The Pastor's Pen
January 4, 2025
The Real 12 Days of Christmas: The 12 Days of Christmas are traditionally counted beginning December 25th as Day 1 and continuing to January 5th as Day 12, all leading up to the all-important Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. This year, the celebration of the Epiphany has been moved to Sunday, January 4th, so that more of the faithful will participate in its celebration. It is the Feast in the Season of Christmas that commemorates the visit of the Magi, and so the revelation of the Christ Child goes beyond the People of Judah and Israel to the nations as represented by these three foreigners from distant lands. The theme of the Epiphany is light, because Christ is being revealed as Light from Light as he is recognized beyond his own people, and so this is the feast on which we should light even more lights, not be busy taking them down because” New Year’s is over!!!” How sad it is that we as Christians have so readily surrendered our treasured traditions of Christmas as a season to the erroneous understanding of it as beginning on the weekend after Thanksgiving and ending on New Year’s Day! Ironically, it is The Feast of the Epiphany that should be the most appropriate day for major gift giving in imitation of the Magi who brought their gifts to the Christ Child, so then do we with the same generous love present our gifts to one another! So if our Christmas tree is already out on the curb, and our lights extinguished, let us think again and plan not to make the same accommodation to secular culture next year but resolve instead to keep a genuinely Christian observance of Christmas. So while we may simplify our decorations after the 6th of January, still the season itself is not over until the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism next Sunday, January 11th!
Maybe Necessary, But Not on Christmas!: To hear that on Christmas Day, we as a nation dropped a bomb in Nigeria, hopefully to prevent the further killings of Christians yet without giving much consideration to those of other religions who may also be threatened by terrorist groups there should be a bit disturbing to us. Perhaps this was necessary, but if so, why couldn’t it have been done on another day? How very incongruous it is to unleash such lethal firepower on the day that Christians throughout the world are celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace, and worse, to specifically call it a “Christmas Present”! What impression does that give of the Christians of the West? How does that advance any hope of ever winning over our enemies,s as it feeds into the stereotype that we are no different today than the Crusaders of old, whose aim is to slaughter the infidels of the Middle East and Africa! No doubt such a bomb took the lives of some of the innocent, along with the guilty. Let us pray for all concerned, anyone who is persecuted for their faith, and any innocents who lost their lives, and any whose lives will now be further threatened in retaliation. And in the future, no matter the need to do so, let no nation, especially our own, intentionally use a most sacred Christian Holy Day to carry out such deadly violence!
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord: Next Sunday, the Christmas season will conclude as we revisit the account of the Baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan River. The purpose of the entire season of Christmas is to annually revisit all the early signs from his birth at Bethlehem to his baptism at about age 30 that point to the Identity of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah of God. At his baptism, any doubt of his identity is removed as the voice from heaven declares that Jesus is God’ the Father’s beloved Son! On this day, we also celebrate our own identity as adopted sons and daughters of God through our own baptism, so in place of the Creed, we will appropriately renew our Baptismal promises at Mass.
Locked Doors: Beginning today, the doors to the church will be locked at the Gospel Acclamation, allowing sufficient time for all to arrive at Church for Mass. While we will be able to get out, no one can come in without being screened. This is a simple way to deter anyone who may want to enter for less than holy purposes. Those who do arrive after the Gospel Acclamation are welcome to use the door behind the organ, where an usher will screen you for admittance, so it may help to have a budget envelope to readily assure them that you are indeed a regular member! This is the first of several measures that we are considering to enhance our safety as we gather for worship!
Pilgrimage: The Shrines of France – November 2026: Traveling up from Lourdes to Paris, thus book-ending a pilgrimage starting with the miraculous Shrine of Mary Immaculate and ending at the renovated Cathedral of Notre Dame, we will visit other well-known shrines and cathedrals in between. The pilgrimage will also include visiting the AmericanCemetery at Normandy, a shrine to all the young American soldiers who lost their lives in the noble effort to liberate continental Europe from Nazi control. We will travel in the off-season so as to avoid the crowds at the height of the tourist season in France, accepting the need for a jacket in exchange for the freedom to visit without waiting in long lines with others who also desire to see what we want to see! There is flexibility to add a day or two more in Paris if you would like to do so; the agents at Nawas International Travel are willing to assist you in booking that. Brochures and registration materials are available on the tables at the entrances to the Church.
Inspirational Movie: Triumph of the Heart- The Passion of St Maximillian Kolbe.
Showings – Classroom A
Wednesday, January 7 @ 1 pm and Sunday, January 11 @ 2:30 pm
Free Admission, Popcorn included (Please note this is a serious film about a serious subject and may not be appropriate
for children)
Sunday, December 28, 2025
Let’s Watch Our Language: As of Friday, we will see and hear this time being identified as “after Christmas,” but that is only the case if Christmas is mistakenly reduced to its opening feast alone, which is that of the Solemnity of the Lord’s nativity. Yet Christmas is not really limited to the celebration of Christ’s birth. Still, rather than beginning with that initial feast and proceeding through to the Lord’s baptism at the age of 30, we are focused on recalling all the early signs that Jesus, born at Bethlehem and raised at Nazareth, is in truth the divine Son of God, the Messiah anointed by God and sent as Savior. So from now until the 11th of January, let us be careful not to say –‘after” Christmas but rather “during” Christmas as we continue to contemplate this great mystery of the Incarnation!
Family, Be What You Are!: As we gather on this Sunday in the Octave of Christmas, our focus is always on the Holy Family of Nazareth, the context in which the Word made flesh, Jesus the Christ, was raised to adulthood in preparation for his public ministry. While by pious tradition we name the principal members of this family as Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the 6th Chapter of St Mark as well as the 13th of St. Matthew, suggest that there were additional members as well, including James (Jacob) Joses (“little Joseph”) Simon and Jude, as well as sisters whose names are not given. So it is very possible that this was a blended family, the children of the widower Joseph, before his betrothal to Mary, through whom Jesus, the most prominent member of this family, was added as Mary’s son and Joseph’s stepson. St Jerome may have preferred to say that these named in Mark and Matthew could have been cousins, but when we look in the genealogy of St Matthew and see that” Jacob was the father of Joseph”, would he not have named his first son after his father? Curiously, too, the second son is Joses or “Little Joseph”; it really gives weight to the real identity of these family members as children of Joseph and step-siblings of sorts to Jesus. We also know that these step-siblings were not quick to believe in Jesus, that they went with Mary from Nazareth to Capernaum to bring Jesus back home once he started his ministry, fearful of his notoriety and the trouble that may cause him and them as oppressed people living in a land occupied by the Romans. Ultimately, though, they would come to believe in Jesus, probably after his resurrection, and James “the brother of the Lord” would then become the head of the community of believers in Jerusalem and one day die a martyr’s death. Simon and Jude would also become prominent members of the earliest church, with Jude writing one of the letters we find in the New Testament. So while all was not always perfect in this unique family, as there were obvious tensions, yet the family remained what all families are called to be, which is holy by the patience, the understanding, and most importantly the forgiveness that are essential elements of love. The statue of the Holy Family that greets all who enter our church from the parking lot side fittingly reminds us as members of families to be and ever become what we are called to be, which is also holy! So let us pray today that by authentic love which overcomes all tensions and divisions, we will truly be holy, if not always perfect, families.
