St. Patrick Catholic Parish Podcast: Recent Episodes
St. Patrick Catholic Parish
In this homily, delivered on August 2, 2026, Fr. Peter preaches on the reality that food is for communion. In today's world, there is a lot of discussion and debate surrounding food, and many people wrestle with how to feed themselves and their children. In addition, many people have a broken relationship with food because of stress-eating, concern about body image, and other such things. It can be so easy to be caught up in what or what not to eat, that we often do not consider why we eat. Food is for communion, both with God and with others. God did not have to make food, but chose to create food so that we could be united with Him and others through it. In both the Old and the New Testaments, God uses food to draw His People into communion with Himself, and the ultimate expression of this is in the Eucharist. Fr. Peter invites the congregation to approach daily meals as a way to enter into communion with God and others, allowing the grace before meals to be a practical reminder that we are about to enter into a time of communion.
In this homily given on the 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 5, 2026), Father Mathias preaches the parable of the treasure buried in the field. He outlines three reasons why people don't joyfully sell all they have (surrender) to secure the treasure of Jesus.
1) They simply haven't found Jesus yet.
2) They have found him, but they're not convinced of his real value
3) They have found him and they're convinced of his value, but they refuse to change and repent.
After relating this parable to the five thresholds of conversion and the mission of St Pat's, Father ends his homily challenging us to identify our hesitancy and resist joyfully selling all that we have to secure Jesus our treasure.
In this homily, delivered on July 19, 2026, Fr. Peter preaches on the gradual nature of our transformation in holiness. It can be easy to fall into discouragement because it seems like we keep committing the same sins or getting distracted during prayer. However, our transformation is gradual, just like the rising of bread is gradual. That is why the parable of the woman with the yeast can be a great source of encouragement. Since our transformation takes time, we never need to be discouraged, and we can dream big. We can continually open our heart to Jesus each time we fall and trust that, little by little, we will be transformed.
In this homily, delivered on July 12, 2026, Fr. Peter preaches on the way we can offer everything to Jesus in the Eucharist. He explains that Jesus is the seed that encounters the soil of our lives. If we open up to Jesus, we bear fruit, and our lives can be transformed in the Eucharist. He describes how this has been a living reality for him in a particular way over this past year as the Lord met him in his grief.
In this homily given on the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 5, 2026), Father Mathias preaches on why God hides himself from the proud but reveals himself to the humble. Because the proud are self-focused and self-reliant, they are not open to reality, they are not open to change. As such they become blind to God and what he offers us. But the humble are open to reality, they know they need God and are open to receiving from God.
If Jesus wants us to come to him to receive his rest, then we need to be humble enough to come to him to receive his rest. The problem is that those who are proud don't come to Jesus, they don't think they need to, they don't want to. Therefore, they don't receive much from what he offers.
Father ends his homily inviting us to come to Jesus as a little child to tell him what's going on in our prayer so we can receive what he has for us.
In this homily given on the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time (June 28, 2026), Father Mathias preaches on one of the most difficult teachings of Jesus: whoever loves parents or children more than him is not worthy of him. The human race is divided on its response to Jesus. Some accept him and follow him, others do not. That creates tension in families and causes temptations to compromise and love family members more than Jesus.
Father Mathias offers two reminders to help renew our minds that can help us love Jesus more than our children and parents.
1) Remember that your love for your children/parents is merely a faith echo of how much God loves them.
2) Your children/parents do not belong to you; they are gifts of God entrusted to you for a short time.
He ends the homily exhorting us to renew our faith in Jesus as our first love when we receive him in Communion.
On Father's Day, June 21st, 2026, Fr. Joshua Fons gave his last homily at St. Patrick's. (He will be moving to East Lansing to serve the student parish for Michigan State) In this powerful homily, he unpacks the mission and vocation of every father, and what makes fatherhood so essential. Fathers teach us our place in the great story, they show us how to live in this world, how to love, and what to fear. They invite us to step into our own role in the story. Especially in a culture that is struggling for lack of fatherhood, fathers need renewal and strength to live out their mission.
In this homily given on the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (June 14 , 2026), Father Mathias preaches on Psalm 100 and why we are to sing a joyful song of praise to the Lord at Mass. After outlining why singing at Mass is one way we actively participate in divine worship of God at Mass, Fr Mathias outlines several common reasons why we might resist singing to the Lord at Mass: we mistakenly believe singing is optional, we might not know or like the music, the music might not be good, we're not certain about who God is, we simply don't feel like it.
But the Mass is not about us; it's the worship of God, giving him what's his due. Therefore, we need to resist the temptation to not sing to God because we don't feel like or we don't want to. Since God is Good, no matter how we feel, Father challenges us to sing his praises at Mass precisely when we don't feel like it. Doing so opens our hearts to the God who loves us and wants to bless us in whatever we're going through in our lives.
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 7th, 2026, Fr. Joshua Fons invites us to walk with the Israelites in the Desert. What seemed like a time of hardship, was actually a training ground in trust, a time when they had to learn that they had a God who cared for them and provided for them. The Lord does the same with us, he allows us to wander in the desert so that we can encounter his provision, particularly through the Holy Eucharist. We have to come to realize that we cannot live on bread alone, so that our hearts can hunger for the true food, the bread of life.
In this homily given on Trinity Sunday May 31st, 2026, Father Mathias preaches on the fact that God, who is Father Son and Holy Spirit is love itself. Drawing from the Gospel, Father reminds us that God is for us and not against us; he has come to save us from our sins, not to condemn us.
Father challenges to avoid a false spirituality of fear that has crept back into the Church masquerading as a traditional Catholic spirituality. He ends his homily offering a few reminders of how God relates to us in our sin for those struggling with a voice of condemnation in their hearts.
On the Feast of Pentecost, May 24th, 2026 Fr. Joshua Fons challenges us to look to Pentecost for the source of the Church's renewal. Pentecost is part of our tradition, in fact, it is the very start of our Church. To ignore Pentecost is to ignore what Christ has given to us: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who gives us the courage and strength to live out the Church's mission: making disciples of all nations.
In this homily given on Ascension Sunday (May 17, 2025), Fr Mathias preaches on one of the reasons why Jesus ascends into heaven: to obtain the promise of the Father and baptize us in the Holy Spirit. This is what he died to do: to immerse us into the very life of God and to bear witness to him. Essentially, Jesus wants everyone to be baptized in the Holy Spirit
As Catholics we believe we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. But we also believe that the sacraments are not magic and require proper interior dispositions for the graces of the sacraments to be released into our lives. Theologians call this release of the graces of sacraments of initiation as the "the baptism in the Holy Spirit"
After outlining key signs that one is baptized in the Holy Spirit, Fr Mathias encourages us to ask the Lord to baptize us in the Holy Spirit.
On Mother's Day, May 10th, 2026, Fr. Joshua speaks to the moms of the parish, inviting them to reflect on the gift of their Vocation. In particular, the ways we are tempted to not see our Vocation as a gift from God, but rather as a burden, a reward, or a waste. From that place, Christ wants to bring renewal. The key to that renewal lies in the words of St. Peter "Beloved, sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts." A fruitful vocation starts with knowing that we are beloved of God, and then response, to put him first in our hearts.
In this homily given on Sunday May 3, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on the common priesthood that belongs to all baptized Christians and applies it to the lay faithful. Indeed, exercising our common priesthood is central to how we worship God.
Father offers two tips on how to do this well:
1) Do everything in your life as an offering of love to God.
2) Unite your offerings of the week to the offering of Christ at Sunday Mass
In this homily on April 26, 2026 (Good Shepherd Sunday), Fr Mathias preaches on Psalm 23 and applies it to Jesus being our Good Shepherd. We really can trust in Jesus as our Good Shepherd to give us peace, rest, refreshment, protection, and guidance. Father then outlines various aspects of the Devil's psyops campaign to get us to not follow Jesus the Good Shepherd.
To access the presentations on prayer referenced at end of Mass on how to hear God's voice spoken of in the homily please go here (and scroll down to 2024).
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/parish-mission-2024
On the Third Sunday of Easter, April 19th 2026, Fr. Joshua breaks open the story of the Road to Emmaus, challenging us to put ourselves in the shoes of those disciples. They were downcast, because they had their own plan for how the Messiah was going to do his thing, and it seems like it failed. But they didn't plan for the Cross. We do the same: we have a plan for our life, a plan for what it means to follow God, but we also forget about the Cross. And what we see as a problem, might actually be the solution. What looks like defeat, might actually be the path to victory. The Lord wants to renew our minds, to see His plan, the big picture, the story of our Salvation in a new way!
In this homily, given on April 12, 2026, Dcn. Peter encourages us to celebrate the Easter season. He notes that we often remember to observe Lenten practices but forget to celebrate the Easter season. He brings up three pillars that the Early Church used to live out Easter: Eucharist, the Holy Spirit, and community. He encourages us to rely on the same three pillars to celebrate Easter. His practical for the week is to ask Jesus how He wants us to live out Easter this year so that we can walk more fully in Jesus' victory and freedom.
In this Easter Vigil homily, delivered on April 4, 2026, Dcn. Peter reflects on St. Paul's words that we are dead to sin and living to God in Christ Jesus. Many people might respond in two ways: wondering how being dead to sin is relevant to their life or feeling like these words don't apply to them. Dcn. Peter describes life under slavery to sin and death and proclaims that Jesus' victory changes every part of our lives. He then declares that Paul's words do apply to each one of us and that Jesus wants to bring His victory into our lives this Easter. He then leads everyone in responding to Jesus' invitation to freedom. His practical for the week is to write "I am dead to sin and living to God in Christ Jesus. I can live in freedom" on a piece of paper and put it somewhere it will be seen throughout the week.
In this homily on Good Friday (April 3, 2026), Father Mathias breaks open the prophesy of Isaiah 53 that Jesus took upon himself the sins and guilt of the human race. Helping us see Christ's love for us on the Cross, Father ends his homily with a prayer.
*Due to a technical error, the audio of this homily is poorer than normal.***
On the night Jesus gave us the Priesthood (Holy Thursday, April 2, 2026), Fr. Joshua invites us to reflect on the famous phrase from St. John Vianney: "The Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus." The priesthood reveals the heart of Christ for his Church, and it is his gift to us. Though often misunderstood, Fr. Joshua expounds on how priestly celibacy is an essential part of this vocation: that it mirrors Christ's own heart for his people. Jesus knew what he was doing when he gave us the Priesthood. He knew that his Church needed Fathers. We need to pray for priests, and for the Lord to raise up more laborers for his vineyard
In this Easter Sunday homily on April 5th, 2026, Fr Mathias preaches on the Resurrection of Jesus. We don't have to be afraid of death because Jesus is alive. After sharing about how Jesus is still delivering people from evil and healing the sick today, Father exhorts us to respond to Jesus with faith, repentance and baptism, so we can be with him forever.
On Easter Sunday (April 5, 2026), Father Joshua invites us to take St. Paul's words as our personal motto: "If you have been raised with Christ, seek what is above." These words were lived out by one of the founders of the University of Michigan: Father Gabriel Richard. After the city of Detroit was destroyed by a fire, he rallied the rebuilding, penning Detroit's motto: we hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes." These words capture the hope of the Resurrection. A hope that can face even the greatest hardships. A hope that our world needs today.
On Palm Sunday, March 29th, 2026, Father Joshua invites us to be shaken out of our routine, just like the people of Jerusalem were shaken by Jesus' entrance. This isn't just another Sunday of another week: this is the holiest week of the year! We must give an answer to the question asked in the Gospel: "who is this?" Who is Jesus? Is he my savior and Lord? Is he the center of my life? Or he is he something else? Allow yourself to be shaken this week, by the death of God on a cross for you.
