Beloved in Christ,                                                                                                                                              
                                                                    “I Am Going Fishing” 
 
I am going fishing for the first time in August! I have never gone fishing on a boat before but will soon get the opportunity to do so at the invitation of John Bridgen. He has spoken often to me with excitement about fishing. I am not comfortable on boats since I saw the movie Titanic-what if our boat starts to sink? It is also scary because I do not know how to swim (though I love to go to the beach!). The opportunity of going fishing is of interest to me because I want to experience in some form the profession of Peter and other apostles who were fishermen. We recall that Jesus called the apostles to follow him and become fishers of men while they were fishing without catching any fish (Lk 5: 1-11). In the Gospel account of this Sunday’s mass, seven of the apostles return to their regular way of life, fishing. They are at the Sea of Tiberias when Peter says, “I am going fishing” (Jn 21:3). Other apostles joined Peter in the boat to go fishing. While they were about the business of fishing without catching anything, Jesus appeared to them for the third time after his resurrection. 
 
Fathers and Doctors of the Church have read this passage mystically. The boat is the Church, the water is the world, the net is the unity that holds the church together, the large haul of fish, 153 in number, is the souls brought into the church, the shore that they approach is the heaven where Jesus is waiting for them. At the shore, Jesus prepares fish on a charcoal fire and along with bread makes a heavenly meal for them. This is a meaningful way to approach this Gospel passage. The church will be filled with many souls brought to salvation through the power and presence of Jesus. It is Christ that increases and nourishes the Church. We see the active role of Peter as the head of the apostles, but it is the Risen Jesus who truly gives life to the church and grows the church. 
 
As we think of fishing in a mystical way, we are thinking of our One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church with the successor of Peter as our leader. We know that through the witness of the leaders and indeed all the baptized as we observe in Acts 5:27-32, all of us are called to be witnesses to the power of the risen Jesus. Our witness must be bold and intentional, propelled by faith and love. We must continue to fish for souls. We must however begin at home. We must first fish for our family members and friends. We must invite and encourage them to embrace faith or return to faith. There are many who are not part of our church that we need to invite. There are also many who are part of our church but for some reason, have been estranged from us or have not joined us in a long while in the communal, sacred worship of the Lamb of God (see Rev 5: 11-14).  
 
I hope my fishing expedition in August is a fruitful one. It is however certain that if we go out fishing for souls to bring to Church and Christ to join us in the worship of Jesus, we will succeed if we allow Jesus to direct us in faith and love. Beloved, let us go fishing! One of the ways we want to “fish” for members of our parish is to get actively involved. Our acts of faith and love go a long way in bringing more fish to the boat of the church. I want to suggest that one of the acts of fishing in this regard is signing up and encouraging others to sign up for the parish photo directory. This is an important part of the art of fishing for our church. We need to be able to identify those 153 fish (if you know what I mean). 
 
In love and faith,  
 Fr. Bernard

  Beloved in Christ,
                                                                               I Believe
 The first time I heard the words of Thomas called Didymus, "My Lord and my God! (Jn 20:28), was from the lips of my parents after consecration at Mass. As a young child at Mass with my parents, I would often hear them say with faith and gaze on the raised consecrated host, "My Lord and my God!" Since then, I have never failed to make this act of faith at the elevation of Consecrated Host and Chalise at mass. However, this act of faith by Thomas in the Risen Christ flows from a beginning rooted in doubt, hence the term, doubting Thomas. Thomas wanted proof, or is it evidence, that Jesus has indeed risen. Bible says that on the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to the apostles, who locked themselves up in a room out of fear of the Jews. He showed them his hands and side as proof that it was his resurrected body, and they believed in seeing. Thomas was absent and would not believe the disciples' words unless he saw the mark of the nails in his hands, put his finger into the nail marks, and put his hand in his side; he would not believe (see Jn 20: 19-25 ). 
 
There is a lot of unbelief that attends to the revealed truth of faith in our time. Within and outside the Church are people who will not make an act of faith unless they see, touch, and verify. Some people consider the scientific method of knowing as the only acceptable way of knowing. Many will not believe doctrines of our faith like Real Presence in the Sacred Host unless they can verify the facts behind them. They exclude faith as a way of knowing when faith itself is involved even in scientific methods. Facts do not exclude faith. Faith is always a way of knowing. We do not have to see and observe and experiment to believe in the reality of a claim, especially the mystery of faith. 
 
We believe and exercise faith in the revealed truth about the resurrection of Jesus from the dead without falling into the notion of blind faith. Our faith also has evidence to back it. We are even better off for believing without seeing. We believe based on trust in God's love for us. From the Scripture and Christian living evidence, we know that God is faithful to his promises and cannot deceive. We have to keep faith by nourishing our faith daily in prayers, a meditation on the Scriptures, and acting in faith. 
 