Church Year Calendars: Please be sure to take a Calendar home with you once it has been blessed this weekend, as it is different from any that are available elsewhere., Our calendar is one containing the important Feasts and Seasons of the Church Year, which enable us to celebrate the saving mysteries of the incarnation and the redemption, as well as the memorials of Mary and the saints whose witness to faith provides us important examples of how to live anew each year anew, faithfully.
Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God: Beyond the revelry that surrounds the welcoming of a new year in every culture, as Catholics, our long tradition is that we are wise to begin this new and unpredictable next chapter of our lives at Mass. It is at this time, when we look back on the year ending, it’s good, and perhaps it’s not so good, and stand before the blank slate of the year ahead, that we better appreciate that ultimately our lives are in God’s hands. And so we are called together to offer praise and thanks to God as we entrust ourselves, our health, our overall wellbeing, and that of those we love to God’s providential care in the year ahead. Our model of trusting surrender to the will of God is always that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and so it is only right that on January 1st each year we honor her. Masses in celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God ( New Year’s Eve and day) will be celebrated:
December 31st – 4:00 PM Vigil Mass ~ January 1st – 8:30AM and 10:30 AM
Gift Giving: While Santa Claus with his sack of presents for good children has come to overshadow much of the feast of the Nativity on December 25th, yet the most appropriate day in the authentic Season of Christmas for gift giving is that of the Epiphany which as we count the 12 days of Christmas traditionally falls on January 6t, This year the celebration of Epiphany is moved to Sunday, January 4th. As we remember the Magi bringing gifts to the Christ Child, so too do we bring gifts to one another. While commercial interests have successfully hijacked Christmas from Christians, they haven’t yet caught on to the Epiphany, so this presents an advantage for bargain hunters because the “after Christmas” deals are often far better than those for Black Friday! Thus refocusing on the Epiphany for gift giving would not only help to restore the authentic season of Christmas but help us beat inflationary prices at the same time, and that is clearly a win – win situation!
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Children’s Christmas Pageant: The annual pageant of the Nativity Story presented by the young people of our parish will take place following the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass this weekend; refreshments will follow. All are encouraged to attend this short but inspirational presentation.
Reminder- Sacrament of Reconciliation: In addition to the regularly scheduled time available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturdays, Confessions will also be available on Tuesday, December 23rd, from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM in the Church. Please note that Confessions are not scheduled on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
The Season of Christmas is about to BEGIN: Secular influencers and commercial interests who try to capitalize on Christmas for other than sacred purposes have been promoting it since Halloween and will be quite done with it on this coming Friday as they promote their “after Christmas” sales, yet the authentic season of Christmas is only just beginning as the sun sets on December 24th! It is a season that begins with the solemn commemoration of the Nativity of the Lord, but the theme of the season is not limited exclusively to the infancy of Jesus. Rather, the season revisits the indication in the largely hidden years of Christ from his birth through his childhood and young adulthood that point to his true identity as the divine Son of God now incarnate among us. Thus, everything that occurred up to Christ’s baptism by John at about age 30 and thus the beginning of his public ministry, which points to his supernatural wisdom and his power as God’s anointed one, is celebrated in the Season of Christmas. We call these indicators” the early manifestations, “ and we will find these summarized quite succinctly and poetically in the Epiphany Hymn – As With Gladness Men of Old. So while the commercial establishments remove their decorations and extinguish their lights by New Year’s Day at the latest, we should keep our trees up and our lights lit through to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, January 11th, which is the official end of the liturgical Season of Christmas. Yet the Creche scene in the home or the church is appropriately simplified but kept up until the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. These weeks after January 11th and until February 2nd, traditionally known as Christmastide, are a time that isn’t actually still Christmas, but its effects are still felt. Thus, we can see how this would be way too much if the secular definition of the season had been observed rather than the religious, as it’s quite a long stretch from Halloween to Groundhog Day! Yet if we as Christians do not reclaim Advent and Christmas as distinct seasons with their own proper focus and distinct customs and practices, then we have only ourselves to blame as non-religious influences continue to distort, obscure, and exploit what is properly ours to define and celebrate and not theirs at all!
Please note that there is no late afternoon/ evening Mass on Christmas Day.
The Christmas Collection: The collection taken up at Christmas is one of the more important ones of the year. Many will remember that traditionally it was for the priests of the parish, but that was when they received only a small monthly stipend rather than a salary, as is now the case. Yet as numbers of priests have dwindled but deacons and staff have increased to assist the pastor and priests to manage all aspects of busy parishes; the Christmas Collection allows the pastor on the feast of Epiphany to “thank” those who like the deacons and heads of ministries labor for free, or to give a needed bonus to the paid parish staff whose salaries do not reflect what they are truly worth for all their dedication and generous service. So I ask your generosity in turn now to this annual Christmas Collection so that in your name I may concretely thank those who give of themselves, their time, and their talents so generously to keep Christ the King Parish ever organized, well managed, alive, and active!
The Feast of the Holy Family and the Blessing of Calendars: Next weekend, December 27th and 28th, we’ll observe the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth and bless all families at the conclusion of the General Intercessions at each Mass. We’ll also bless the Liturgical Year Calendars made possible by generous sponsors. Please bring a calendar home to be more mindful of the Seasons, Feasts, and Holy Days of Obligation in the Church Year.
Doors Locked for Safety: The parish leadership has been concerned about general safety for some time, especially given the disturbing news of attacks on schools, entertainment venues, malls, and even places of worship. We’ve consulted with security professionals and will create a plan to respond to a highly unlikely but possible threat of violence against our place of worship.
As we await professional advice, we can increase our safety by locking the doors once inside, allowing us to exit if necessary, but controlling who enters. Starting January 3rd/4th, we’ll lock all doors at the Gospel Acclamation, and anyone arriving afterward will be admitted only at the door behind the organ, where an usher will discern their appropriateness.
Please be mindful of this and arrive at Mass on time for your safety and ours. We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but it’s necessary for our well-being.
Sunday, December 14, 2025
GAUDETE! This is the name given to the Third Sunday of Advent, which in Latin means rejoice! The Third Sunday brings us all that much closer to the end of what is meant to be a sober and penitential period of fasting and prayer in preparation for the Second Coming of Christ than the commemoration of his first coming, which will be celebrated at Christmas. Our Parish Pancake Breakfast is a simple yet effective way to forget fasting for a day and to rejoice in anticipation of the festive season of Christmas, which is not far away!
ALWAYS ADVENT: As we come now to the Third Sunday, it is clear that this special but short season is soon to be over as we move toward the authentic Season of Christmas. Yet while the Season of Advent, which begins our new liturgical year, is brief, the spirit of this season is with us always in our liturgical prayer. Indeed, in the Mass itself, we are always reminded of Advent’s theme: that we are awaiting the final act in Salvation History, the return of Christ in Glory as judge, to gather all the faithful into his kingdom, which is to be without end. Indeed, our Christian Faith, which is rooted in history and celebrated in mystery, is ever future-focused. Soon we will commemorate the first coming of Christ as we celebrate his nativity, but that is an event in salvation history already accomplished and not to be repeated. So too is the redemption accomplished by the death and resurrection of Christ as commemorated during Holy Week and Easter, but celebrated every day in the Mass. These are pivotal events already accomplished, but the saving effects of these are made present to us in our liturgy. Yet as we pray in each Mass for the coming of God’s Kingdom, or express our longing to experience “the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ”, we express in every season and in every Mass the Advent hope that is integral to our Christian faith. So as we approach now the final days of Advent and switch our focus on December 17th toward immediate preparation for Christmas, let us not get bogged down in historical reenactment, because the baby born at Bethlehem has long ago grown into a man whose ministry and mighty deeds revealed God’s coming Kingdom and whose saving work has opened its gates to righteous believers in every age. Thus, all that is left to take place in Salvation History is our final encounter with Christ face to face at the end of our time, or the end of all time, whichever may come first! Thus, the Advent character of authentic Christian faith is meant to keep us ever alert and preparing for what is yet to come, as we regularly and faithfully remember with praise and gratitude all that has already been, all that is now, and all that will be forever!
