Fr. Cyrus
Dear Parishioners,
This Gospel this weekend reminds us that faith is not about the quantity but about the quality. It is not about how much faith we have but about how we live our faith.
We are called to trust in God’s power and to put our faith into action. We are also reminded that as followers of Christ, we are called to serve others and to do so without expecting anything in return. We should strive to live our lives in a way that glorifies God and reflects his love and mercy to others.
Peace be with you!
God Bless,
Fr. Cyrus
