Saint John Vianney used to do everything he could to ‘upgrade’ the eucharistic practice of his parishioners from weekly communicants to daily. He tried to encourage them to frequent
daily Mass so that Jesus could do his sanctifying work. He called daily mass “the secret elevator to Holiness”. He once lamented that if his parishioners would receive Jesus in the Eucharist more often, they would not merely remain ‘good,’ but would also become saints!

​

The truth is that if we, too, were to receive Jesus more often in the Eucharist and with greater purity, love and devotion, we would become holier! Of course it’s not always possible
for everyone to go to Mass every day, because of work, school, and other responsibilities. In certain areas, it can also be difficult to find a daily Mass at all or one scheduled at a time
that fits into the day for those who work. But every Catholic who seeks to grow in holiness should have a hunger to receive Jesus every day and make an effort to attend daily Mass when possible.

​

If you are unable to make it to daily Mass, you can always watch Mass online or on TV. You can also make a spiritual communion. In a spiritual communion, we ask the Lord to come abide in us the way he would if we were to receive him in Holy Communion. We express our desire to receive and lovingly embrace him. Regardless, we should all be striving to live more intentionally a truly eucharistic life, which is a truly Christian life.

​

The next two Sundays, July 12th and 19th, we will have ten first communion children receive the Sacrament of First Holy Communion at the 10:30 AM and 12 PM Noon masses on these weekends. What a most precious gift for these children, for the Lord to become their source of strengthening in the Spiritual Life and to satisfy their spiritual hunger.

​

I’d like to encourage our parishioners who normally attend the 10:30 AM and 12 PM Noon masses, to try to attend a different mass these weekends of July 12th and 19th, so as to allow us, to accommodate the families of the first Communicants to participate in their children’s first Communion’s. As you know during this Phase of the Pandemic, with keeping with social distancing rules the seating capacity in Church is limited to 120 people. Therefore, as a way of a reminder, the other times available are: Saturday evening vigil mass, 5pm, & on Sunday, 7:30 am and 9:00am.

​

I thank you for your understanding and compassion during these challenging times. May God bless you and have a blessed and Safe Summer!

 

Fr. Pedro de Oliveira, OFM Conv.