BE RECONCILED!: The work of Advent is preparation to meet the Lord, as he comes to us now in word and sacrament, and as he promises to come in glory as judge. So let us take the opportunity presented to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday, December 23rd, from 2:30 to 5:30 in the Church. This will be the final opportunity to experience that sacrament before Christmas as there are no confessions available except in case of emergency on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
THE GIVING TREE: Many local families depend upon our care and concretely expressed concern to provide a nicer experience of Christmas for their children than their limited resources can provide. Thus, it is our tradition to contribute to the Giving Tree, which enables our Financial and Resource Assistance Ministry to provide gift cards to department stores to needy families vetted in advance as worthy, enabling them to purchase appropriate gifts for their children. So please take an envelope found on the trees at the entrances of the Church and place in it whatever monetary contribution you are able or willing to spare at a time when the budgets of many are often strained. No monetary gift is insignificant, and when combined with the gifts of others, can provide for those less fortunate. Thank you for your generosity!
PLAN AHEAD: Maybe you enjoy the stress of trying to find a parking spot, and then finding adequate space in the pews for yourself and your family members at the 4 0’clok Vigil Mass on Christmas? Yet for those who seek a less stressful experience, we encourage you to consider any of the other Masses of Christmas that do not attract the same overwhelming crowd as the 4 PM! Additional Masses of Christmas besides the 4 PM Mass on Christmas Eve include a 6 PM, and a 10 PM Mass on Christmas Eve, and an 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM on Christmas morning, There is never a late afternoon or evening Mass on Christmas Day as the clergy, staff, musicians and other liturgical ministers need the opportunity to be able to celebrate Christmas too!
R. I. P. – SR. ANNETTE ROACH, O.P.: Sr. Annette Roach, a Dominican Sister of Hope who, along with Sr. Claire, long coordinated the Faith Formation Program here at Christ the King Parish, has passed away. The Funeral Mass for Sr. Annette has taken place on Friday, December 12th, at the Center of Hope, headquarters of her religious congregation in Ossining, New York. As the distance and timing of the services for Sister Annette made it inconvenient for many of the clergy, staff, and parishioners who would like to prayerfully remember Sister Annette and give thanks for her life and ministry, a Memorial Mass will be held on Monday, December 15th, at 2:00 PM in the St. Jude Chapel; all are welcome to participate. A guest book will be available to sign and in which to place comments, which will then be given to Sr. Claire and the community at Ossining. The Memorial Mass will be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Advent Feasts of Mary: The Blessed Virgin Mary is an example to us of how to live as people of Advent faith. We live in difficult times just as she did. But like her, we cannot lose hope that God will intervene to further his kingdom of justice, love, and peace among us. Now living “in the meantime” between Christ’s coming among us as the offspring of Mary and the day of his return in glory, let us be like Mary, people who trust in the promises of God no matter what we may see or have to endure!
Monday, December 8th, The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ( A holy Day of obligation ). On Monday, we celebrate this solemnity of Mary, the Immaculate Conception – the title under which we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Patroness of the USA! Thus, this is the title under which Mary is honored in our National Basilica in Washington, D.C., and through whom we are encouraged to intercede for our nation. If we are realistic about the state of our nation right now, we are in great need of prayer, as government policies that cause great harm to people without documents are often enforced with no small amount of brutality. The amount of fear and grief that this is causing is unacceptable, and so we should not stand by silently as neighbors, members of our wider communities, and many fellow Catholics suffer the threat of detainment and ultimately deportation. Surely the majority of us as Americans do not subscribe to cruelty as an American value, so let us join together in prayer on our patronal Feast of the Immaculate Conception to pray for Mary’s intercession in bringing about an end to all injustice, especially the great grief and suffering brought about by indiscriminate deportation!
Friday, December 12th: The Feast of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Catholic People of North, Central, and South America honor Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe as she is miraculously depicted on the Tilma in the apparition of 1531. In this miraculous and inexplicable portrait, which appeared on a rough apron woven from reeds, Mary is clearly seen not only as European, but also as indigenous, indeed as mestizo, that is, as one who is racially mixed. Thus, she represents all the peoples of the Americas! Her message is meant as comfort to all people of faith in this hemisphere, as she declares, “I am your mother,” and, as her children, no matter our race or ethnicity, we pause to honor her, assured that we are equally loved by her! This is then a day to reexamine our own prejudices and to overcome them as we continue to learn to see others primarily as brothers and sisters, rather than as different from us in some way!
Marian Medal Award: On Sunday, November 30th, Bishop Edgar da Cunha blessed and distributed the annual Marian Medal Awards at St Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River. This award is given to lay people nominated by their parishes as deserving of honor for their outstanding dedication and service to their parish. This year’s recipient from Christ the King Parish is Jeanne Dennis, who serves as president of our Catholic Women’s Club, which entails many duties, including organizing the periodic programs, including luncheons for the club, and annually for veterans, as well as organizing and managing the annual Christmas Fair. Additionally, Jeanne also serves as an Eucharistic Minister, on the Golf Tournament Committee, and on the Parish Council, for which she is well known for running Trivia Night and the Gaudete Sunday Pancake Breakfasts. Ever thinking, planning, organizing, and carrying out so much that is enjoyed by so many, or for the benefit of the parish and others, the tireless work of Jeanne Dennis certainly deserved to be recognized by the Diocese, as it was in her receiving the Marian Medal from our bishop!