In this homily on March 22, 2026, Fr Mathias preaches on the the raising of Lazarus and reflects with us on Jesus's response to Martha and Mary's line: "Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died." To Mary, he responds by weeping with her for Lazarus. To Martha he responds by revealing himself as the Resurrection and the Life and seeks to draw out faith. Father exhorts us to allow Jesus to weep with us when we lose a loved one and to place our faith in Jesus the Resurrection and the Life, so we might see our loved ones once more.
On this third Sunday of Lent, Fr. Joshua calls out all the grumblers: those who grumble about the state of the World, the Country, the Church, and the state of their own lives. Instead of grumbling, he invites us to hope. To hope in the Love our Father who has given us access to his heart. To hope like the women at the well who, in spite of her difficult circumstances, hoped for a Messiah. Hope is powerful! Our world desperately needs people who choose to hope rather than to grumble.
This week was also the opening of the Diocesan Services Appeal: an annual appeal the funds all of the vital ministries of our Diocese, from pro-life work, to caring for the poor to providing for the education and formation of our Seminarians. If you missed it, check out Bishop Boyea's appeal here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9e0XTfDfq0), and make your contribution online below
https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/appeal
In this homily on March 1st 2026, Fr Mathias preaches on the Transfiguration of the Lord as an invitation to go up the mountain with Jesus to encounter him. Father exhorts us everyday to pray "from the heart" so God can reveal himself in our lives. He ends the homily challenging us to understand our Lenten Penances as occasions of going up the mountain to encounter Jesus.
On the first Sunday of Lent, February 22nd, 2026, Father Joshua points out that while you sometimes feel like your problems are unique, or your life is singularly challenging, you actually aren't that special. This is a good thing, because t means we aren't alone. We share in the brokenness and sinfulness of our first parents, Adam and Eve. And the wounds that affect our heart today go back to that fateful day in the Garden. But, the good news is that we also share in the redemption of Christ. He put himself under that same condemnation, and redeemed us. This Lent, Christ wants to bring about that redemption in you life, in your marriage, and in your family. Let this Lent be a Lent of Restoration and Redemption.
In this homily, delivered on February 15, 2026, Dcn. Peter reflects on the truth that our origin is a gift, that we are called to make a gift of ourselves now, and that we are promised a life of self-gift in heaven. However, very often, people fall short of living out this beautiful dynamic of self-gift. Instead, they turn to lust, which grasps instead of receives, uses others instead of loving them, and ultimately turns one in on oneself in selfishness. Dcn. Peter speaks three truths of hope to those who may be struggling with lustful sins. He then invites those who have been married outside the Church to have their marriage convalidated, that is to say, to make a new consent within the Church, so that they can receive Holy Communion and live in the sacramental graces of marriage. He ends with the challenge to read Genesis 2 and ask the Father to reveal even more deeply the gift character of our existence.
We each have assumptions and ideas about what "the good life", a life of happiness looks like. In this homily, given on February 1st, 2026, Fr. Joshua Fons encourages us to consider our sources: are they reliable? What if we are wrong? What if we have been chasing the wrong things? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus starts off with the Beatitudes, the keys to happiness, and he doesn't list off any of the things we might expect. And this, in fact, is good news, because the way he shows us is the way to true happiness! But it starts with our willingness to admit we have been wrong all along.
In this homily, delivered on January 25, 2026, Dcn. Peter preaches on the power of God's Word. He begins by considering Isaiah's prophecy and stating that it doesn't seem to be true in daily living. Are we going to say that the Bible (and therefore, God) is lying? Dcn. Peter explains that Isaiah's prophecy actually is true because Jesus is Who He says He is, which means that reality is transformed. He then affirms that the Word of God has power and challenges the congregation to pick a Scripture and pray it at least once during the week when something difficult happens so that Jesus and the power of the Word of God can transform that difficult situation.
In this homily on January 18th, 2026, Fr Mathias preaches on the mystery of the Church as the light to the nations. Each member of the Church has a unique mission to mediate the light of Jesus to the world around them. Some Christians are aware of this mission, while others not.
On the Baptism of the Lord (January 11th, 2026), Father Joshua invites us to reflect on the moments when we feel unworthy and unqualified for the task before us. These moments can be moments of profound encounter. Just as Jesus asked John to trust in Him and baptize Him, He invites us to trust in Him, and to respond in faith.
In part three of our Advent preaching series on December 14th, 2025, Father Joshua outlines the third and fourth thresholds of Conversion: Openness and Seeking. In the Gospel, we see Jesus questioning in the crowds, trying to help them recognize their hunger for more, and their openness to God. He does the same to us. He knows that our hearts were made for more, for the kind of love that we only find in God.
In part two of our Advent preaching series (December 7th, 2025), Father Joshua outlines the first two Thresholds of Conversion: Initial Trust and Spiritual Curiosity. According to Sherry Weddell, over 50% of Catholics in the pews on Sunday are in these two Thresholds. While it is good that they are still showing up, it means that Jesus has so much more in store for them! Fr. Joshua challenges all of us to honestly recognize we are in the journey, and to be open to the more that God has for us.
In this homily on November 30th, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches Part 1 of the Advent Preaching series on "Intentionally Following Jesus." After defining some terms about discipleship, Father outlines two fundamental reminders about discipleship that we should never forget:
1) Discipleship is about growing in our maturity in our relationship with Jesus
2) Following Jesus doesn't happen by accident; it has to be intentional.
He ends his homily outlining the five thresholds of discipleship developed by Sherry Weddell and encourages us to be honest as to where we are in our walk with Jesus.
On the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 23rd, 2025), Father Joshua Fons delves into what the Kingship of Christ looks like. In the face of common misconceptions about Kingship, Fr. Joshua unpacks what Christ's kingship actually looks like. This is such a critical question, because in baptism, we were given a share of this kingship! The Lord has invited us to share in his authority, but we need to look to Christ to understand how to live that out.
In this homily on November 16th, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on Jesus' warning to his disciples about persecution they will endure. Christian persecution is not something of the past, but is very much happening today, especially in Nigeria. Father exhorts us to persevere in our faith no matter how people around us treat us so that we can secure our lives in heaven. He closes his homily with a prayer asking God for the gift of courage and perseverance.
On the Feast of the Dedication of Lateran Basilica (November 9th, 2025), Father Joshua Fons preaches on the great adventure God is inviting each of us into: our vocation. The example of those early Christians who witnessed in the Lateran Basilica rising in the city of so many martyrs should inspire us to give our whole lives to Christ. It is in our vocation that God invites us into holiness and happiness, and to live the life we are meant to live.
In this homily, delivered on November 2, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches on what it means to say that Jesus conquered sin and death. As Christians, we proclaim Christ's victory over sin and death, but what does that mean, especially in the face of deaths of our loved ones? Dcn. Peter reminds us of the human condition without Christ's death, which was suffering and separation from God. Once Jesus destroyed death, heaven was opened to us, and we now can live the life of grace and hope to see our loved ones again in heaven. Jesus did not merely conquer death but invites us to participate in His victory. One way we do this is by praying for the dead, which is what we do on All Souls' Day. The practical for the week is to pray for the dead every day of the week.
In this homily on October 26th, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the temple. Behind the ugly self-righteous pride is a forgetfulness of God as the source of our goodness, that leads us to look down on others. Since this sin is difficult for us to see, Father Mathias outlines three signs that might indicate that we're struggling self-righteous pride:
1) We tend to take credit for the good things we're doing for God and others
2) We don't often ask God for forgiveness
3) It's easy for us to look down on others because their struggle with sin
In outlining these signs, Father Mathias offers ways to overcome each of them so we can not only walk away from our prayer justified, but so that we can be an attractive witness to the unbelieving world around us.
Father Joshua Fons explores the importance of perseverance in the day to day struggles of life by unpacking the battle of the Israelites against the Amalekites on Sunday, October 19th, 2025. Joshua, Moses, Aaron and Hur were each given different roles, but each was essential and irreplaceable. The same is true for us, and yet the Devil tries to hinder us in various ways, and make us believe that what we do doesn't make a difference. As Father Joshua unpacks the tactics and lies of the enemy, especially within marriages, he points to the deeper truth: God has put you here for a purpose, and your life and your vocation are irreplaceable.
In this homily, delivered on October 12, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches on the need to protect our homes from explicit internet content and to make our homes safe havens for our kids to flourish in purity and holiness. Society is inundated with inappropriate and explicit internet content, which can enter our homes through our devices. Dcn. Peter lays out various practical suggestions to protect our kids from these evils. First, don't give kids a smartphone until they are in high school. Second, protect family devices with parental controls. Third, don't allow smartphones, tablets, computers, or any other devices in the bedroom. Fourth, have an open and honest conversation with kids about the problem when they have reached an appropriate age. Fifth, use resources such as Covenant Eyes to learn more ways to navigate this difficult issue. Lastly, talk with other parents and families to get support and further ideas about combating the issues. Dcn. Peter ends with a word of hope: Jesus wants abundant life for us and our kids, so we can turn to Him to help us live in freedom and protect our families.
In this homily on October 5th, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on the truth that we are unprofitable servants who owe God everything. Yet our God still astoundingly chooses to love us. Father Mathias challenges us as God's servants to reject a fear-based Christianity that causes us to only do the "bare minimum" and invites us to see God's commandments in terms of love. We love God because he has first loved us and the reward for doing so isn't small.
In this homily, delivered on September 28, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches that God is inviting us to enter into His own divine life but to enter into this life demands everything. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit hold nothing back from each other in their love, and to enter that love, we too must hold nothing back. This makes sense of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man chose to reject God's offer of divine life and to hold back love from Lazarus, which resulted in eternal separation from God. Dcn. Peter invites us to allow the Father into whatever part of our heart is still not transformed in God's love, which is so worth it, even if it demands everything.
Father Joshua Fons breaks open this Sunday's puzzling Gospel of the Dishonest Steward (September 21st, 2025). The key lies in recognizing that everything we have, all our gifts and talents, are all dishonest wealth. It is all a gift! We didn't earn any of it. The question for us then becomes: what will we do with it? Will we use it for ourselves, or will we spend it to gain eternal rewards? Will we use it to save souls? On our response to this question hinges our salvation, and the salvation of those around us.
In this homily on September 14th, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches Part 2 of the preaching series on small groups. Father outlines the four essential elements of effective small groups:
1) Prioritized Consistency
2) Vulnerable Sharing
3) Commitment/Accountability to Shared Vision:
4) Real Prayer
Father ends his explaining how to get people into small groups at St Patricks and he invites those interested in joining a small group to come to a September 25th event.
In this homily on September 7th, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches Part 1 of the preaching series on small groups. Father outlines reasons why small groups are a game-changer for having the humility, courage and perseverance necessary to follow Jesus to heaven. Since often the most faithful, resilient, and joyful Christians are the most supported Christians, Father strongly exhorts us to consider forming a small group, so we can flourish in the Christian life. The vision for what this looks like and how to do it is the subject of next week's homily.
In this homily, preached on August 31, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches about Jesus' love for us even in our lowest place. In prayer, we are called by Jesus to go to our lowest place, our place of weakness and brokenness, so that we can meet Him there. When we meet Him there, He sits with us, loves us, and gradually transforms us. Experiencing Jesus' love in our lowest place allows us to live from love and security instead of shame and fear.
Here is the talk by Fr. Mathias that Dcn. Peter mentioned. Dcn. Peter also mentioned the book Personal Prayer by Fr. Boniface Hicks and Fr. Thomas Acklin.
As Football season approaches, Father Joshua Fons challenges us to consider whether, in our Faith, we are just a spectator or whether we are in the game. In the Gospel this Sunday, August 24th, 2025, we hear Jesus asked about salvation: "Will only a few people be saved?" Rather than give us a percentage, or a theory, treating us like spectators, Jesus gives us a command: Strive. Strive to enter by the narrow gate. This is personal. Each of us is called to strive to enter by the narrow gate. There are no spectators in this. We need to get in the game.
