Message from the Pastor

This is a very special weekend for our parish families: 135 of our eighth graders received the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Bishop Sullivan, our Vicar General, confirmed 49 students on Saturday morning, including his cousin.  Bishop Walsh confirmed 86 on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, including 28 students from our elementary school.  We pray for these our young people as they became fully initiated into the Catholic Faith. Now they can have the honor of being asked to be godparents or sponsors.  We congratulate them, their sponsors and their families.

Since Confirmation was so early this year, the students will return for seminar-style classes, twice a month with field trips to round out their year.  Fr. Malick and the other teachers will conduct the discussions around such topics as Defending the Faith, Prayer, Understanding the Mass, Mary etc.  They will have guest speakers and trips to experience working in a soup kitchen in the South Bronx, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and retreats.  We are trying something new this year.  This has been a wonderful class, and I know we will continue to enjoy their company until May!

Starting Monday through this Wednesday, our Parish Mission will be held at 7:30 PM at Immaculate Conception.  Our Mission director is Fr. Luke Fletcher, C.F.R., Postulant-Director of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.  Along with Fr. Fletcher will be the Music Ministry of the Friars.  Each night will be a series of powerful witness talks, prayerful reflection, an opportunity to receive God’s forgiveness through the Sacrament of Penance and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Mission will conclude with the Mass on Wednesday evening.  I strongly encourage all our parishioners and their families to attend the Mission.  Forget about TV and video games; do your homework early and come to the Mission as a family.  You can’t afford not to come and be with the Lord.  It is a very good spiritual practice for Lent.

I was talking with some adults recently and they asked if there was still an hour fast before Communion.  Of course there is; and one them mentioned about all the gum chewing in Church, does gum “count”?  There is still a fast from all food and drink except water for one full hour before the reception of Holy Communion, (medicine is the exception).  Chewing gum breaks the fast.  I know we all want to have pleasant breath, however, please refrain from chewing gum in Church, especially if one wishes to receive the Lord.  Teach the children the same thing.  Fasting is an ancient discipline of the Church; our elder parishioners remember when the fast started midnight before one was to receive; then it became three hours (I remember that fast), and now only a one hour fast.  Please try to keep the fast.

The same with genuflecting before one enters into the pew.  It is our recognition that we are in the presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  I see adults genuflecting, but the children just sit down; teach your children to genuflect and kneel down to pray before Mass.  They can do it – they are more agile than we are!

Father Raaser