Sunday, November 30, 2025
First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the new Year of Grace – 2026
The Advent Season Now Taken Too! Each year, the rush to force the premature celebration of Christmas seems to get more intense as demonstrated by live Christmas trees seen strapped to car roofs last weekend, even before Thanksgiving!. How would these trees even survive until the authentic Season of Christmas, which does not truly begin until the evening of December 24th, and does not conclude until Sunday, January 11th, on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord? The likely truth about trees set up even before the beginning of Advent is that they will be out on the curb shortly after the Christmas Season actually begins, and certainly will be firewood by January 2nd! While commonly called Christmas Trees, those set up before the 17th of December are simply holiday trees in celebration of an increasingly secular, if not completely paganized, observance, which unfortunately is commonly called Christmas but which holds very little resemblance to it. Yet we as Christians to whom Christmas truly belongs have no one but ourselves to blame when we yield to the shallowest interpretations of Christmas promoted by commercial interests in our culture who have hijacked for their own gain what should be for us not only a major feast day but actually a sacred season. Yet as if that were not enough, these commercial forces have now started to hijack “Advent” as well for their own purposes, and they will get away with it if we let them!. Indeed, go to Amazon and type in “Advent Calendar” and see what you find!! Be prepared to be disappointed If you expect to find a calendar containing doors, each representing a day from the First Sunday of Advent until the Eve of Christmas, behind which is a scripture quote and/or a biblical image. When our Lutheran brothers and sisters in Germany created these calendars long ago, their purpose was to provide a daily reminder that this short but important season in the Liturgical Year is one of preparing ourselves spiritually and morally to encounter Jesus Christ. Yet that encounter isn’t limited to the Christ Child in a manger as the Son of God who came once in history (Christmas), but the Lord who comes among us even now in mystery (Sacraments ) and promises to return for us one day in glory, though we know not when ( Second Coming)! Sadly, only two of the many calendars displayed for purchase on Amazon had any connection to what faithful Christians had created long ago to keep young people mindful of Advent’s true meaning. Indeed, one calendar for sale promised to provide a mini Barbie doll a day, others dinosaurs, others chocolates, and others little jewelry items or perfumes!! These are not authentic Advent Calendars, but rather simple yet powerful tools created to teach the young that the main purpose of Christmas and the days that lead up to it is nothing more than a time to acquire more and more material things – starting from small and anticipating even bigger when Santa Claus arrives! It’s nothing but culturally and commercially forced consumerism that we as Christians should avoid at all costs because it is a powerful distraction from the main tasks at hand in Advent. Clearly before the promise of Christ’s return for us either personally at our own death or at the end of all time whichever comes first, we must make every effort to become more mindful and thus better prepared for our eventual and inevitable encounter with the Lord as judge.. Indeed Advent is representative of life itself, in that it is a time to create a retreat for ourselves from the world to be able to wait thoughtfully and prayerfully through the world’s darkness in hope of the ultimate the coming of the light who is Christ. So then, Advent is a time when we wisely focus on those found prepared to meet Christ at his first coming in order to learn from them how we might be better ready to meet him too! Surely then the accumulation of material things and the distortion of Advent as a time to shop for these things, to decorate trees, to light lights, and to party in celebration of Christmas before it has even arrived is exposed as being rather shallow in the least, if not empty, and in the bigger picture, actually a potentially serious threat to our spiritual ifnot our eternal wellbeing!
Class on the Creed: This year we observed the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of a uniform, formal Creed created for all Christians during the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325AD. With little change over the centuries, it is the same creed we recite at Mass each Sunday. Yet we might wonder who formulated the Creed and why? What questions about our belief in the Triune God was it designed to clarify, and why did it go so far as to say that we not only believe in one God, but also one Church? Kevin Ryan will lead a six-session class on this topic using a book recently published and available to those who participate in the class. The first session will be held in the Parish Hall from 9:30 AM to 10:20 AM on next Sunday, December 7th. Dates for further sessions occupying this same time slot will be determined by the availability and convenience of the majority of the participants, especially during what is often a season with many other demands. As a new year of grace begins, this is a wonderful opportunity to make and keep a resolution to deepen your faith by acquiring further formal knowledge of it!
Thank You for Your Great Generosity: The response to the request that gift cards to local supermarkets be bought and given to the Food Pantry, or nonperishable food items or donations be given at Thanksgiving has been met with very great generosity. Certainly, recognizing one’s blessings and being willing to share from them with others is a core value of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and thus characteristic of an authentic Christian life. May you take great satisfaction in knowing that your generosity has yet again enabled our parish to carry out charitable good works and so to bear witness to our faith in Jesus Christ before others in this corner of the world.
Gift to Kathleen Laird: At the time of Kathy Laird’s retirement as Coordinator of Faith Formation for the Youth of our parish and as Coordinator of Youth Ministry, we did not yet have the gift we wished to present to her in honor of her service. Thus, last Sunday, with little fanfare because of a lapse in memory on the pastor’s part at the end of the 10:30 AM Mass, Kathy was quietly presented with two framed icons, one of St John Baptiste de la Salle, patron saint of all teachers, and the other of one of her favorite saints, St Therese of Lisieux. The prayerful hope behind these Icons is that, in her less active days now that she has stepped down after her many years of generous service in her ministries, Kathy will be comforted by the images of two saints who have inspired and sustained her by their intercession to successfully accomplish much during her years ministering for the greater good of the young people of the parish. May these also serve to remind her that these saints are with her, still ready to intercede for her that she may accomplish whatever the Lord may yet be asking her to do! Let us all be grateful for Kathy’s many years of devoted service among us as we say: St John Baptiste de La Salle, pray for her; St Therese of Lisieux, pray for her; all holy men and women, saints of God, pray for her, Amen!
Sunday, November 23, 2025
Patronal Feast of the Parish: As we join with the church throughout the world to conclude the Sundays of the Year of Grace 2025 with the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, there is another dimension to this feast that makes it even that much more special to us in that our parish has been placed under the patronage and protection of Christ the King. So in celebrating our patron’s feast we also celebrate our parish established in Christ’s honor under his title as king and present to Him the witness of our faithful worship; our words of preaching, teaching, praise and prayer; as well as our various charitable good works as how we seek to bring Him greater glory, and reveal to others that He is truly the king whom we obey and serve. So on this Solemnity of Christ the King let us all prayerfully intercede for the parish, its clergy, staff and all its members that we will never fail to to live up to the call that is ours to produce the good fruit of God’s reign that will be evident in our thoughts, words and actions when we submit our wills, and yield control of our lives to Jesus Christ as our Lord and King.
The Thanksgiving Question: To Whom, For What? Thanksgiving is a secular holiday with roots that are unmistakably rooted in religion. While that is not to say that all who gather with family or friends to sit down to a festive meal this coming Thursday will begin with grace, if they really thought about it, perhaps more of them would. Indeed, if we ask the questions regarding what we should be most grateful for and to whom that gratitude is due, it would likely be for the good things over which we do not have ultimate control, our life itself, our loved ones, our gifts, talents, and capacities that permit us to sustain ourselves and our families. Ultimately, we understand these to be either the result of happenstance or that of divine providence, depending on our perspective. However, the wise will see that it is God whose hand is at work in providing us with what are actually the best of blessings that we enjoy in this life, which are usually things not available for sale in any store! So let us answer the Thanksgiving question by responding that it is to God that our thanks are due for the blessings of life and love that are but a foretaste of the delights reserved for his faithful in the life that is yet to come in the kingdom Christ promises.
Thanksgiving Masses: There are two opportunities to render our gratitude to God through the Mass for our many blessings as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week. On Tuesday evening, November 25, at 6:00 PM, we will hold our annual Family Mass of Thanksgiving before the stress of preparations or the demands of travel on the holiday may prevent us from doing so. On Thursday, November 27th, Thanksgiving Day, at 8:30 AM, we will celebrate Mass on the actual holiday for those not otherwise occupied on that morning. At each of these Masses, you are invited to actively participate in the offertory procession by bringing forward ONE nonperishable food item, and /or a monetary donation to the baskets placed at the sanctuary step. These are meant to serve as a token of your willingness to share from your abundance with those less fortunate, and also remind us that when all share a little, an abundance is produced that can provide for the many. While these donations will be given to the Food Pantry, they will serve for its general operations and not for its holiday program; holiday provisions for needy households are supplied by the gift cards to local supermarkets that were requested earlier in the month. So please do not bring bags full of groceries, nor items traditional to a Thanksgiving meal to these Masses, but rather perhaps a jar of peanut butter, or pasta sauce, or a can of tuna fish or soup, in other words, items which are regularly needed by the clients served by our pantry, no matter the day or season.