In this homily on August 17th, 2025, Fr Mathias talks about the division that our faith in Jesus can cause in our families. If this happens, we are not to be surprised and blame ourselves. But we are also meant to respond with humility on how we can be a better witness. Father ends his homily with an exhortation to persevere in our faith together in our mission to set the earth on fire with the love of God.
In this homily on July 27th, 2025, Fr Mathias outlines several reasons why God doesn't give us what we want in prayer, as drawn from St Augustine and Scripture. He concludes his homily by exhorting us to ask, seek and knock for the gift that the Father wants to give us: the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In this homily given on the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 13, 2025), Fr. Mathias preaches on the essence of our Christian faith: love. Our faith is ultimately about receiving the love of God in Christ and loving God and neighbor in response for the ultimate purpose of living with the God of love in heaven.
Because it's easy to dismiss our neighbor and pursue the world's definition of success, Father Mathias challenges us to remember that becoming a saint (loving God and neighbor) really is the purpose of our lives. Father exhorts all of us to sincerely pray that God makes us a saint, which is one of the most important prayers we can say.
In this homily, given on July 6, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches about the crucial role that religious sisters play in the Body of Christ. Religious sisters give a human face to the Bride, the Church, and support the vocations of married couples and priests. Until religious sisters are in every parish, the Church cannot reach full health. Dcn. Peter ends with an invitation to young women to consider religious life and a call for all the faithful to pray for vocations to the religious life as a way to answer Jesus' command to pray for laborers to enter the harvest.
In this homily, given on June 29, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches about the call to pray for our leaders. God pours out special graces on each feast of the Church, and on this Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, God is pouring out graces on our leaders and the grace for us to intercede for them. Dcn. Peter emphasizes the power of our prayers as members of the Body of Christ, looking to the Apostolic Church as a witness to the power of prayer for our leaders. Dcn. Peter concludes by encouraging everyone to place a stick in their house for a week and to pray for our leaders whenever we see the stick, which will help us remember to pray for our leaders in the upcoming days.
In this homily given on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (June 22, 2025), Fr Mathias outlines various housekeeping items or "house rules" for Sunday Mass that can help us all allow Jesus to truly satisfy us in the Eucharist.
On Ascension Sunday, June 1st, 2025, Father Joshua Fons preaches about the reality of the mission that Christ gave to the Apostles, and how, because of their faithfulness to that mission, it has now been passed on to us. Father Joshua found particular inspiration in the final Mission: Impossible Movie that just hit theatres. (Don't worry, no spoilers here!) Critically, as we prepare for Pentecost next weekend, we are invited to call upon the Holy Spirit, so that strengthened like the Apostles, we can live out this mission.
In this homily, given on May 25, 2025, Dcn. Peter preaches about God's desire to be present to us. Jesus promises to dwell within us, and salvation history demonstrates that God's desire has been to draw near to us, even when we reject Him. If God wants to dwell in us, what does that look like? Jesus linked His indwelling with keeping His Word, so Dcn. Peter invites the congregation to read the daily Mass readings and ask the Holy Spirit to teach them what it looks like to live constantly in God's Presence.
This homily from Sunday, May 18, 2025 is about how deeply Jesus loves us and how he shows us how to love everyone, and if we truly wish to be like him we need to try to follow his example.
In this homily given on May 11th, 2025, (Good Shepherd Sunday) Fr Mathias reacts to the election of Pope Leo XIV and offers some important reminders on how to properly receive him and his ministry as Catholics.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, May 4th, 2025 Fr. Joshua Fons explores the critical question: what is worthy of the offering of your life? This is the heart of every vocation: finding someone worth giving everything for, every day. In the scriptures this weekend, we see Jesus allowing Peter to give that offering of his life to the Lord again after his betrayal: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" The Lord wants to ask us the same question.
In this homily given on April 27, 2025 (Divine Mercy Sunday) Fr Mathias highlights the fact that all the lay faithful are called to be apostles of mercy to those around them. After reminding them that we need to receive mercy in order to give mercy, Father offers three tips to become compelling apostles of mercy:
1) Speak freely about God's mercy in your own life
2) Be merciful towards those who don't deserve it
3) Confront and address the underlying reasons why you're not merciful.
He ends his homily encouraging us that the Holy Spirit gives us everything we need to be apostles of mercy.
In this homily, given Palm Sunday, 2025, Dcn. Josh breaks down the meaning of compassion: to suffer with. As we enter into Holy Week, we have an opportunity to have compassion on Christ, who had compassion on us first.
On the 5th Sunday of Lent, April 6th, 2025, Fr. Joshua Fons dives into the question "when do we get old?" It's not just a certain number of years, or a lack of hair, it's when we stop believing life has anything new to offer. And nothing ages the human heart like sin, and the acceptance of sin. But there is good news: the Lord wants to bring renewal to your heart, just like he did with the woman caught in adultery, just like he did with St. Paul.
In this brief homily given on March 23, 2025, Fr Mathias preaches on the relationship between our desires for things in this life and our ultimate desire for God who alone can fulfill us. He ends his homily with an exhortation to call on the Holy Spirit, the living water, to fill us.
In this homily given on March 16, 2025 Fr Mathias breaks down St Peter's warning to the Christians in Philippi and applies it to us today. After all, who we allow to influence us through media or in person matters a lot.
Father Mathias offers three criteria for discerning the bad influencers in our lives. This helps us to have the clarity of mind and heart to pursue heaven and helps us to be better to fulfill our mission to be "influencers" to the world around us.
On the first Sunday of Lent, Fr. Joshua Fons unpacks the temptation of Jesus in the Desert, showing how Christ faced these temptations because He knew we would face them to. Just as with Christ, the Devil tries to attack our identity as beloved sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, trying to get us to lose trust in our loving God. But Jesus has better plans for us, and shows us how to defeat the Devil's lies.
In this homily, given Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, Dcn. Josh explains the importance of preparing for Easter, which is accomplished by entering into Lent well. And if Easter is worth preparing for, then it is worth having a plan for Lent.
He then suggests two ways to discern what to commit to this Lent. The first is to discern using the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The second is to do a review of life in which areas of focus are highlighted by comparing our life as it is right now with the life we know the Lord is calling us to live.
In this homily given on February 23rd, 2025 Fr Mathias preaches on the high standard of love that Jesus calls us to: to love our enemies. When it comes to our love, we are meant to be different from those around us. But when we take our eyes off of Jesus and his standard of love, we begin to compare ourselves with lukewarm Catholics and the culture around us and falsely conclude we're living up to the kind of love Jesus calls us to.
The true standard of love is not loving those who love us, but loving those who do not love us. We are to be merciful just as God is merciful. God shows us his mercy in Jesus and he calls us to live like him. Father ends his homily by offering two tips to help us to love our enemies.
In this homily given on Sunday, February 16th, 2025 Father Joshua Fons explores the timeless Christian theme of the Two Ways: one way that leads to eternal life, and one way that leads to destruction. Tying together the Scriptures, and his own hiking experience, he exhorts us to walk in the way of the Lord.
In this homily given on February 9th, 2025 Fr Mathias preaches about the common experience of becoming aware of our unworthiness when God draws near to us. Just as Jesus tells Peter to not be afraid when he encounters the presence of God in the miracle of the fish, Jesus tells us not to be afraid when we suddenly become aware of our sin and unworthiness in his presence. God does not call the worthy, he makes worthy the called. Rather than being afraid of God because of our sin or worse, not having any fear of God, we are to ask Jesus for holy fear of God, a reverence and awe at who he is and how much he loves us.
On the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord (February 2nd, 2025), Father Joshua Fons explores Simeon's proclamation, a prayer that is prayed by thousands and thousands around the world as part of Night Prayer each night. Simeon saw God's promises for the Salvation of His People coming to pass right before his very eyes, and if we have the eyes to see the same is true for us. This is particularly true through the Sacrament of Baptism, and how it is the means by which we are brought into God's promises for our own salvation.
In this homily, given Sunday, January 19th, 2025, Dcn. Josh walks through Scripture, from beginning to end, showing that God used marriage to reveal who he is and the relationship he wants with us. God still reveals himself through marriage today. Your marriage is meant to be an icon of God himself: a communion of persons founded on mutual love.
On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Fr. Joshua Fons speaks about expectations: the expectations the Jewish people had, and the expectations we have for how God will act. He invites us to consider how our own expectations, particularly the way our hearts break for the brokenness of the world around us, might be the very place that the Lord is inviting us into His Mission.
In this homily given on January 5th, 2025 (Solemnity of the Epiphany) Fr Mathias preaches about the moral reason why some people don't find God: they aren't sincerely looking for him. God meets the Magi where they were and they expended great effort to find the King (and God) they were looking for. After outlining the predicament of unbelievers who aren't searching for God, Father encourages us on how we can persevere in helping people around us find God.
On Gaudete Sunday, December 15th, 2024, Fr. Joshua Fons explains why priests wear pink: to Rejoice. And why do we rejoice? Because God is rejoicing in us. Like a Father rejoicing and delighting in his son, God rejoices and delights in us.
In this short homily given on December 8th, 2024, Fr Mathias preaches briefly on preparing the way of the Lord this Advent through repentance. If repentance is about changing the way we think (which changes the way we live), then we need to be aware of who is influencing us how to think. Since it's easy to think like the world and desire what the world wants, Father challenges us to identify who is influencing us the way we think and asking the Lord to influence us so we can prepare the way of the Lord at Christmas.
On the first Sunday of Advent, December 1st, 2024 Father Joshua Fons calls us to wake up, because Jesus is coming! Did you know that Advent isn't just about Christ's coming on Christmas? It is also a time to prepare for his second coming, and for when he comes into our daily lives. Will you be ready when He comes?
In this homily given on November 24th, 2024, the Solemnity of Christ the King, Fr Mathias preaches on how Jesus is a King of Love and its implication for areas of our lives we don't want to face. Because his kingship is about loving and saving us, we don't have to live in denial about difficult truths in life. Father encourages parishioners who are tempted to avoid difficult truths by reminding them of Jesus' love for them in those situations. He ends his homily with a prayer helping us reaffirm our faith in Jesus as our King of Love.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, November 17th 2024, Father Joshua Fons exhorts parents to consider what the greatest gift they received as children from their parents, and what in turn could they give to their own children. From his own experience, Father shares about how one of the greatest gifts his parents gave to him was his Catholic Education, and that it was this experience that played a crucial role in his decision to follow the Lord and become a Priest.
In this homily, given Sunday, November 10th, 2024, Dcn. Josh Luttig invites us to give God everything, modeled after the widows in today's Mass readings. We do this primarily through the offertory at Mass, when we place our lives on the altar in Union with Christ, who offers himself to the Father on our behalf.
In this part four (4 of 4) of the homily series, "The Lay Commitment to the Foundations of the Common Good," Fr Mathias preaches on the "synthesis and keystone" of all fundamental rights and freedoms: the right to religious freedom. Since we're made for divine truth, each person has the right to pursue it and to live accordingly. When this right is respected there is hope for peace in society, when it's violated, the conditions of peace are erased and grave injustices occur in society. Father outlines why in the past few decades we've seen an increase of threats against religious freedom: the faith of secularism is being imposed on others. Father ends his homily with some key questions to ask when Christians are voting in the upcoming election.
In the third part of the series on the Lay Commitment to the Foundations of the Common Good, Father Joshua Fons speaks on the truth and goodness of God's design for Marriage and the Family. This is the battleground of our culture today, and the choice comes down to this: do I believe the lies of Relativism? or do I believe that what God has said is good, is actually good? And that is it is actually good for everyone?
In this homily, part 2 of 4 of the preaching series on the lay commitment to the common good, given Sunday, October 20, 2024 Dcn. Josh presents the Church's teaching on the intrinsic dignity of human life and it's need to be protected by our vote.
God sees each person through the lens of the Cross, and we need to as well when we vote.
The U.S. bishops have reaffirmed that protecting the right to life of all people is the preeminent focus of Catholic voting. Abortion is killing Americans 13 times faster than WWII did. We need to use our vote as a voice for those in the womb without the ability to protect themselves or protest.
