Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

Tuesday is the last day to sign up for the Unbound conference that we are hosting this coming Friday/Saturday!

I have received a few puzzled inquiries, “is this Catholic?” Absolutely.

Understanding spiritual warfare is just something that is a gap in the formation of many Catholics. I recall a movie where
the devil says mockingly, “if you never see me coming, I have already won the battle.” But we also can grossly overestimate his power and influence, as he is ultimately a weak bully, deceiver, and confuser. Sometimes I derisively call him sparky, to take away even the dignity of a scary name.

Jesus taught us to pray every day “Deliver us from evil.” As Catholics, we believe that there are evil spirits who are trying
to destroy God’s plans for us. St. Paul warns us that the “devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.”

When we were baptized, when we are a godparents, when parents baptize their children, and every single Easter we promise, by one formula or another, to “renounce Satan and all of his works.” All of sparky’s works attempt to deceive us, enslave us, and separate us from Our Loving Father. But he can not do this without our consent, and so he must lie, confuse, and obfuscate.

The Unbound conference, and the 5-keys methodology are a tool to help you see how you may have opened doors that allow evil sprits to have greater power over you than just through temptation. We can open doors through repeated unconfessed mortal sin, addictions, self protective mechanisms like manipulation and control, and especially unforgiveness and sexual sin. Our holding onto these, can give evil spirits access to our imaginations and memories, to use them against us.

Through confession and renunciation of those particular spirits and forgiveness of those who have hurt you, you will be able to exercise your baptismal authority to command them to leave. This renunciation is consciously exercising the promise and power of Baptism, restoring our hearts, minds, and memories to the Kingdom of God!

The Unbound prayer model has been used in the Diocese for over 13 years to help people gain the freedom Christ died to bring them. It has been used across the world, and is a fitting way to live more fully our Catholic life.

As Jesus went into the wilderness, Lent is a great time to face our own isolation, fear and attachment to sin. Only God can fulfill all of our needs and the deepest desires of our heart. The Unbound deliverance model is a gentle, logical prayer tool that can help you to pull together what you have been taught in scripture and the teachings of the Church to help set you free and keep you free to do the good that God asks of you.

Consider if Jesus is inviting you to greater freedom: “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir” (Galatians 4:6-7).

pax et bonum,

Father John Mosimann

Poland and Lithuania Pilgrimage! This weeks bulletin includes a small notice for the pilgrimage I shared last week, for this summer! You can also access the info and even register online at 81tours.com/polandfrmosimann

What is a Pilgrimage? One parishioner asked me this, so here is my definition: ‘undertaking a physical journey in order to accomplish a spiritual one.’ Practically speaking, this means we will visit sites of importance to the faith, celebrate daily Mass, and pray a daily rosary together on the bus. To be a pilgrim, is to be more than a tourist. It is what impressed me so much about Poland in 2016, that the churches were not museums, but full of Polish people praying! Yes, the itinerary includes tours, museums, and good food too (look at me, do you doubt that? haha!!).

There is one friend who comes on these trips who is not baptized. She prays with us, attends the Masses, and said to me, “your trips are very special to me!” I keep telling her, “I am going to baptize you on one of these pilgrimages!” So don’t be afraid of wherever you may be in your faith journey. Just be ready to embrace the special joy of traveling with a group, and sharing the experience with new friends and pew neighbors.

Annunciation over my shoulder?

If you have been in the church since Wednesday, you have likely been surprised by the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel and the BVM next to the priest in the sanctuary! Our stained glass windows for the new HCA chapel are here, and since the new chapel isn’t ready yet, I thought “why don’t we enjoy them for a time in church and school!’ The annunciation window is currently in the church, and the St. Joseph window is in HCA.

Groundbreaking in April?

And this also means we look to be on target to break ground for the expansion at the end of April!! We will have more info soon, but a construction meeting this week drove home that our timing looks solid! It is too soon to tell you when we will be done, when the HCA cafeteria, expansion and chapel will be ready, but I am pleasantly surprised already at the first draft of the actual construction schedule!

A blessed Lent to you and all of your loved ones.

pax,

Father John Mosimann