New Year, New Knowledge? Adult Formation: Next weekend, we will begin the Season of Advent, marking the opening of a new Liturgical Year in the Church. Perhaps, as a New Year’s resolution of sorts, we might each commit ourselves to deepening our religious knowledge to strengthen our faith. On Sunday, December 7th, a 6-session course will begin, focusing on the Nicene Creed, its origins, background, and fuller meaning. The course will be facilitated by Kevin Ryan, a parishioner with a graduate-level education in theological studies. The sessions will be scheduled on Sunday mornings, but may not always be consecutive due to previous events scheduled in the parish hall or in consideration of the convenience of the teacher and the participants during a busy holiday season and into the beginning of a new year. Yet all sessions, when scheduled, will take place in the Parish Hall from 9:30 AM to 10:20 AM so as to be most convenient for those who attend the 8:30 AM Mass or those who attend the 10:30 AM Mass. All are encouraged to participate in this opportunity to increase their understanding of the authentic Christian faith by deepening their knowledge of its succinct formal statement of non – non-negotiables that we call the Creed!
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Christ Ever Remains: I remember well the day 18 years ago when I visited a gentleman well known to me from my pastoral work with the Hispanic Catholic Community of Cape Cod, as he was incarcerated in Plymouth. Why? He was undocumented, and so he was captured and held for deportation. He was not a criminal, far from it; he was a loving husband and father to a young son aged six. This man was not only working steadily but one who had started and was now managing a successful renovation business that employed a couple of dozen other workers. Why was he arrested and incarcerated? Because he challenged a customer who had not paid their bill, and then went to meet that customer at a Dunkin Donuts to pick up the promised check, he was instead met by immigration agents, arrested and incarcerated, processed, and then scheduled to be deported. I visited him before that deportation took place. It was as disturbing as it was incongruous to see a very faithful. honorable, kind, and decent man attired in a prison jumpsuit. During my visit with him, he frequently wept because he was now separated from his wife and son, and his means of supporting them had been taken from him, and his employees were now without work as well. All that he had worked so hard to build over the course of a decade was now gone, and the prospect of being separated from his son for the next 12 years, if not also his wife, was heartbreaking. Yet there was a brief time during our visit when his tears stopped and a look of serenity temporarily replaced the look of sadness and defeat that had pervaded the look on his face; it was when the Lord’s Prayer was said, and communion was offered and received! Indeed, when all else has been taken from you, Christ does remain, whether you find yourself in a prison cell awaiting the living death that is deportation or in a sick bed awaiting actual death, the ability of the Eucharist to bring consolation and peace to believers is as powerful as it is amazing. This I have seen for myself as a priest in this and other situations across the past 38 years. I well understand then the upset that is now being felt by the Catholic clergy of Chicago, who are prohibited from entering an ICE processing center to bring the Eucharist to men and women experiencing the same trauma as this gentleman with whom I was so well acquainted suffered. Pope Leo has himself addressed this unjust situation of depriving people of what should be their spiritual right and has, in the process, reminded all of us that, among other things, we will one day be judged on how we welcomed and treated the stranger among us. If someone’s only crime is that they crossed a border illegally to try to build a better life for themselves and their family, and if, like this gentleman, they have proved themselves honest, hardworking, and contributing to the wellbeing not only of their own family but that of others, then they truly ought to be shown a reasonable path to citizenship rather than be deported! Many without documents would certainly continue to be a true blessing to our nation if they were allowed to stay, but if we as a nation won’t let them, if we think it just to take everything from them and ship them off to places unknown, then let us at least have the decency to permit them a sacramental encounter with the one who will never leave them. Indeed, out of the compassion that should characterize us as Americans and must if we claim to be Christians, let us not hesitate to advocate that immigration detainees be allowed to experience the presence of Christ in the Eucharist while enduring the stressful process that will determine whether they can remain or that they must go!
We Are Family Appeal: While conducting a capital campaign to raise funds for the relocation of our Parish Library to create adequate storage, refrigeration, and freezer space for our weekly Food Pantry, our grand annual collection had been suspended. Yet now that we have the funds we need for our Library/Pantry project, we need to focus on building up our Building and Grounds Account to be prepared to address some of the larger maintenance issues faced by our parish complex, which is now turning 36 years old! Thus far, the response to this collection has been very generous on the part of those who have pledged or contributed. Thus far …… households have contributed $ ______ . Our goal, as always, is that every household, with few if any exceptions, contribute something to this essential fundraiser so that the beautiful and extensive parish complex may remain well-maintained.
Upcoming Parish Celebrations:
Mass of Remembrance, Sunday, November 23rd, 10:30 AM: Mass during which the names of those parishioners who have died since October 31st, 2024, are prayerfully read in a special form of intercessory prayer.
Mass of Thanksgiving: Tuesday Evening, November 25th at 6:30 PM: Annual Mass at which we invite the religious education students and their families to join with other parishioners in naming the many reasons we have to be thankful to God for his many blessings. A non-perishable food item and/or a monetary donation for those at risk of hunger is collected during the offertory of the Mass involving a “bringing up the gifts” that includes the whole congregation in procession to the altar step. Please plan on joining in this act of thanksgiving directed properly to God at a time that is less likely to interfere with holiday travel or preparation. ( NB: Mass will also be celebrated on Thanksgiving Day morning at 8:30 AM) .
OCIA: The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the process by which those not yet fully initiated into the Catholic Church are formed and prepared to be so, will hold its first formation session immediately following the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass this weekend. Both those curious about seeking full initiation and those already relatively certain they want to pursue it are encouraged to attend.
Sunday, November 9, 2025
In honor of Monsignor Ronald A Tosti, our founding pastor, who was instrumental in creating this parish and then planned and constructed its beautiful church and extensive parish complex, a Conference Room newly renovated will be dedicated in his honor following the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass this weekend. All are welcome to participate in the brief ceremony and to partake of “coffee and” in the Parish Hall. We are grateful to our parish Sexton, Dwight Giddings, who oversaw the upgrade in the heating/cooling system and the windows, and his wife Jean, who will be fashioning the window treatments, and Martin Gamboa for his work in redoing the flooring, walls, and installing new cabinetry. All of this was made possible by the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. George Logan, who wished to see a memorial created in Monsignor Tosti’s honor here in the parish, which may not exist had it not been for Monsignor’s dream of the establishment of a parish here and his persistence in seeing it through.