God's infinite mercy is always available for those who have had an abortion.
On Sunday October 13th, 2024 Fr Mathias preaches part one of four-part homily series on the Lay Commitment to the Common Good. This series is geared to help Catholics think critically about their responsibility to promote the common good through voting.
In this first homily, Fr Mathias identifies various temptations that Christians face when approaching politics and five points that we should remember when voting as Catholics this fall.
1) We are to vote with a well-formed conscience
2) When voting, not all issues carry the same moral weight
3) It's legitimate to vote for the "lesser of two evils"
4) Love those who disagree with you
5) Remember that the real source of our problems in our country is sin in the human heart that only Jesus can save us from.
Each of the following homilies in the series are about non-negotiable issues which are at the foundation of the common good.
On Sunday October 6th, Fr. Mathias unveils and makes a pitch for the Stewardship for Saints and Scholars Campaign, an urgent initiative of Bishop Boyea to support the passing on of the faith through Catholic education. To see the video that was watched by the congregation during the homily click here: https://stewardshipforsaintsandscholars.com/watch/
In this homily, given Sunday, September 29th 2024, Dcn. Josh calls us all to exercise our role as prophets through our baptisms. As prophets, we are called to hear God's word, and speak it to others.
Father Joshua Fons speaks to the Men on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 about the ways masculinity is under attack in our culture, and how Jesus, the New Adam, gives us the Model of true masculinity. Jesus shows us what true greatness looks like, and our world desperately needs men like Him.
In this homily given Sunday, September 15, 2024, Fr. Mathias preaches on the difficulty and suffering involved in following Jesus to heaven. But Jesus never asked us to try to follow him on our own. After outlining parts of the Pathway of Discipleship, the comprehensive strategy of making disciples at St Pat's, Father casts vision on the power of small discipleship groups in helping us persevere in following Jesus to heaven. If we try to follow Jesus on our own, we might grow discouraged and give up. But when disciples are known and loved and share deeply about their joys and struggles in small groups, they are much more likely to thrive in the Christian life and persevere to heaven. For more information on our pathway of discipleship, please see our website. https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/discipleship-pathway
In this homily given on Sunday, September 8th, 2024, Father Joshua Fons speaks into the reality of our very hurried and frantic lives: lives full of restlessness, distraction, and anxiety; lives spent glued to a Smartphone. Why are we in such a hurry? Because we don't allow Jesus to take us away from the crowd, from all the noise, to heal us. Because we don't spend time in Silence with Him, allowing him to speak to our hearts about who we are. If you feel like life is going at a hundred miles an hour and you have had enough, give this homily a listen.
In this homily given Sunday September 1st, 2024, Deacon Josh expounds upon the fact that God lowers himself to us most profoundly in the Eucharist; which allows us to live pure and undefiled lives and remain unstained by the world.
In the last week of the 5 week series on the Eucharist, Father Joshua Fons unpacks the exciting conclusion of John 6, challenging us to stake our life on the Eucharist. The Eucharist isn't just a nice idea, or an interesting doctrine, it is Jesus Christ, and He is worth staking everything on.
In this homily given Sunday August 18, 2024, Fr Mathias preaches part four of the series on the Eucharist in which he reflects on why some people get more out of Mass than others. He suggests that the disposition of thanksgiving and praise opens our hearts to receiving all he has for us. After all, the Mass is where we are to offer our lives with Christ in thanksgiving to the Father and a thankful heart is an open heart. Father outlines five practical ways to open our hearts to receive all God has for us when we come to Mass.
In this homily given Sunday August 11, 2024, Fr Mathias continues the preaching series on the Eucharist and calls us to renew our commitment to Sunday Mass. The Eucharist is the source of divine life and when we faithfully go to Mass we not only reap the benefits, we also give a powerful witness to those who are watching us. Father outlines two things that going to Sunday Mass communicates to our families:
1) Divine life is more important than natural life
2) We need God's grace to be strong enough to get to heaven
Father ends his homily with a little prayer of repentance and faith renewing our commitment to the Eucharist each week.
In Part 2 of the 5 week series on the Eucharist, Father Joshua invites us to recognize the hunger we have in our hearts, and that this hunger can only be satisfied in Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life.
In this homily given Sunday July 28, 2024, Fr Mathias challenges us to see the general election this fall from the perspective of what God was doing in the National Eucharistic Congress. Just as Philip didn't see how they were to feed the crowd because he didn't know what Jesus was intending supernaturally, we should be careful not to attempt to see what's going on in the world merely with natural eyes but with supernatural faith. After offering some highlights of the National Eucharistic Congress, Father encourages us to repent and give to Jesus in the Eucharist our fears so that receiving his love we can bring his supernatural hope to those around us.
St. Victor’s Major Seminary was established by the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) in 1946 to train natives to minister to their own people in their native language and culture.
St. Victor's Seminary is in need of the following:
1. Provision of Basic Books for seminarians (Breviary, Catechism of the Catholic Church, New Jerusalem Bible, Jerome Biblical Commentary, Code of the Canon Law, Vatican II Documents, The Book of Rite, etc.,)
2. Provision of Wi-fi for internet to enhance teaching and learning.
3. Support to start a self-help or self-reliant project in the rearing of animals and fowls. This we hope will enable us to provide the protein needs of the seminarians.
4. 5 Projectors for lectures and other academic programmes.
5. To establish a Computer Laboratory for seminarians (10 Computers, 2 Printers and I Photocopier)
6. Course and references books for consultation by students and formators
7. Bicycles for weekly apostolates for seminarians
You can donate to this appeal by writing a check to "St. Patrick Catholic Parish" and putting 'Missionary Appeal' in the Memo line, or click this link to donate online (https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/saintpatrick) and select "Missionary Cooperative Appeal" from the Fund drop-down menu
In this homily, given at St. Pat's on Sunday, July 14th, 2024, Deacon Josh invites us to consider our response if the Lord were to ask us to go out on mission as he sent his apostles. The success of our life as Christians depends on our reliance on Jesus because we do by grace what Jesus does by nature. Accepting our littleness and dependence on Jesus leads to greater reliance on Jesus and thus more fruitful ministry.
In this homily given on Sunday, July 7th, 2024, Father Joshua Fons, the new parochial vicar at St. Pats, preaches about how no one lives a perfect life. In fact, most of our lives are a mess. But the Lord tells us through St. Paul, "My Grace is sufficient for you," and this simple truth changes everything. The Lord wants to make you a Saint, right in the middle of your messy life.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, June 30th 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on how God responds to us in our brokenness, sin, and worry. Because He is mercy itself - he always responds by giving us His life
In this homily given Sunday June 23, 2024, Fr Mathias preaches on the gospel of Jesus calming the wind and the waves. The disciples were afraid because they didn't yet believe in Jesus as the Lord of creation who was present in their boat. While it's normal for us to be afraid when we perceive a threat or a danger in our lives, Father challenges us to look for the presence of Jesus in the midst of such dangers (the storms of our lives) and place our faith in him. Only in such faith in his presence will we have the courage to resist the temptation to jump out of the boat into the very dangers we're afraid of.
In this homily, given on Father's Day (June 16th, 2024), Dcn Josh expounds upon St. Paul's message that faith allows us to live courageously in our earthly life as we set our hope on eternal life. He then explains how the parables in the Gospel (the farmer observing growth and the mustard seed) apply to fatherhood. The sacrifices fathers make for their families are like little seeds which take root in their children's hearts. Let us thank God for our natural and spiritual fathers, and let us pray that they receive the grace they need to be icons of our Heavenly Father!
In this homily given at St. Pat's on June 9, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on the importance of maintaining unity with Christ and his Church. For Jesus says in the Gospel that "if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." The devil cannot defeat God, nor can he collapse Christ's Church (Mt 28:20). So, what will be his strategy? To separate us from Christ and his Church- for apart from her we cannot stand.
In this homily given on Corpus Christi (Sunday, June 2, 2024), Fr Mathias outlines what it means to receive Jesus worthily and reverently. Intentionally not going into too much detail , Father offers an overview of the Church's teaching that Holy Communion is only for professed Catholics who are in a state of grace. He also reviews what it means to receive Holy Communion with great reverence, both in the heart and how we express that reverence in the postures at Mass.
In this homily, given at St. Pat's on May 19th, 2024, Dcn. Josh shares his testimony and experience hearing the call to the priesthood and being baptized in the Spirit. When we receive the Holy Spirit, our lives start to look like Christ's and we are able to be witnesses of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit is a person, and thus we can have a personal relationship with Him.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on May 12, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on the great gift of Jesus resulting from his Ascension: the outpouring of his Holy Spirit at Pentecost. But like any gift that we have received, we can receive a gift well or not so well. How have you responded to the gift of God himself? Have you received him well?
In this homily given at St. Pat's on May 05, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on what it means for God to love us by breaking open three characteristics of God's love: 1. That it's eternal, 2. It's total, and 3. It's freely given.
In this homily given at St Pat's on April 28th, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on how the Word of God prunes us of any mindsets and attitudes that will prevent us from fully responding to the Lord's call in our lives
In this homily given on April 21st, 2024, Fr Mathias exhorts us to live like Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and not like the hired men who abandons the sheep when danger is near. It's not just the clergy who are called to be like Jesus in shepherding God's people; the laity too who have people entrusted their care (parents, siblings, leaders, managers, bosses, teachers, etc) are called to live as good shepherds. Contrasting the characteristics of Jesus and the self-interested hired servant, Fr Mathias leads everyone through an examination on how we're doing in caring for those God has entrusted to us. He ends with an encouragement for those who undergo trial on behalf of those they're called to care for.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday April 14, 2024 Deacon Joshua Fons opens up the word of God, speaking about the importance and power of words. God has spoken to us in words, sent His Son, the Word, and calls us to listen to and obey His Word. Deacon also emphasizes the need to be rooted in the Word of God, to counter the lies of our modern culture.
In this homily given on Divine Mercy Sunday (April 7th, 2024), Fr Mathias preaches on Jesus' declaration "peace be with you" in the Upper Room after the Resurrection. Far from being a simple greeting, the Risen Jesus is declaring that there is now peace between God and humanity through the blood of his cross. God desires this peace to the world by extending his mercy through the Church. But it's not just clergy who bring peace to the world through the sacraments; all of us can live out mercy to bring peace to the world. Father Mathias ends his homily by outlining the ABC's of God's mercy: 1) Ask for Mercy, 2) Be Mercy to Others, 3) Completely Trust in God's Mercy.
In this homily given on Sunday March 10th, 2024 Fr Mathias preaches on what happens when we don't live out of how God sees us: we tend to obsess over how we appear to others and what they think of us. Father expounds on this destructive habit of the heart and how it plays out in our lives today, especially in our age of social media. Father ends his homily by encouraging us to put down our phones and spend more time in God's presence who sees into the heart and confirms us in who we are.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, March 3rd 2024, Deacon Dave preaches on the woman at the well, giving the backstory of the Samaritan people. Deacon Dave described how her encounter with Jesus was personal and how it changed her from a woman isolated and shunned into a devoted disciple and dynamic evangelist.
In night three of the 2024 St Pat's Lenten Parish Mission, "How to Hear God's Voice," Father Mathias explains the key steps of how to pray from the heart and how to grow in trust in God.
In night two of the 2024 St Pat's Lenten Parish Mission on "How to Hear God's Voice," Father Mathias explains what God's voice sounds like in prayer and how to discern it.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, February 25th, 2024 Deacon Joshua examines St. Paul's exclamation, "If our God is for us, then who can stand against us" in the context of engaging in the mission of our Diocese for the annual Diocesan Services Appeal. Our God is for us, and so we can't sit back and do nothing out of either fear or comfort.
