As I write this column, the Cardinals are getting ready to go into the Sistine Chapel to elect the new Pope. The Church awaits with bated breath, wondering who the next successor of Peter will be. Bookies around the world are hedging their bets while the secular media pretends to be genuinely interested in the Bishop of Rome. As the faithful, we need to imitate the Early Christians who prayed for Peter. It is possible that by the time this column is published we will know the name of the new Vicar of Christ. I would like to take this occasion to reflect with you on the need for faith in the Church.
We are a large parish. In fact we are very large. We have over 4600 registered families. Unfortunately more than half of those families probably do not participate at all. Of the other half, about 50% attend Mass on a regular Sunday. We see a good number of our parishioners for Christmas and Easter, and perhaps for Ash Wednesday. This is why I have been insisting on Sunday Mass attendance in various forums. To get our people to Sunday Mass has been one of my top priorities as the pastor.
At the beginning of this Lenten season we are highly motivated to jump start our spiritual lives and we probably have made some practical resolutions. I would like to encourage you to use this time of grace for our spiritual growth. A few days ago, Bishop Francis Kane was at our parish to confirm our young men and women. During the confirmation liturgy, he gave a strong homily that challenged our young people to commit themselves to their Catholic faith. I believe his words will profit all of us if we put them into practice.
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Born in India to deeply-committed Catholic parents, Fr Britto is one of seven children. He joined the Salesians of Don Bosco as a young man and was ordained a priest in 1981.
After he completed his priestly formation and his early education in India, he came to the US for his graduate degree in Journalism at...Read more...
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