Our Mother Church: Today we celebrate the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, constructed under the direction of the Emperor Constantine and dedicated on November 9, 324 AD by Pope Sylvester I. Constantine had issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD which offered religious tolerance throughout the empire and legalized Christianity for the first time so that it could be publicly practiced without fear of persecution. The Emperor himself favored Christianity for its potential to be a unifying force across a vast empire that was challenging to rule and perhaps also because his beloved mother, Helena, was herself a devout Christian. Thus, at the end of the first third of the 4th Century, we begin to see the construction of the first large houses of worship for Christians built in the basilica style in the City of Rome and in the Holy Land. The very first of these Roman Basilicas, which would eventually include St. Peter’s, St Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major, is that of the Lateran, first dedicated to Christ the Savior and later also to St. John the Baptist. It is called Lateran because it was built on land confiscated by Emperor Constantine from the Laterani family, who had been his opponents. As the first Christian basilica constructed, the Lateran became the official church of the Bishop of Rome, known by then as the pope. It was there that the special chair from which the pope presides as bishop, called the cathedra, was located, making this the first cathedral church in the world. Here the popes resided and reigned until 1309, when they moved to Avignon in search of a safer and healthier environment. Five ecumenical councils were held at the Lateran, but when the popes returned to Rome from Avignon in 1377, the Lateran Basilica and its adjoining papal residence were in serious disrepair, so the popes moved their residence to the Vatican, and St Peter’s Basilica then became their primary place for papal Masses and ceremonies. Yet the Lateran Basilica remains the official Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, and so the foundation of its façade bears a unique inscription which reads: “Of all the Churches in the City and the World this is the Head and the Mother.” The anniversary of the dedication of St John Lateran Basilica is always a major feast day in the worldwide church, but fortunately, this year it falls on a Sunday, so that more of the faithful will celebrate it. As we do, we might deepen our appreciation that while this ancient building is very important to us, the church is much more than this special building, or our own diocesan cathedrals or parish churches, because the church is actually the community of believes or assembly of the faithful, in other words it is the living stones that build up the body of Christ present on earth. . Thus, any building, large or small, set aside as sacred to accommodate the worship of the Christian Faithful is most properly called and understood to be a “House of the Church” rather than “the Church” which first and foremost always refers to the people of God!
Por Las Almas; Giving A Charitable Gift in Honor of Deceased Loved Ones: As mentioned at Mass last weekend, during November until Thanksgiving Day, we, the members of the church on earth, are asked to join the members of the church in heaven to intercede for those members of the church in between heaven and earth who are in the process of purification. Our Tradition encourages us to offer prayers and make sacrifices to assist the souls in purgatory to move on to the glory that awaits them in heaven. Thus, the annul ALL SOULS ENVELOPE is a means of donating to the Church on behalf of the souls of our departed loved ones, whose names are then placed on the altar to share in the merits of the Masses offered during this special month of remembrance. Coincidentally, at this time, the parish requires collecting gift cards to local supermarkets in order to assist the many who are regularly served by our weekly Food Pantry to be able to purchase food for their Thanksgiving celebration. So we are encouraging parishioners to consider buying a $25 gift card and placing it in an All Souls Envelope as your charitable sacrifice for the sake of the souls of departed loved ones whose names are inscribed on the envelope will then be included with the others already placed on the altar for remembrance in November.
Called By Name: The Vocations Office of the Diocese of Fall River is conducting its annual CALLED BY NAME effort to raise awareness of the need to encourage vocations to the priesthood in particular so as to assure the celebration of the Eucharist throughout the Diocese now and into the future. Cards are available in the pews, should you wish to submit the name of a man between 18 and 35 whom you believe would be a good candidate for the priesthood, so that the Vocation Office may contact him. Even if you do not have anyone particular in mind, please accept the responsibility of praying frequently for priestly vocations and encouraging them if the opportunity to do so should arise.
Sunday, November 2, 2025
All Souls/ November Prayer: Lord, we ask you to comfort us in our sorrow as you receive the souls of our departed loved ones into the arms of your mercy. You are mercy itself; by dying, you have unlocked the gates of life for all who believe in you. Forgive the sins of our departed brothers and sisters, and lead them to a place of happiness, light, and peace in the kingdom of your glory forever, AMEN
From Orange and Black to Red and Green!: It used to be that the day after Thanksgiving inaugurated the Christmas Season as defined by commercial interests. Not so anymore! It now begins the day after Halloween, when all the jack-o’-lanterns, witches, ghosts, and skeletons that have been adorning stores and homes since Labor Day are put away, and out come the tinsel, garland, and lights! Thanksgiving may be represented by an occasional Horn of Plenty here and there, and maybe by a few cards remaining in the rack, but everything else is already all about Christmas. Yet we as Christians should remember that Christmas is our feast, and righteously resent that it is hijacked for purposes of profit by non-religious and cultural forces. We may be accused of being Scrooge-like for not wanting to be forced to join the party prematurely, but we should resist falling into this absurd trap! We have the month of November, which is traditionally set aside as a time of prayerful remembrance of the departed faithful, culminating in the celebration of the final harvest at Thanksgiving. Then we have the four-week-long Season of Advent to help prepare us for a proper celebration of Christmas. Truly, from our position in Salvation History, we are preparing ourselves to be ever ready to meet Christ at his Second Coming, but we do so by looking to the example of those who patiently waited and thus were prepared to recognize him at his First Coming. Thus, the mood of November should be more solemn than joyful, as are the first three weeks of the Season of Advent, which begins on Sunday, November 30th. It isn’t until the 17th of December that we might begin to put up our Creche and begin to focus on Christmas, as in anticipation of its joy, we begin singing the hopeful “O” antiphons that are contained in the hymn O Come, O Come Emanual. While Advent isn’t a penitential season by Church law as is Lent, the use of purple and the stark simplicity of the liturgical environment very much suggest that this is its mood. We do not prepare ourselves well to meet Christ as judge at the end of time by engaging in countless parties and shopping feverishly! Rather, it is by quiet prayer and contemplation and sincere self-examination that leads to sacramental reconciliation that would make us most ready to meet Christ should he return in our day, So let’s refrain from putting up the trees and lighting the lights until at least the 17th of December, that way we can be sure that we won’t be tired of Christmas on December 26th when in truth its authentic season just begins and continues even past the Feast of the Epiphany through to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!
The Essential Three: Since the Clergy Abuse Scandal emerged 24 years ago in the Catholic Church in the United States, much focus has been placed by the Church on creating a safe environment in its worship, ministries, and programs through reasonable efforts at prevention. Thus, all clergy, staff, and volunteers who serve in any official capacity in the life of a parish are asked to undergo a periodic CORI Check, complete online Abuse Awareness and Prevention Training, and sign a Code of Conduct which outlines and forbids behavior between adults and minors that would be considered inappropriate or risky. While this is a time-consuming process that occurs every few years, it is a necessary one if we are to increase and maintain confidence that our parish, and all parishes, are striving to provide a safe environment in which young people can grow in their faith.
OCIA: On Sunday, November 16th, the first meeting of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults will be held after the 8:30 Mass in the Conference Room in the Parish Office. Anyone who is not yet fully initiated into the Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and/or Eucharist and would like to explore this possibility is most welcome to attend. Please register by calling the Parish Office in advance so the OCIA Team will know to expect you!