To give to DSA please click this link: https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/DSA
In night one of the 2024 St Pat's Lenten parish mission on "How to Hear God's Voice," Father Mathias outlines seven ways we can posture our hearts to hear God's voice more clearly in our prayer.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on February 18, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on how our Lenten practices have a purpose of facilitating greater freedom in pursuing a relationship with God and away from sin which enslaves us.
In this homily given on Sunday February 11th, 2024 Fr Mathias challenges us to imitate Jesus' posture toward those caught in the leprosy of sin: to hate the sin but love the sinner. After naming the two extremes of emphasizing one over the other, Father offers one tip on how to live in the difficult tension: remembering that we are a community of missionary disciples who are called outward in order to love sinners and heal them of their leprosy of sin by bringing them to Christ.
In this homily given at St Pat's on February 4th, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches on how our Lord took the time in today's Gospel to pray so to give us an example of how we are to incorporate prayer in our Christian lives. As Christians, we are invited to open our hearts to the Lord in prayer and speak to him as a friend.
In this homily given on Sunday January 28th, 2024 Fr Mathias preaches on the Church's mission to destroy the works of the Devil. Christianity is not a passive or a private faith. We were born into a battle between good and evil. We who have been baptized have been enlisted by the King of the winning side to advance against the enemy. Every Christian who fights who works to advance the Kingdom of God in their sphere of influence is working to destroy the works of the devil. Father concludes by challenging everyone to say "yes" to destroying the devil for a living.
In this homily given at St Pat's on January 21, 2024, Fr. Miguel preaches how the proper context of Jesus' call to repentance is always our relationship with God the Father. For all of us, the invitation away from sin is always an invitation to return to the Father's embrace
Excited about Michigan's recent National Championship, Deacon Joshua Fons preaches about the kinds of moments that alter the course of our lives. But seldom do these moments happen on a football field; rather, they are moments of encounter with the Living God.
In this homily given on the Solemnity of the Epiphany (January 7 2024), Fr Mathias suggests that Herod's response to the coming of Jesus the newborn king may have been rooted in a fear that Jesus was a threat to his kingship. Even though we don't know if this was the case with Herod, the dynamic of fear in the heart that sees Jesus a threat is precisely what prevents people from not submitting to his loving reign. In the event of the Epiphany, God is revealing to the world that in his Son the newborn King, that God is not a threat to us. He's only a threat to that which threatens us: selfishness, brokenness, illness, sin, and death. While we know this intellectually, Jesus continually reveals to us structures of unbelief in our hearts in which we see him as a threat. Recognizing such fear-based thinking, Father Mathias exhorts everyone to be like the Magi and open up the treasures of their hearts and lay our fears at his feet so that Jesus can grant us little epiphanies (revelations) of his love so he can save us from our fear.
In this homily given at St. Pats on Sunday, December 31st, 2023 Deacon Dave preached on the Holy Family and encouraged every family to seek after holiness, to be different from the world around it. Deacon Dave emphasized the need for deliberate expressions of love within the family and how it can transform the culture and the world.
“The future of humanity depends in part on parents and the family life that they build in their homes.” Pope John Paul II 1979
This Christmas, December 24th, 2023, Deacon Joshua Fons describes God's incredible plan to save the world that was revealed on Christmas. It is a plan that took millennia to prepare, and now we must make a response for ourselves.
In this homily given at St Pat's on December 24th, 2023, Fr. Miguel Colunga preaches on how Jesus wishes to save us from our sins from within us, but first we must open the door of our hearts to him.
In this homily given on the Third Sunday of Advent (Dec 17 2023), Fr. Mathias exhorts us to rejoice at the coming of Jesus. After noting that deep abiding Christian joy is a gift from God, that it is a fruit of the Spirit that is borne by us when we are rooted in Christ, Father also describes joy as the soul's response to the presence and action of God not unlike Mary's response in the Magnificat. In order to pursue joy this Christmas, Father challenges us to focus on God's personal love for us, not our circumstances. After all, God's love doesn't depend on our circumstances. When we realize how personal his love for us is, it not only puts our circumstances in perspective, it also enables us to live in the joy of being desired, known and loved by God.
In this homily given at St Pat's on December 10, 2023, Fr. Miguel preaches on how we are called to cultivate love of God and neighbor during our pilgrimage to heaven, and provides one way to know we are doing so on our way to heaven.
In this homily given on the First Sunday of Advent (Dec 3 2023), Fr Mathias preaches on being watchful and awake for the coming of Christ upon our own death when each of us will be judged by Christ on our love. The biggest temptation to spiritual sleepiness is a kind of worldliness that is nothing other than a self-absorbed rejection of God and his call to love that blinds us to the value of eternity.
Since being worldly usually involves some sort of deception or trickery and since we don't know when we will die, we need to stay awake in our faith and the call to love. Fr Mathias ends his homily by challenging everyone to live as if this is the last day of our lives and offers some ways of living in the present moment. If we're living as if every day is our last and we're alive in Christ, then the coming of Jesus at our death is a joyful time of reward for having faith in Christ and entry into eternal life.
On the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Deacon Joshua Fons expounds on the implications of Christ's kingship. Either He is our King, or He isn't. There is not a third option. Will we live under His Kingship?
In this homily given at St Pat's on Nov. 19, 2023, Fr. Miguel preaches on the Charisms of the Holy Spirit, and how knowing what God can do through us we are less tempted to bury our spiritual gifts out of fear of what he might ask us to do.
In this homily given on Sunday November 12 2023, Fr Mathias preaches on parable of the ten virgins and the suddenness of Jesus' return. Perhaps the safest sign that we will have oil in our relationship with God to enter the Wedding Feast of Heaven is the presence of a sincere desire and longing for God in our lives. Contrary to what the world thinks, Christianity is a religion of desire and fulfillment. If understood correctly and done in Christ, our deep human desires are a powerful impetus to growing in our relationship with God. If we can remain in our strong desire for God, then we'll have oil in our relationship with God and will be ready when he comes (when we die or the Second Coming). Father ends his homily with two pointers on how to stay in our longing and desire for God: 1) Remember who Jesus is in our desires and 2) Acknowledge the tendencies to not express our desires to God in prayer.
In this homily given at St Pat's on November 5, 2023, Fr. Miguel preaches on God the Father and who Jesus reveals Him to be.
In this homily given on Sunday October 29th 2023, Fr. Mathias preaches on the need for us to turn away from dead idols in order to serve the living and true God. Anytime we put something above God and our obedience to him, that thing becomes and idol and acts like poison on our lives, taking us away from God who alone can bring us the love, joy and freedom we seek. After Father Mathias gives several examples of what idolatry can look like in our lives, he offers a two-step process to help us turn away from idols to worship the living God.
On World Mission Sunday, October 22nd, 2023, Deacon Dave shares a story from a parishioner that illustrates with great clarity the truth that even our own neighborhoods are mission territory. Deacon Dave also reads an excerpt from a mid-second century letter that describes how a Christian is called to live in the world. The main focus of the homily asks “Whose image and likeness do we most resemble, the world around us or the God who made us?”
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, October 15th, 2023 Deacon Joshua Fons unpacks the scripture readings for this Sunday, reflecting on how we are all invited to the Wedding Feast of Heaven, but that this is an invitation we either accept or reject. He highlights the sad reality that we often reject the invitation because we can't imagine how glorious Heaven will be.
In this homily given at St Pat's on October 8, 2023, Fr. Miguel draws from Covenant Eyes' book, "Equipped: Smart Catholic Parenting in a Sexualized Culture '', and preaches on how we can make our families safe haven's from online pornography.
A link to Resources from Covenant Eyes: Resources on Porn Recovery and Internet Safety | Covenant Eyes
https://www.covenanteyes.com/e-books/
In this homily given on Sunday September 24th 2023, Fr Mathias talks about how gratitude for what God has given to us in Christ is the fundamental shape of our response to all he's done for us. As a result we are called to live as thankful stewards of what God is entrusting to us: our time, talent and treasure. Disciples of Christ are good stewards of God's gifts when they share them and invest them in this world. We do this not primarily because there will be an account of our stewardship when we die, but out of thanksgiving for all he's done for us. In this first homily of a two-part series Father breaks open how we can begin to understand our time and talent as gifts of God and how we can start stewarding them well.
In this homily given on Sunday September 17th, 2023, Fr Mathias breaks open Jesus' parable about the unforgiving servant. Forgiveness means to release someone from the debt they owe to us, a debt they incurred when they committed an injustice against us. Because we've been forgiven a massive debt we cannot possibly repay, we are to forgive those who owe us much smaller debts which are rather insignificant in comparison. If we don't, we risk losing the forgiveness Jesus won towards us.The key to forgiving others is, therefore, living in the awareness of the big context of God's infinite mercy toward us.
Recognizing how much we've been forgiven, it's much easier to forgive others who owe us much less and insignificant amounts. Fr Mathias then distinguishes the moral difference between refusing to forgive and struggling to forgive, noting that the latter is a sign of need of healing or deliverance. Since forgiveness is a decision, one can have forgiven and not feel it. Father ends his homily offering two signs that we know we've forgiven others.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, September 10th, 2023 Deacon Joshua Fons preaches on how the call of the Prophet Ezekiel to be a watchman is a call for all of us today. He lays out practical ways that we can be watchman over our own hearts and minds, and those of our family's, in a culture that is growing increasingly hostile to the Faith.
In this homily given at St Pat's on September 3, 2023, Fr. Miguel dives into God's invitation for us to engage in the renewal of our minds and the transformation that follows when we adopt a heavenly perspective.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, August 27th, 2023 Fr. Kevin Darwent preaches on when Jesus poses each of us with this intentional question "Who do you say that I am?", what is our personal response to Him?
In this homily given on Sunday August 20, 2023, Fr Mathias applies Isaiah's prophecy about the Temple being a "house of prayer for all peoples" to the Church and St Pat's church sanctuary for Sunday Mass. The church sanctuary is to be a place of prayer in which we can encounter the living God and be a place where visitors, guests and strangers can be welcomed and loved as they search for God. Unlike the homily series on the Mass (December 2021) in which how to pray in the Mass is covered, the practical considerations in this homily reinforce both that the church sanctuary is a holy place of prayer and that we need to be loving toward those who come to Mass to seek God.
What does it look like to be in a relationship with the Living God? In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, August 13th, 2023 Deacon Joshua Fons breaks open the story of St. Peter walking on the water and what it teaches us about following Jesus wherever He calls us to go.
The Divine Mercy Foundation is a nonprofit organization, based in Texas, USA, that makes education accessible to the economically disadvantaged. They envision a world where the disadvantaged are able to reach their highest potential in keeping with their human dignity.
For more information and to donate to this appeal visit
https://divinemercyfoundationfrbz.org/donate-now/
or write a check to “St Patrick Catholic Parish” and put Missionary Appeal in the memo line.
In this homily given at St Pat's on July 30, 2023, Fr. Miguel preaches on the rich and insightful parable Jesus gives today, the parable of the treasure hidden in the field. In this parable, Jesus reveals to us how the Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, a treasure that fulfills the deepest desires of our hearts. When we find it, we can no longer remain the same, but joyfully center our lives around it. What is that treasure? How do we know we've found it?
On the 55th Anniversary of Pope St. Paul VI issuing Humanae Vitae, (Sunday July 23rd, 2023), Deacon Joshua Fons preaches on Natural Family Planning. Will we cooperate with God's loving plan for family life? Or will we try to be in control?
In this homily given at St Pat's on July 16, 2023, Fr. Miguel preaches on God's forgiveness, reminding us that we do not have to be worthy of forgiveness in order to receive God's forgiveness.
In this homily given on Sunday July 9, 2023, Fr Mathias preaches on Jesus' invitation to us, "Come to me who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest." (Mt 11:28). When we're exhausted, overwhelmed or even discouraged in the Christian life we all the more need to come to Jesus for rest. Child-like humility is the key to coming to Jesus in prayer. Father offers a simple three step process of coming to Jesus for rest:
1) Believe Jesus wants to give you rest
2) Honestly share with him about what's on your heart
3) Allow him to love you in your pain
Father offers a couple of examples of what this simple process looks like in his own struggles. He ends his homily inviting everyone to "come to Jesus" in Holy Communion so Jesus can give us the rest we need.
