Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

Dear Folks,

Dear Folks,

There is an icon in the sacristy of St. John Vianney with this quote: “The eyes of the world see no further than this life… the eyes of the Christian see deep into eternity.”

This week, at daily Mass, we have been reading through the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. It is so important for understanding the sacraments: the eyes of the flesh can only see so far, but the eyes of the Spirit see into eternity. This is one reason why Catholic worship has a certain complexity. A bit of physical strain on our earthly eyes and understanding serves to stretch our spiritual vision. If there is no effort, no yearning, no stretching in what we see and understand, then there will be little growth in the soul.

I once defined a pilgrimage as a physical journey that accomplishes a spiritual journey. This is one reason why coming to Mass on Sunday matters—rather than simply praying at home, on the golf course, or watching online. The physical acts of preparing your best clothing, driving through traffic, finding parking, and even arriving early are all ways of placing your soul in the most receptive disposition you can muster.

These physical acts of preparation accomplish the spiritual preparation of your soul. And all of this so that, when you gaze upon the Host

raised high, you may recognize before you the King of the Universe.

Sometimes, when people struggle, we might say, “Act like you believe, and you will see your belief grow.” This is because even the desire to believe is already a grace from God. It is an invitation to reject the devil’s lie that “none of this matters” or “nothing we do makes a difference.”

No small act of belief, devotion, or hope is ever wasted. Be encouraged that the Lord meets you where you are—and invites you to seek deeper understanding.

pax,

Father John Mosimann

Dear Folks,

What’s on my mind? Not much. (No, please don’t say it is that way every day! Haha!)

Easter, really. So many folks worked so hard to make it all come together and we are continually evaluating and trying to improve the experience.

Yes, we are aware of the limitations and challenges of the sound. Making the spoken word of preaching and prayer intelligible in that space requires constant attention and tinkering. Why? Because every body in the room acts to absorb sound waves and changes the acoustic properties of the space. Having to spread speakers throughout the Expo Center means that their sound overlaps and creates interference patterns. Then there are the hard surfaces that compound the echoes and muddle the sound. We have already discussed some additional solutions with the sound engineers from whom we rent equipment and who monitor it throughout the weekend.

Be assured that we are always trying to learn and improve our celebrations of the great mysteries of  Our Lord’s suffering, death, and Resurrection. By celebrating the Triduum at the Expo Center, we areprioritizing making sure everyone has a seat and a parking spot, while remaining aware of the limitations of the sound and architecture.

But we keep trying to improve all of this—like adding the Stations of the Cross to the perimeter curtains two years ago!

Also, wow! The 12:30 bilingual Mass was probably 90% parishioners of Hispanic heritage. In years past, that has been a bit more mixed, but it was inspiring to see such a great crowd of our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters. And this was even with St. Jude offering an Easter Mass in Spanish for the first time, where I heard there were 400 people in attendance!

We had a grace filled Triduum with several thousandcfolks coming to participate in the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord and we welcomed 93 new Catholics into our St. Mary family! So very much to be grateful for – thanks Be to God – our parish family is alive and growing!

pax,

Father John Mosimann

This upcoming weekend, April 18-19 we will have a Manna Food Project collection at all masses.  Please bring non-perishable items to give to those in need.

Dear Folks,

Divine Mercy Sunday!

How big is God’s mercy? Two years ago, on back-to- back days in Poland, we visited Auschwitz and the Divine Mercy Shrine. Riding the bus to the Shrine, we read in the Hallow app the daily reflection from Jeff Cavins about these exact two places. It was a chilling challenge to consider whether I truly believe that God’s mercy is big enough extend to the commandant of Auschwitz. If you want to challenge and stretch your understanding of Divine Mercy, search on YouTube for the video: “3Ufy1ic88X0”

I recently had a conversation with a friend who was trying to understand whether something was a temptation or a grace. He was grieving on Easter over the many Communions received without sufficient spiritual and sacramental preparation. Was this a temptation to pride: “I am not like the rest”? Or was it a grace: “I am sharing in the Lord’s own heartache at His desire to forgive sin, if only we would turn to Him?”

I think the answer is found in the response: transforming temptation into prayer with the Heart of Our Lord: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do!”

If something is a temptation, then the enemy of our souls will abandon that tactic if it consistently drives us into the merciful Heart of Our Lord. Don’t worry—he will look for other weaknesses in your soul. But he won’t keep hammering you with a temptation that habitually drives you closer to Jesus.

So do not despair at the sins of the world, or our country, or your family, or even yourself. When they come to mind, toss them into the ocean of mercy that flows from the pierced and resurrected side of Our Lord!

Ohhhh… and the very day I type this, I got word that the reredos for the Adoration chapel is finished, and shipping is being arranged! Soooooo close!

pax et bonum,

Father John Mosimann