On this Divine Mercy Sunday, we are called to affirm our faith in the Divine Mercy that flows from the side of Jesus on the Cross and the wounds from his risen body. Today, we pray the Divine Mercy and do the required acts of faith to receive a plenary indulgence for all temporary punishments for our sins. God has provided a fountain of mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation. Let us receive it frequently in faith. 
 
In Christ,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP
 

Beloved in Christ,
 
                                      God Raised Jesus!
 
“This man God raised on the third day” (Acts 10:40). We have come to believe the testimony of Peter and John that God raised Jesus on the third day after his death. In John’s Gospel, chapter 20:5-7, the beloved disciple and Peter found an empty tomb and saw “the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head.” The disciples “saw and believed” that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. God raised Jesus from death. We, too, have come to believe in the Good News that on this “day the Lord has made” (Ps 118:24), Jesus rose from the dead. Responding to this profound mystery with the Psalmist, “let us rejoice and be glad” (v.24).
 
We are believers in the testimony of the disciples. Consequently, with Paul, we can say we were raised with Christ, for we have died in him, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:1-3). Unlike Peter and John, we did not see an empty tomb. Yet we believe that God raised this man Jesus. Our faith in the resurrection of Jesus is a gift bestowed upon us by the Father of grace. Our proof for the Risen Christ is the life of grace we live as believers. Our belief in the resurrection of Jesus reflects in our acceptance of the sacrament of baptism. We renew at mass today the promises we made at our baptism. Our baptism bears witness to our belief in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. 
 
We heard in the Easter Sequence, “Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.” This is so true. We have a new life in Christ now. We are restored and reconciled to the Father. We are currently under the banner of grace, no longer under the regime of sin and death. We are victorious because Christ is risen. As a result, we joyfully offer thankful praise to the Paschal Victim, our Risen Savior.
 
A special CONGRATULATIONS to Sadie Fleming who was received into Full Communion with the Church and Diana Florez, Steve Gump and Kylie Tobias who completed their sacraments of initiation into the Church. May God Bless You!
 
Yes, Christ, our hope is arisen; let us rejoice and be glad. Let's fill each day of the Octave and, indeed, the next fifty days with the joy of the resurrection.
 
Happy Easter to you all!
​Fr. Bernard 
 

 Beloved in Christ,
 
                                                    Walk With Jesus Through His Passion
 
“Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem” (Lk 19:28), where he will cry out to his Father, “into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23: 46). Those verses from the Gospel contain the mysteries of faith we commemorate during Holy Week, beginning with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. In readings on Christ’s passion and other liturgical rites, we will accompany Jesus on his journey, share in his suffering, and celebrate his resurrection. We must walk closely with Jesus as the paschal mystery unfolds in the days of the Holy Week, especially during the Sacred Triduum.
 
On Palm Sunday, carrying palm branches in liturgical procession, we journey with Jesus as he goes up to Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery. The bishop anticipates the Chrism Mass usually celebrated on Holy Thursday on Monday. All diocese priests and Catholics across the diocese will be at that Mass of the Oils. The passion of the Lord, in words and actions, dominates the days ahead, especially during the Triduum. On Holy Thursday, we will celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper beginning at 7 PM. The mass will include the symbolic washing of feet and concludes with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until late in the evening. On Good Friday, we will have a solemn celebration of the Lord’s passion which includes the proclamation of the Lord’s passion and the veneration of the Cross. Make sure you attend the Living Stations of the Cross by our Youth group at 8 PM. On Holy Saturday, we continue to observe the paschal fast, which “should be observed everywhere on Good Friday and continued, where possible, on Holy Thursday. In this way, the people of God will receive the joy of the Lord’s resurrection with uplifted and responsive hearts” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 110). We should not forget to bring your Easter food to the historic church for the blessing of the first meal of Easter at noon. The Sacred Paschal mystery reaches its zenith at the celebration of the Easter vigil from 8 PM. Inclusive in the mass of the vigil this year is the celebration of Luceranium, Liturgies of the Word, baptism, and confirmation of our Elect, Sadie Fleming, reception of candidates into full communion with the Catholic church, and Eucharist. It is the mother of all vigils and destined to be the most solemn and glorious of all liturgies. Everyone should try to attend if they can. The Triduum comes to a conclusion on Easter Sunday after evening prayers. We shall renew our baptismal vows at masses on Easter Sunday.
 
I appeal to you to participate fully in person in the Holy Week liturgies, especially those that fall during the Holy Triduum. Please mark your calendar and prayerfully participate in the commemoration of the passion of Christ and the celebration of his resurrection. These days are the most sacred and solemn of our Catholic holy days.
 
In His Passion,
 
Fr. Bernard, OP