Jesus issues a challenging message to his disciples in Sunday's Gospel that they must love Jesus above even members of their own family. In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 Fr. Miguel preaches on how loving God above our families will actually help us love our families better.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, June 25th, 2023 Deacon Joshua Fons preaches on the reality of Original sin, and the truth that God is not content to let our sin and brokenness have the last word in our lives.
In this homily given on Sunday June 18, 2023, Fr. Mathias begins his homily with how to understand the celebration of "Pride Month" from a Christian perspective. Each Christian is invited to see the world through the lens of compassion that flows from Jesus' heart. This means we are called to look upon people who have fallen victim to gender ideology with compassion, not as enemies. Contrary to what many think, for the Christian two things can be true at the same time: 1) We can sincerely love those who struggle with same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria, and 2) We can strongly resist the anti-Christian ideology and activism that promotes sinful behavior and victimizes the vulnerable, including those who struggle with their sexuality. After speaking about how to love family members who at times can make unreasonable demands of us, Father ends his homily with a call to men on Father's day to courageously call out the evil gender ideology for what it is and fight against, while leading the charge in protecting the vulnerable such as resisting the sexualization of children in our schools.
In this homily given at St Pat's on June 11, 2023, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Fr. Miguel breaks open the great love contained within the Eucharist, and then offers two ways we can receive in greater measure the love of our Eucharistic Lord in our lives. Fr. Miguel then finishes with some practical reminders of how to receive the Lord in Communion.
In this homily given on Trinity Sunday at St Pat's on Sunday June 4, 2023, Fr. Mathias preaches on three reasons why we hesitate or struggle to believe that God is for us, not against us.
1) Sin distorts our view of God.
2) Unprocessed suffering
3) Not thanking God enough
Fr. Mathias walks through the inner dynamic of the heart on each of these points and shows us that when we approach God as one who is merciful, if we process our suffering with him to get his divine perspective and live in gratitude for everything he's given us, it'll be much easier to believe and accept that he's for us, not against us.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 2023, Fr. Miguel preaches on three barriers to greater receptivity to the Holy Spirit.
On Ascension Sunday (May 21st, 2023), Dcn. Joshua Fons preached on the importance of trusting in the Lord in the challenging moments in Life and praying for the grace of the Holy Spirit to take that next step in following Christ.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Sunday May 14, 2023, Fr Mathias expounds on what it means to praise the Lord with joy. Since praising the Lord with joy is not an optional command of Scripture, the lack of joyful praise of the Lord in the Church is concerning. Because of who God is and what he's done for us in Jesus, our joyful praise of God should exceed that of Israel. In offering two reasons why we find it difficult to joyfully praise the Lord, Father also gives some tips on how to grow in our praise of God.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Sunday May 7, 2023, Fr Mathias addresses one of the most liberating and controversial claims of Jesus: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Jn 14:6). Is it arrogant or insensitive to claim to those who don't believe in Jesus that he is the only way to God? If Jesus is the only way to God, is it possible for non-Christians to be saved? Fr Mathias outlines Catholic teaching on whether or not non-Christians can be saved and explains why it's not insensitive or arrogant to believe and share with others that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. He ends his homily with an exhortation to gratitude for the gift of faith and to beg Jesus for the grace to love those who do not yet believe in Jesus.
Deacon Dave preached on how we must be prepared for the moment when Jesus meets us along the way. Deacon Dave also shared his own personal experience of having to learn the hard way how humility is not something automatic but more of an openness to the opportunity. Life is filled with opportunities and virtue is often found in the space between experience and response.
In this homily given at St Pat's on April 16, 2023, Fr Miguel preaches on the ocean of graces made available to us on Divine Mercy Sunday. By living in and out of God's mercy through trust, receiving his love, seeking his forgiveness, and the works of mercy; we can experience the fullness of Christ's peace as well as the unfathomable riches of God's mercy in our lives.
In this homily given on Easter Sunday morning, April 10th, guest preacher, Fr Gregg Pedersen from the Archdiocese of Denver, reminds us of the joy and power of the Resurrection! He shares his testimony of encountering the Risen Lord and his journey to the Catholic faith. He reminds us that Jesus came to “release captives and to set the prisoners free”!
In this homily given at St Pat's on April 8, 2023, Fr Miguel expounds on the life Jesus shares with us in His Resurrection, and how we have access to it through the gift of God: the Holy Spirit.
In this homily given at St Patrick's on Holy Thursday (April 6, 2023), Fr Mathias preaches on the mystery of the ministerial priesthood as a gift to the Church. Father shares his personal story on how the love of the Heart of Jesus stirred in him to become a priest. Priests are to love and serve the Church as a husband is to love and serve his wife. They are to be spiritual fathers who lead, teach and sanctify the Church with Jesus' own love within. After speaking about the dignity of the priesthood and the Eucharist, Father offers a heartfelt apology on behalf of the Church if anyone has ever been hurt by the Church. His hopeful message of redemption and renewal of the priesthood for the sake of the Church is ultimately rooted in living out the mystery of the Eucharist.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Palm Sunday, April 2 2023, Fr Miguel preaches on how the Word of God should guide our life in imitation of Jesus, who chose to live his life on earth according to the Word of God; a choice we see clearly on Palm Sunday.
In this homily given at St Pat's on March 26, 2023, Fr Mathias correlates how Jesus responds to Martha and Mary in their suffering at the death of Lazarus is how he responds to us. Jesus weeps in our suffering and speaks his promise of the resurrection. In saying to Martha that he is the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus identifies himself with the fullness of hope we all long for. Because he won't force us to live with him forever, Jesus invites us to faith in him as the Resurrection and the Life. He invites us to a personal adherence to himself, learning from him, depending on him and worshipping him. Father ends his homily with a short prayer meditation in which we listen to God's voice of hope in our losses and to respond to Jesus with faith like Martha.
In this homily given at St Pat's on March 19th, 2023, Fr Miguel preaches on the true nature of masculinity according to the Christian Faith.
Resources:
Theology of the Body by St. Pope John Paul II (commentary by Christopher West)
https://a.co/d/91sYOPm
"Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's soul" by John Eldredge
https://a.co/d/9AIIwXC
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, March 5th, 2023, Dcn. Kevin preaches on how Jesus revealed himself to Peter, James, and John in His transfigured glory so that they may be strengthened in the hour of his coming Passion. He wants to reveal His manifest presence to you as well so that you may be strength and convicted of who he is.
In this homily given at St Pat's on February 19, 2023, Fr Mathias expounds on what is likely Jesus' most radical and difficult moral teaching: loving our enemies. It is precisely in loving our enemies that will cause us to stick out in the world and that's what he wants. The true measure of our love is not how much we loved those who loved us, but how much we loved those who do evil to us and set themselves against us. The call to holiness is high and can be received well when we remember that when we made ourselves enemies of God by rebelling against his love, he chose not to destroy us but to love us and take our destruction against himself so we can live. At the end of the homily, Father exhorts parishioners to pray to stick out in the world and imitate Jesus so that we would live as children of our loving Father.
In this homily given at St. Pats on Sunday, February 12th, 2023 Deacon Dave preaches on how Jesus wants to transform our hearts, so that it is not the law that guides us, but the love and power of God’s grace.
At St. Patrick’s Parish one of the On Ramps we are offering as part of our Pathway of Discipleship is the Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) Faith Studies. Whether you are new in your faith journey or you just want to encounter the Lord in a deeper and more profound way, you may want to join one of our small group Faith Studies. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to transform your life! For more information on CCO click here:
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/onramp
In this homily given at St Pat's on January 29th, 2023, Fr Miguel preaches how God desires to heal us in our pain and help us live in the freedom of His Truth. He mentions Dr. Bob Schuchts book Be Healed which you can order via this link: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Healed-Guide-Encountering-Powerful/dp/1594714762
In this homily given at St Pat's on January 22, 2023, Fr Mathias challenges us to cooperate with Christ in bringing unity and communion to school, workplaces, families and churches. Since Jesus is the one who unites us, we share in his mission to unite and reconcile the world to God in him. Father Mathias outlines four ways we can live as "apostles of communion" so we can bring about unity of love in our spheres of influences:
1) Immediately forgive those who've hurt you (and encourage others to do the same)
2) Sincerely pray for those you've divided against
3) Refuse to fall into judging the hearts and motives of others
4) Avoid gossip like the plague.
Since love unites and evil divides, our mission of being apostles of communion can go a long way of bringing the unity we have in Christ to our families, workplaces, schools, and our Church.
In this homily given at St Pat's on January 15, 2023, Fr Miguel preaches on how being immersed in the Holy Spirit awakens in us a desire to evangelize.
In this homily given at St. Pat's on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 8th, 2023) Fr. Mathias Thelen unveils St. Patrick's Pathway of Discipleship, which is a comprehensive strategy of making Spirit-filled missionary disciples. He explains that reason why we’re doing all of this at St Pat’s is to respond to the divine call on our parish as expressed in the teaching of Scriptures, Church teaching and our bishop’s Vision for a Healthy Parish.
To learn more about our Pathway of Discipleship click here: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/pathway
In this homily given at St. Patrick's on January 1st, 2023, Dcn. Patrick McDonald speaks about the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God that we celebrate today which is the oldest Marian feast day.
He reminds us of the great example Mary gives to us in her "Yes" to God, and how even though Mary had faith in God when she gave her assent, there is no way she could have completely understood the extent of it at that time. Rather, each step of the way through Jesus's public ministry, crucifixion, and death, she had to reassert that "Yes" of the Annunciation even more deeply. The same goes for us -- when we say "Yes" to our Lord, it is not a one time "Yes", but it is a daily reaffirming of "Thy Will be Done."
In this homily given at St Pat's on December 18, 2022, Fr. Miguel continues a four-part Advent preaching series on the basic gospel message. Using the framework and preaching of Fr. John Riccardo and Acts XXIX as a foundation, Fr. Miguel addresses the main question for the final part in the series: In light of what God has done for us in Jesus, how should we respond?
In order to answer such a question, Fr. Miguel divides our response into two categories:
- A personal response of Faith
- A personal response to Mission
Both make up our response to the good news of Jesus. Fr. Miguel also reminds us that our response is not possible without the Gift of the Holy Spirit, who enables us both to respond to God in Faith and mobilizes us for mission.
For additional presentations on the gospel, please see Acts XXIX (www.actsxxix.org) and the book Rescued by Fr. John Riccardo.
In Christ,
In this homily given at St Pat's on December 11, 2022, Fr Mathias continues the four-part Advent preaching series on the basic gospel message. What, if anything, has God done about the captivity of the human race to sin and death? In the fullness of time, God sends his Son Jesus to rescue us from the powers of sin and death and to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, reconciles us with God the Father and saves us from sin and death by offering himself as a total sacrifice for us on the cross. Father Mathias ends his homily by briefly outlining four life-changing fruits of Jesus' saving love on the cross.
For additional presentations on the gospel, please see Acts XXIX (www.actsxxix.org) and the book Rescued by John Riccardo.
In this homily given at St Pat's on December 8, 2022, Fr Mathias preaches about the Immaculate Conception to the children of St Patrick School. Because Mary was conceived without sin, the devil has had no access to her heart. Therefore, Mary remains a powerful intercessor to help us to love each other purely. He ends his homily with a little prayer to Mary.
In this homily given at St Pat's on December 4, 2022, Fr. Miguel continues a four-part Advent preaching series on the basic gospel message. Using the framework and preaching of Fr. John Riccardo and Acts XXIX as a foundation, Fr. Miguel addresses the main question for the second part in the series: If God made the world so good, why is everything so obviously messed up?