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Entering November: As the leaves fall from the trees and darkness descends earlier, November can feel like a transition month to us. Perhaps then it should not surprise us that to the ancient Celtic people, this was the beginning of a new year , and the evening that anticipated November’s arrival was an important annual festival, as it was believed that the wall separating the here. The hereafter was open during that evening. Celts dressed in disguises so as not to be recognized and harassed by ghosts, and some left offerings of food and drink on their doorstep for them so as not to be disturbed by them. So we see the roots of Halloween costumes and treats so as not to be tricked, butas Christianity took root in Western culture and replaced pagan beliefs and customs, this continued to be a time to remember those “on the other side”, the faithful gone before us, On the 1st of November we celebrate those enjoying blessedness n God’s Kingdom, All Saints. Then, beginning on the 2nd of November, we prayerfully remember those still in a state of purification before entering heaven. All Souls. While present observances of Halloween may be subtly drifting back to being rather pagan in character, we must preserve our Christian tradition of November, at its beginning, and indeed throughout the month until the celebration of the harvest, Thanksgiving, as a special time of the year to remember and to pray for those who have gone before us in faith. As All Saints falls on a Saturday this year, while it remains a Holy Day, the obligation to attend Mass is lifted because of its proximity to Sunday. So while there will be no sin incurred by not attending Mass on All Saints Day but there won’t be any grace received either! This year, as occurs periodically, All Souls Day will fall on a Sunday and thus be observed by many more people than when it falls on a weekday. After celebrating All Saints and until Thanksgiving, it is our Catholic custom to keep the names of deceased loved ones that you submit on the All Souls Envelopes on the Altar so that, according to your intention and that of the celebrating priests, they will have a share in the merits of the Masses offered this month.. We will also display a Book of Remembrance containing the names of fellow parishioners who have died since October 31st of last year. On Sunday, November 23rd, we will hold our annual Mass of Remembrance at 10:30 AM, which includes a prayerful reading of the names of all our parishioners who have died since the beginning of last November. So let us not only enter the month of November next weekend but also embrace its spirit of prayerful remembrance of all those gone before us in faith, trusting that one day, when our names are on the altar or in the Book of Remembrance, our fellow believers will also be praying for us!
All Saints Day Mass: Saturday, November 1st at 8:30 AM. Please note, as explained above, that while this remains a Holy Day, the obligation to attend Mass this year is lifted due to its proximity to Sunday.
All Souls Envelopes: These are found in the pews or at the entrances of the Church. Kindly fill these out and place them in the collection basket or otherwise return them to the Parish Office so that those you list on them will share in the merits of the Masses offered during November.
Book of Remembrance: If a parishioner has passed away since November 1st of 2024 but their funeral service was not held at Christ the King Church, please submit their name and the date of their death to the Parish Office for inclusion in the Book of Remembrance and the annual Mass of Remembrance.
Spirituality: Developing an appropriate Christian Spiritual Life is a task that belongs to all of us as we are called to bear witness before the world to our faith in Jesus Chris by our faithful worship, our words, and our good works. The foundation of this spirituality will always involve prayer, and it will be strengthened by study and service. Here in the parish, we have a Jericho Group for men and the Walking With Purpose program for women, which are both very helpful in developing and strengthening the Christian spirituality of their members. For those who are not joiners, we will have various offerings during the year, the purpose of which is the further formation of adults. Beyond the parish, experiencing a Cursillo Retreat is also greatly encouraged. So, as we buckle down now that Fall is fully here, may we consider our spirituality an important focus of ongoing plans for self-improvement and take advantage of the groups and programs that are offered to help us learn and grow in our faith and its practice.
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) In the name of the parish, our OCIA Team will soon embark on its mission to assist those not yet fully initiated into the Catholic Church by Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist to prepare for the reception of these sacraments at Easter. If you are not yet officially a Catholic, please know that you are invited to become one and call the Parish Office to inquire further about this process and to discern if it is time for you to enroll in it.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Name Tag Sunday: This weekend, at the Masses of October 18th/19th, we ask your kind cooperation in our annual effort to continue to build community among us as a family of faith by being able to know and address one another by name. We are often creatures of habit who sit in about the same section, if not the very same pew, each weekend, and while we are often familiar with those around us, we don’t always know, or remember their name. So this is our opportunity to learn or relearn their names again without embarrassment or apology! So write your first names VERY LARGE on the tag and let’s enjoy getting acquainted or reacquainted with one another!
Indifferentism: The Heresy of Our Times: It does not matter what religion, if any. or what denomination of Christianity a person subscribes to, as these are all on equal footing!. While this brand of Indifferentism, as it is called, may have to apply in a pluralistic democracy such as our own nation, where there is no state-sponsored religion or church, and so all legitimate religions must be tolerated. However, on a theological basis, Indifferentism does not hold water as it denies the truth of what has been revealed by a loving God whose ultimate aim is human salvation and thus has given us a specific plan for that salvation to be accomplished. Indeed, the Catholic Church holds that God has revealed his saving will to the world in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who in word and deed proved himself to be the “Christ,” the one anointed by God as savior. Thus, in response, we owe our grateful worship to God through Christ, and our obedience to the moral and ethical implications of what has been revealed by God as his holy will expressed in the commandments of the first covenant and in the teachings of the new covenant established in Jesus Christ. While refraining as we must from promoting Christian Nationalism in a pluralistic society, as is the present trend among non-Catholic “evangelical” Christians, nevertheless, we as Catholics should never shy away from truly evangelizing the increasing number of “nones” among us who have bought into Indifferentism in our day. This is classically expressed in the “I am spiritual but not religious” trend so prevalent in recent times. While perhaps not intending to be, that is about the most arrogant thing a person can ever say because, in light of all God has revealed, accomplished, and commanded in Christ to be believed and followed, to ignore or reject it implies an individual thinks they can somehow know better than God how their own and all human salvation is to be accomplished! While politely respecting people who adhere to other religions or affiliate with other denominations of Christianity, we as Catholics are challenged to renew our own confidence in the truth that the fullness of Christ’s revelation has been received and is preserved in the Church that is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic to which we are privileged to belong!
The Results of the Summer Raffle: Last Sunday, October 12th, beginning at noon, the winning tickets in our Annual Summer Raffle were drawn. The winners can be found in the bulletin.
Many thanks to all who participated, as your support of the raffle not only pleases the winners but also helps to fund the activities of various parish organizations, including the Catholic Women’s Club, the Knights of Columbus, Walking With Purpose, The Respect Life Ministry, and Matthew 25. Thus, much good work will be enabled by the proceeds, which will be calculated after payment of taxes and deductions, printing and promotion expenses.
Reminder: End of Life Issues from a Catholic Perspective: This will be the topic of a talk by Fr. Tad Pachholcyk on this Wednesday at 6 PM at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich. This is a topic of importance to all of us, so if you possibly can attend, you are strongly encouraged to do so. We are grateful to our own Respect Life Committee, which has joined with that of Corpus Christi and those of other churches and religious organizations to sponsor this informative event.
Prayer and Fasting Spiritual Fasting is an ancient practice that nourishes Body, Mind, and Soul. Consider: Have you ever combined prayer with fasting in a meaningful way?