In order to answer such a question, Fr. Miguel puts a spotlight on two realities:
- The identity and root strategy of the enemy: Satan
- The consequences of the Fall of Adam and Eve
Both have placed humanity in a dire situation and in desperate need of rescuing. The good news for us is that Jesus has done something about our desperate situation- He has rescued us from captivity. That's the subject of next week's homily.
For additional presentations on the gospel, please see Acts XXIX (www.actsxxix.org) and the book Rescued by Fr. John Riccardo.
In this homily given at St Pat's on November 27, 2022, Fr. Mathias kicks off a four-part Advent preaching series on the basic gospel message. The gospel gives us the context of knowing who we are, where we are going and how to get there. It is by means of the gospel we come to understand everything else in Christianity. Using the the framework and preaching of Fr. John Riccardo and Acts XXIXI as a foundation, the purpose of this series is two fold: 1) to help us again make a decision to surrender our lives to Jesus in faith to become his disciple and 2) so that we can familiarize ourselves again with the outline of our story, which not only will help us live the gospel, but also help us share it with others. The memorable four parts of the gospel message are:
1) The goodness of creation (Created)
2) Sin and its consequences (Captured)
3) What God has done with sin and its consequences (Rescued)
4) Our response to God for what he's done (Response)
In this week's session, Fr. Mathias unpacks what God reveals about himself and creation and humanity in the book of Genesis and how that differs from other cultures at the time. As the pinnacle of creation man and woman are made in the image and likeness of God. Since we were loved into being and called to love, Father shares with us the wonder of what it is like to be loved by the Creator of the universe. If all this is so, then why is the world so obviously messed up? That's the subject of next week's homily.
For additional presentations on the gospel, please see Acts XXIX (www.actsxxix.org) and the book Rescued by Fr. John Riccardo.
In this homily given at St Pat's on November 20, 2022, Fr Mathias preaches on Jesus, who is King of every person, family, society and nation. His reign is one not of force but love. As a result of our baptism, each Christian has been transferred from the power of darkness and and brought into the Kingdom of Jesus, the Son of God. Father shares with us five advantages of living under the Kingship of Jesus in contrast to the power of darkness as we find it today. He ends his homily leading everyone in a prayer to resubmit their whole lives to the loving reign of Jesus our Victorious King.
In this homily given at St Pat's on November 13, 2022, Fr. Miguel preaches on how to persevere in light of the tragic passing of Proposal 3, an amendment that enshrines abortion in Michigan's State Constitution. Reminding us of our hope in Christ, Fr. Miguel encourages us to pour out our hearts to Jesus and to receive His love. This is key to persevering so as to secure our lives as Jesus exhorts us to do in the Gospel. Fr. Miguel outlines 3 steps to help in pouring out our hearts to God:
-
Be aware of any thoughts, feelings, and desires you have
-
Relate it to Jesus in prayer and engage in conversation with Him
-
Receive what God says in response
Towards the end of his homily, Fr. Miguel reminds parishioners that if a Christian had knowledge that this proposed amendment would enshrine abortion in the State Constitution, and chose to vote for it anyway, this would constitute formal cooperation with the evil of abortion. Father encourages all such people who voted "yes" to repent before they receive communion.
Since Jesus is victorious, we who remain faithful to Him in the end will join in His victory when he comes again. The light of Christ, which shines in us through baptism, will continue to shine brightly to all the world, no matter how popular it is to disagree with the light.
In this homily given at St Pat's on October 30, 2022, Fr. Mathias breaks open the story of Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus. Zacchaeus wasn't passive to the presence of Jesus; but he went to where he knew Jesus would be and that's where he met him. It was in the gaze of Jesus, when Jesus called him by name that his life was changed forever. There's nothing like being seen and looked upon by Jesus.
Father exhorts us to be like Zaccheus and refuse to be passive in Jesus's presence or allow perceived obstacles to prevent us from pursuing his gaze. Naming the weaknesses and temptations that often prevent us from coming to Jesus, Father encourages us to remember that it's precisely in them that Jesus wants to meet us and reveal his love. He ends the homily by challenging us to actively go where we know Jesus is going to be: the upcoming women's conference and Holy Communion, where we can allow Jesus to gaze upon us and speak to us his name.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Oct 23, 2022, Fr. Miguel preaches on how love for God serves as the proper motive behind all we do in the Christian life. Citing Vatican II, Fr. Miguel reminds everyone that no matter our state of life, all Christians share a universal call to holiness (LG, Chp. V, n. 39) which is the perfection of love. Therefore, love is central to everything we do in the Christian life, especially since all of us are called by God to be saints.
Relying, then, on the "little way" of St. Therese of Lisieux, who leaned on the Love of God for her sanctification, Fr. Miguel offers two ways we can all become great saints:
- Total dependence upon God's love for our sanctification
- Practice great love of God in every small thing we do
St. John of the Cross teaches, "Christians should keep in mind that the value of their good works, fasts, alms, penances, and so on, is not based on quantity and quality so much as on the love of God practiced in them" (The Ascent of Mount Carmel).
In this homily given at St Pat's on October 2, 2022, Fr. Mathias follows-up Bishop Boyea's letter on the extreme MI ballot Proposal 3. Under the deceptive name of "Reproductive Freedom for All" this ballot initiative seeks to amend our constitution with the most radical pro-abortion proposal in the entire country. Legal and medical experts agree that if enacted, this amendment would allow abortion for any reason, at any point in the pregnancy, for a woman or a teen at any age. It would also mean the loss of parental rights in matters related to sexuality in the children. Because of the wording, it could invalidate over two dozen laws that currently protect women, children and the right to freedom of conscience. Father challenges the congregation to tell people how extreme this proposal really is.
IRS Guidelines allows for 501 (c) (3) nonprofits to hold and advocate policy positions on non-partisan ballot initiatives. Vote NO on Michigan Proposal 3 on November 8.
Below are helpful websites that have detailed information that back up these claims.
https://supportmiwomenandchildren.org/
https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/office-bishop/fight-heaven-vote-no-extreme-proposal-3
https://www.micatholic.org/advocacy/focus/2022/protect-life-vote-no-on-proposal-3/
In this homily given at St. Pat's on Sunday, September 25th, 2022 Dcn. Devin Darwent preaches that God wants to break into our lives and shake us up out of our complacency! We are living in a materially saturated culture, and there’s a great temptation in our lives to try to satisfy our desires with worldly things. In our gospel today, the rich man was very much absorbed in his own little world of materialism. Through his self-absorption he became blinded to the fact that Lazarus was lying outside of his house, begging for food. In our awareness of our longing to satisfy our desires, let us turn to Jesus, the only one who can ultimately satisfy us and bring us peace. Let us give God permission to break into our lives and guide us in His way of truth!
To learn more about the different Alpha sessions we are offering this Fall and to register as a guest please click here: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/alpha
On Sunday, September 11th Bishop Boyea asked all priests of the Diocese to read his pastoral letter regarding the Reproductive Freedom For All Amendment (Proposition 3) which will be on the ballot for the midterm elections in November. This amendment will affirm unrestricted abortion-on-demand, throughout all nine months of pregnancy, for any reason whatsoever, as a fundamental right in our state constitution. Once in the constitution, abortion will be in Michigan forever.
For more information and resources on how to combat this initiative please visit this page on our website: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/vote-no
In this homily given at St Pat's on August 28, 2022, Fr. Mathias breaks open the gospel on Jesus' teaching on humility and exaltation. He offers four ways of humbling ourselves so that God might exalted us with Jesus in the kingdom of heaven:
1) Take the lowest place whenever you can
2) Receive honors and exaltation with humility
3) Intentionally love others who cannot love you back
4) Remember that God will pay you back in heaven.
Since Jesus is the one who first humbled himself to exalt us and was exalted at the right hand of the Father in heaven, our decision to live like Jesus positions us to be exalted in heaven with him.
In this homily from August 21, 2022, Deacon Dave Carignan preaches on the question, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” The homily focuses on our spiritual journey; a journey that every person is on. Jesus describes the way to salvation and that way is only found in Him, for He is the way, the truth and the life, no goes to the Father except through Him. There are two pathways, which one are we on?
In this homily from July 24, 2022, Deacon Dave Carignan talks about our Lord's prayer and how we are to call out to the Father with the trusting heart of a child. Seeking the Father's will we come to know His Son, our Lord. This 4th Sunday of July is World day for grandparents and the elderly. The homily urges grandparents to pray for their children and grandchildren as this is the greatest act that they go do. Ask, seek, and knock and your prayer will be answered.
Team members from Encounter Ministries interview parishioner Alicia Cergnal about her experience of the two-year Encounter School of Ministry. To learn more about the upcoming Encounter Summer Intensive July 11-14 at St Pat's please go here:https://encounterministries.us/summer-intensive-offerings/ Encounter Ministries (www.encounterministries.us) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit Catholic ministry that exists to train, equip and activate Catholics to demonstrate the love of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. It primarily accomplishes this through weekend teaching schools, conferences and its two-year school of ministry (www.encounterschool.org). Encounter Ministries operates out St Patrick's in Brighton, MI
In this homily given at St Pat's on May 22, 2022, Fr. Mathias explains that when understood properly the universal human experience of attempting to assuage guilt through blame, defensiveness and denial cannot bring the peace that God's forgiveness brings. God's mercy is the only way to peace we all need. Therefore, we need to understand the negative response we're witnessing to the leaked majority opinion of the US Supreme Court (Dobbs vs. Mississippi) in light of this dynamic of the human heart. Since men and women have been severely hurt by abortion, we shouldn't be naive about the fact that the one of the major reasons why people are "pro-choice" is because they or people they know have had an abortion and they are trying to resolve their own personal guilt that only God's mercy can give them.
Father declares the power of God's mercy to give us peace and reminds us that if we don't believe in God's mercy we will never have peace. In light of the upcoming SCOTUS decision, Father outlines four points for us to consider in this cultural moment:
1) Changing the laws of abortion won't changes people's hearts about abortion
2) Don't take personally any attack you receive for being pro-life.
3) Nothing is more relevant than God's mercy.
4) Be apostles of mercy and never stop speaking about God's love.
Now is the chance for the Church to witness to our wounded world that Jesus is our peace precisely because he is our mercy.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28)
In this homily given at St. Patrick’s on the 4th Sunday of Easter (May 8, 2022), Fr Graham Keep speaks about Jesus the Good Shepherd desiring that all people be reconciled to the Father in the Spirit. All of humanity is made by and for union with God. Our fulfillment is in heaven, but there is an enemy who wants to rob, steal and destroy; to isolate us from our eternal destiny. Reviewing the kerygma: Relationship, Rebellion, Redemption and Response, we who are the sheep are called to mission. In our present time, we have moved from Christendom to an Apostolic Age. There is an urgency to evangelize. It is only possible to do so through the power of the Holy Spirit (see St. JPII Redemptoris Missio Chapter 3). Having Mary as our model, we are overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and present Jesus to the world.
In this homily given at St Pat's on May 1, 2022, Fr. Mathias preaches about free speech and perennial attempts by those who resist Jesus to try to silence or censor Christian truth. Like the Sanhedrin who ordered the apostles to stop preaching Jesus in Acts of the Apostles, we too find people today who seem to resent the fact that the truth of God revealed to us by Jesus is spreading today. How are we to respond in this cultural moment in which Christians are bullied, harassed, marginalized, and even called names for simply teaching Christian truth? Fr Mathias offers two ways we can respond like the early Church in the face of just efforts to silence us.
In this homily given at St Pat's on the Easter Vigil (April 16, 2022), Fr. Mathias reflects how the Resurrection scatters the darkness of suffering and death in our own lives. He uses the Paschal Candle as a symbol of the Light of Christ that each of us are given in baptism and carry in faith. As Christians we are to keep the flame of faith burning brightly so we can be Jesus' light in the world. Just as every candle needs fuel and oxygen to stay lit, each Christian needs sacrificial love and the Holy Spirit in prayer to stay burning brightly. Father exhorts everyone to live in courageous lights in the midst of our increasingly dark world so that proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ, we say to a world in darkness that there's nothing to be afraid of because Christ our Light cannot be overcome.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Easter Sunday, (April 17, 2022), Fr. Mathias preaches about the truth of the Resurrection as it was first preached by St Peter, the first Pope, in the Acts of the Apostles. If Jesus really is risen from the dead, then God is looking for a response to the revelation of his love. As we look at our desire for heaven, we realize that what we're really desiring is Jesus himself and what he can offer us. Since God will not force us to love him in heaven, Father Mathias challenges us to give Jesus a chance by getting to know him so we can freely respond. Jesus wants us to know him so we can live with him forever.
For those interested in two resources on arguments for Jesus see these two books (one is simpler and other is more advanced).
1) Yes, There is a God...And Other Answers to Life's Big Questions by John Bergsma
https://www.amazon.com/There-Other-Answers-Lifes-Questions/dp/1593253109/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WARPYA32UFE0&keywords=yes+there+is+a+god+bergsma&qid=1650219849&sprefix=yes+there+is+a+god+bergsma%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1
2) The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ by Brant Pitre
https://www.amazon.com/Case-Jesus-Biblical-Historical-Evidence/dp/0770435483/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FZJL5RDORBUD&keywords=the+case+for+Jesus+brant&qid=1650219544&sprefix=the+case+for+jesus+brant%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-1
In this homily given at St Pat's on Good Friday (April 15, 2022), Fr. Mathias preaches about God's response to evil and suffering in the world is to enter into it to transform it from within. The perfect image of this response is Jesus' death on the Cross. When we suffer in this life, Father challenges us to focus on Jesus on the Cross and invite him to draw near so he can transform us in it. God is not indifferent to our suffering and has done something about it. Fr Mathias ends by sharing a couple personal experiences of Jesus's redeeming grace in his own suffering, which point to the power of Jesus' resurrection and his power to bring good out of any evil.
In this homily given at St Pat's on Passion (Palm Sunday), (April 10, 2022), Fr. Mathias challenges us to "stay with Jesus" as we commemorate his suffering, death and resurrection. As we draw near to Jesus in his suffering, we unite our sufferings to his, which allows him to love us in them. Since only those who suffer with Jesus will be raised with him, our decision to love Jesus now in his sufferings prepares us to experience the new life of the Resurrection at Easter.
In this homily given at St Pat's, (March 13, 2022), Fr. Mathias explains that because of what Jesus has done for us we belong more to heaven than to this world; we are, in fact, citizens of heaven. This has immediate and concrete implications for how we live in our world today. Living as citizens of heaven allows us to have clarity on who we should allow to influence us, it helps us to have laser-like focus on how to make good decisions in this world, and enables us to live in confidence, joy and thanksgiving because heaven is a gift from God that cannot be earned.
In this homily given at St Pat's, (February 20, 2022), Fr. Mathias breaks open Jesus' command to love our enemies and explains why this command to radical love makes us different from the world around us. The reason why God commands us to love those who hate us is that he wants us to be like him. With a renewed awareness of how God has saved us from us judgment and condemnation when we became his enemies through sin, we can respond to this call to radical love by avoiding perfectionism and compromise and so secure our great reward.
On Sunday, February 6th, we heard from Bishop Boyea on the upcoming Synod called by Pope Francis, and our role in that process. Afterwards Fr. Mathias explained why it's important for us to reach out to those we know who have fallen away from the faith.
More information about the Synod can be found on the Diocese of Lansing website at: https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/synod
In this homily given at St Pat's on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Jan 9, 2022), Fr. Mathias offers us two benefits of living out of our baptismal identity of beloved and sons and daughters of God our Father.
In this fourth homily given on December 19th, 2021, Fr. Miguel closes out our four-part series by examining some of the signs and symbols of the Mass which should help us pray the liturgy.
Third Sunday of Advent
In this third homily of a four-part series given on December 12, 2021, Fr. Mathias preaches on the Mass as a Sacred Banquet in which we are invited to be one with Jesus our Bridegroom in Holy Communion. Addressing the proper spiritual posture we should have while approaching the Altar, Father goes into detail on how to receive Holy Communion reverently and with great love.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
In this second homily of a four-part series given on December 5th 2021, Fr. Miguel takes us deeper into the Mass as Sacrifice and helps us understand how we offer ourselves to the Lord with the sacrifice of Jesus.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
What is the Sacred Liturgy and how do we actively participate in the Mass? In this first homily of a four-part series given on November 28 2021, Fr. Mathias gives an introduction on how to be well disposed to receive what God has for us at Mass, especially in the Liturgy of the Word.
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Death, judgment, heaven, hell. What happens at the final judgment? What happens when the world ends? What about our particular judgment? Here, Fr. Mathias gives us some tips on how to prepare.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
You can't love someone you don't know. Here, Fr. Mathias explains how loving God with our minds helps us resist idolatry and the ideologies of the world.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
Read Fr. Mathias's bulletin article mentioned in the homily here:
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/october-24th
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
What does it mean that Jesus makes himself a ransom? With the price of his life, Jesus takes on our sin and guilt in order to free us from bondage and restore our relationship with our loving Father. There is no greater love! Living in this truth changes our worldview.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
Fr. M.S. Selvaraj is from the Diocese of Kumbakonam, India and is participating in this year’s Mission Cooperative Appeal. This Diocese, started in 1899 in the state of Tamil Nadu, India has 94 parishes and 610 missions, served by 224 diocesan and 79 religious priests, 620 nuns, 12 trained catechists and 330 untrained lay catechists and two social service centres.
For more information on the needs of the diocese, click here to watch the video on our homepage: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
You may offer a donation either by check or electronic payment to St. Pat’s by designating it for the “Diocese of Kumbakonam” in the memo section.
To learn more about the Witness to Love program that Deacon Dave talked about you can visit their website here:
https://witnesstolove.org/
Learn more about our Civil Marriage Welcome Event in October here:
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/events/civilunion-welcomeevent
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
True greatness lies not in worldly status or rank, but in how well we serve others in love. As such, let's stop arguing about things that don't matter and love one another without thinking of what we get in return.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
To learn more about Encounter Ministries click here:
https://encounterministries.us/
To Learn more about The Encounter School of Ministry click here:
https://encounterschool.org/
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Mathias explains in detail 5 Ways to know you are serving the Lord and gives us the opportunity to decide anew to choose to serve him.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
If Christianity were made illegal, would there be enough evidence in your life to convict you? As St. Paul says, we must put off the Old Self with a darkened mind and deceitful desires, and put on the New Self of a renewed mind and righteousness.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
What should we do we do when someone rejects the good news of Jesus we present? In this homily, Fr. Mathias explains why this is difficult to accept and how to entrust our loved ones to the One who loves them even more than we do.
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In this deeply personal reflection, Fr. Mathias explains his recent medical difficulties and invites us to ask the Lord where we are bleeding in our lives. What parts need healing, and how can we approach Jesus in faith in order for him to enter into and heal those areas?
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
Link to Office of Readings Quote from Holy Saturday (Liturgy of the Hours, Vol. II, p. 496-498): http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/loh/lent/holysaturdayor.htm
www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org
Holy Triduum Schedule: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/holy-week-2021
Phased Reopening Plan: https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/march-25th
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. We close out this series with a reflection from our DRE Kurt Hoover on the 5th Glorious mystery - The Coronation of Mary.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today our Christian Service Coordinator Patricia Ellison joins us to share her reflection on the 4th Glorious mystery - The Assumption
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Youth Discipleship Coordinator Kevin Bailey returns today to share his reflection on the 3rd Glorious mystery - The Descent of the Holy Spirit.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today's reflection on the 2nd Glorious mystery - The Ascension is brought to us by Michelle Rooney.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Dcn. Dave Carignan reflects today on the 1st Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today's reflection on the last Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion, is brought to us by DRE Kurt Hoover
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today's reflection on the last Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion, is brought to us by DRE Kurt Hoover
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today St. Patrick School Principal Carley Dunphey reflects on the 4th Sorrowful Mystery - The Carrying of the Cross.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Our Liturgy Coordinator Nancy Coffey speaks today on the 3rd Sorrowful Mystery - The Crowning of Thorns
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Seminarian Christian Salata speaks today about the 2nd Sorrowful Mystery - The Scourging at the Pillar
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Join Fr. Mathias Thelen as he meditates with us on the 1st Sorrowful Mystery - The Agony in the Garden.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Executive Assistant Meghan Fiebelkorn returns to prepare us for meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/honor/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. We end the Luminous Mysteries with Fr. Joseph Campbell and his reflection on the 5th mystery - The Institution of the Eucharist
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
—————————————————————
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic
bit.ly/olexandrmusic
www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic
www.olexandrignatov.com
www.olexandrignatov.com/patreon
—————————————————————
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Youth Discipleship Coordinator Kevin Bailey returns to reflect on the 4th Luminous Mystery - The Transfiguration
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
—————————————————————
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic
bit.ly/olexandrmusic
www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic
www.olexandrignatov.com
www.olexandrignatov.com/patreon
—————————————————————
Join our priests and Seminarians as they share some thoughts on the lighter side.
This is a serious, contemplative time for sure. But we also want to remember it is ok to relax, share stories and laugh a little.
If you would like to submit a question to be used on a future segment, click below:
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/rectory-ramble
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today our Maintenance Manager Scott Husak discusses the 3rd Luminous Mystery - The Proclamation of the Gospel
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
—————————————————————
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic
bit.ly/olexandrmusic
www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic
www.olexandrignatov.com
www.olexandrignatov.com/patreon
—————————————————————
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. RCIA Director Anne Guminik returns to reflect on the 2nd Luminous Mystery - The Wedding at Cana
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
—————————————————————
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic
bit.ly/olexandrmusic
www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic
www.olexandrignatov.com
www.olexandrignatov.com/patreon
—————————————————————
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today we join Deacon Patrick McDonald as we meditate on the 1st Luminous mystery - The Baptism in the Jordan
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
—————————————————————
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic
bit.ly/olexandrmusic
www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic
www.olexandrignatov.com
www.olexandrignatov.com/patreon
—————————————————————
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. As we prepare to meditate on the Luminous Mysteries, Michelle Rooney, one of our catechists, gives her reflection on the Luminous Mysteries as a whole.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
—————————————————————
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic
bit.ly/olexandrmusic
www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic
www.olexandrignatov.com
www.olexandrignatov.com/patreon
—————————————————————
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today, Executive Assistant Meghan Fiebelkorn discusses the last Joyful Mystery - The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
https://www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic https://soundcloud.com/olexandrmusic https://www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic https://www.olexandrignatov.com
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today we join Director of Evangelization Nancy Duey as she reflects on the 4th Joyful mystery - The Presentation in the Temple
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
https://www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic https://soundcloud.com/olexandrmusic https://www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic https://www.olexandrignatov.com
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today our Youth Discipleship Coordinator Kevin Bailey discusses the 3rd Joyful Mystery - The Nativity
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
https://www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic https://soundcloud.com/olexandrmusic https://www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic https://www.olexandrignatov.com
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Join our RCIA Director Anne Guminik as she reflects on the 2nd Joyful Mystery - The Visitation
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
https://www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic https://soundcloud.com/olexandrmusic https://www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic https://www.olexandrignatov.com
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary. Today we begin with the Joyful Mysteries. Our DRE Kurt Hoover discusses the 1st Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
https://www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic https://soundcloud.com/olexandrmusic https://www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic https://www.olexandrignatov.com
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary.
Fr. Joseph Campbell talks about Joy as we prepare to mediate on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/
Free Use Music by OlexandrMusic
https://www.olexandrignatov.com/freemusic https://soundcloud.com/olexandrmusic https://www.youtube.com/olexandrmusic https://www.olexandrignatov.com
The Journey is an Advent Chapel Chat series focusing on the mysteries of the Rosary.
https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/