Do you pray for peace? For the family to return to the faith? Others? Let’s fast when we pray to make the Christmas Feast plentiful and peaceful rather than exhausting and waist-expanding! Let’s find out together! Please bring your favorite funny quote using words that describe hunger, thirst, feast, and/or fast! Discussion: Nov 2 @ 3:30-5 pm OR Nov 3 @ 9-10:30 am in Religious Education Classroom A -For more info call Jeane 508-420-2445
Sunday, October 12, 2025
October, Pro-Life Month: While for Catholics every day should be a pro-life day, we do set aside October as a month during which we focus on the sacredness of human life and our duty to protect it, which is a central moral issue and the basis of all our social justice teachings as Catholics. Certainly we know first and foremost that termination of a human life in the womb for any reason other than the preservation of a mother’s life is morally unacceptable, yet as we move beyond that to other life issues such as capital punishment, euthanasia and war as major ones, but also various other assaults on the rights, dignities and well-being of living people we start to lose support among Catholics and other Christians. Clearly, we have to be antiabortion, yet that alone does not really qualify us as prolife! Indeed, recently, a popular television broadcaster stated that if homeless people refused to accept the government’s efforts to get them into treatment or to house them in institutions, then they should be involuntarily euthanized! While the backlash from this statement forced the announcer to apologize, it is an example of how the lives of people who are devalued and thus discriminated against can be at risk even in a supposedly civilized society! For us as Catholics, human life does begin in the womb at conception, and from that origin to natural death, it must be defended, protected, and assisted in any way we can do so. Therefore, we do not have the luxury of turning a blind eye to the various situations and numerous forces that place human life in jeopardy, or which rob people of their basic rights and dignity. Yet once we decry more than abortion as a true threat to the sacredness and dignity of human life, the lonelier will the road be that we have to travel! Yet let us keep traveling that road no matter whom we may end up offending or alienating in the process, accepting the truth, no matter the cost to ourselves, that being pro-life requires us to stand up for all human life without any exceptions whatsoever!
Moral Issues In End of Life Care: Fr. Tad Pacholcyk, Senior Bioethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, will address the moral issues that can present themselves at the end of life, such as physician-assisted suicide, MOLST, and the importance of having a Health Care Proxy that is authentically Christian. The presentation will take place at Corpus Christi Parish in East Sandwich on Wednesday, October 22nd, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The presentation is free of charge as it is sponsored by our own parish Respect Life Committee and that of Corpus Christi Parish, along with other members and supporters of the Cape Cod Pro-Life Alliance.
Knights of Columbus: As we observe the annual Columbus Day Weekend, we remember the crucial contribution of Christopher Columbus, most especially in his role of first planting the Cross of Christ in this hemisphere back in 1492. As we honor him, let us also be mindful of his spiritual sons, the Knights of Columbus, who continue to lift high the Cross in works of charity and service done in the name of Jesus Christ and for the greater glory of God. Here at Christ the King Parish, we are blessed with the presence of K of C Council 13388, which gathers men together for the purpose of making a positive difference, especially in service to the elderly through their Call A Knight Program and through the scholarships they provide, which make a Catholic education possible for young people of the parish. This is a wonderful organization, and all men of the parish are invited to seriously consider affiliating with them as a means of becoming part of something much bigger than themselves, which thus becomes a force for good and a source of true Christian fraternity!
Gratitude for A Memorial Gift: Thanks go out to Marilyn Vecchio, who, in memory of her recently deceased husband, Joseph “Joe” Vecchio, has given the parish a new gospel book and silver cover which will be placed into service at Weekend Masses beginning on the First Sunday of Advent, which begins with the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass on November 29th. Let us all express our gratitude for this beautiful gift, which will enhance the dignity of our worship by praying for the repose of the soul of Joe Vecchio.
Thanks and Good Luck! Many Thanks to all who have supported our annual Summer Raffle, the proceeds of which help to fund the activities of our various parish organizations. All who have purchased chances are wished the best of luck as the drawing takes place at noon in the parish hall this Sunday, October 12th; all are welcome to come to the hall to witness the drawing of prizes, and so to prevent Fr. Healey from pulling his own ticket!
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Authentic Christianity: The Vertical and the Horizontal! Criticism about the subject of homilies or the content of the general intercessions is predictably the same; please don’t bring the world and its many problems into this sacred time when we are trying to worship God and find some peace! Yet our faith and consequently our worship are primarily vertical in that it is a time for us to focus exclusively on God by tuning out a world in which so many are suffering. Is Mass the time to lift our eyes to heaven and to close them to a troubled world around us? That kind of one-dimensional approach to our Christian faith is, in fact, quite inadequate, for Jesus himself tells us that we cannot claim to love the God we cannot see if we fail to love the neighbor whom we can see! In the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew, Jesus gets more explicit as in his parable about the Final Judgement, he depicts himself asking those who wish admittance to his Kingdom if they recognized and served him in the poor, the hungry and thirsty, the sick, the prisoners, and strangers, indeed in the least and the last of this world. While those who did so are welcomed to God’s Kingdom, those who did not are judged unworthy of entering it. So to find Jesus, and to love and serve him, requires more than just worshipping or adoring him in the safety of the sanctuary; rather, we are invited to also look around and to cultivate a proper empathy for those who are presently suffering, and at the moment they happen to be as obvious as they are many. Seeing the suffering of others, we are to regard them with compassion and offer them both spiritual help through our prayer and practical assistance with our charity. In 1971, the World Synod of Bishops composed a document entitled Justice in the World in which they concluded, “action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel. So if we come to any church week after week and seldom hear a prayer or a word spoken on behalf of those presently poor in any sense of the word, we should shop for another church because the worship there is not authentically Christian! Indeed, the Cross of Christ has both a vertical and a horizontal dimension, and so too the faith he imparted to us to save us, and its worship must have the same. Clearly, Christ’s great commandment is not just inviting us to love God above all things, but it is also directing us to love our neighbor as much, if not more than, we love ourselves. We need not ask who my neighbor is, as Jesus answered that for us in his parable of the Good Samaritan, and so we cannot help but conclude that these include Gazans, Ukrainians, Sudanese, and others suffering the ravages of conflict in their lands. Yet it is also inclusive of hard-working people who are here in our nation without documents, and have no reasonable means to acquire them. The majority of these are not criminals but mothers and fathers who wait in fear of the next raid at a school, farm, factory, or church, and whose children often stay awake at night wondering if their parents will have disappeared when they return home from school the next day! It is with them and for them and so many others that we must pray and act when we can. Truly, we should, as it shouldn’t surprise us, that these may very well be those on whose testimony as to our charity toward them we may have to rely when we must be uprooted from our home in this world with the hopes of finding a permanent one in the next!
Blessing of the Animals; On this Sunday, October 5th, at noon on the lawn in front of the Rectory:. Proximate to the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4th), who composed the Canticle of the Creatures in 1224, now over 800 years ago, we appreciate his insight that while we may be the crown of all God’s creation, still we as human beings are creatures and so we share a fraternal relationship with all of them! So we invite leashed and caged and otherwise restrained animals to be present for the blessing, which will take place promptly at noon.
Summer Raffle; One Week to Go: The opportunity to acquire chances to be eligible to win the Grand Prize of $5000.00, as well as others in the drawing to be held next Sunday, October 12th, is passing! Don’t wait until the last minute! Books of chances are available in the pews, 1 for $20, 3 for $50; you may fill these out and place your donation, along with the stubs, into the collection basket or otherwise return them to the parish office before it’s too late!
Shrines of France: “ Catholicism’s eldest daughter,” as France has been called, has been home to saints and the site of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You are invited to join Fr. Healey on pilgrimage to some of the main shrines where saints have lived or where their relics now rest, as well as Lourdes, France’s most famous site of the apparition of Mary, who there identified herself as the Immaculate Conception to St Bernadette Soubirous. The beaches and American Cemetery at Normandy will also be included on the itinerary, which concludes in Paris, where, among many other sites, we will visit the renovated and restored Cathedral of Notre Dame. The Pilgrimage will take place from November 2nd to 13th, 2026, and the cost will be $4679. pp/do. Brochures with registration material are available in the parish office.