Thank You and Feast of the Holy Family

12-30-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Traditionally, we are within the octave of Christmas so I can still say "Merry Christmas" to you all. I thank all those who helped with the different preparations such as the Christmas decorations and other events in the past weeks. I was glad to have come back from my trip to Nigeria right on time to witness our SJB Children Christmas Program. What a wonderful and memorable night! I thank the children and the school community for the wonderful performance. On a personal note, Fr. Wilfred and myself would like to thank all those who send us Christmas cards, gifts, and good wishes. May God continue to bless you all.

READ MORE

Third Sunday of Advent

12-16-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. Wilfred Yinah, VC

In the Catholic Church, Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays, before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, "to come to," and refers to the coming of Christ. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His second coming at the end of time. Our preparations, therefore, should have all three comings in mind. We need to prepare our souls to receive Christ worthily.

READ MORE

First Week of Advent

12-02-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

Welcome to the Season of Advent! This first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the newLiturgical Year “C.” I believe the season of Advent is the most beautiful and joyful me of theyear in nearly every part of the world. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word “adventus”meaning “coming or period of anticipation.” As we all know, Advent is a period of preparation forboth the birth of Jesus Christ and also for His second coming here on Earth. You probably noticeda few new things in the church today, namely the purple Altar cloth and vestments, the Adventwreath, and the Christmas decorations, all in anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day.

READ MORE

The Real Meaning of Christmas

--All

It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas?

For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some.

READ MORE

The Solemnity of Christ the King

11-25-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

I would like to thank everyone for the good turnout for the Thanksgiving Day Mass. I was so happy to see so many of us come together to thank God first before other celebrations that day. May God continue to bless us all as we willingly share our time, talent, and treasure during this holiday season.

End of the Liturgical Year

With the celebration of Mass this weekend, we have come to the end of the Liturgical Year B. Next weekend, we will begin the new Liturgical Year C, which also marks the beginning of the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas. The Church dedicates the last Sunday of every liturgical year to the guidance of Jesus Christ, known as "Christ the King." This is a reminder that God has control over the beginning and end of all things in heaven and on earth, the Alpha and Omega. Jesus, himself, chose to identify himself more as a shepherd than a king. This is because the title, King, generally refers to an autocratic leader and a monarchical system where the followers are mostly treated as properties of the king. However, as Jesus explains to Pilate in the Gospel today, his kingship and his kingdom does not belong to this world.

READ MORE

Giving Thanks

11-18-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

On behalf of the parish community, I would like to thank the Fall Fiesta committee and all those who helped in different ways to ensure a very successful event last weekend. Special thanks to individuals and business owners for their financial gifts and in-kind donations. What a wonderful night! The fun, the dance and the sharing of a meal together, all made it a very memorable night!

READ MORE

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

11-11-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

Congratulations to our parish youth group for a very fruitful and uplifting retreat last weekend. Special thanks to David Rees, our Coordinator of Youth Ministry, the EPIC Core, parents, volunteers and all those who helped with the planning of the retreat. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful, vibrant youth ministry here in our parish.

Happy Veterans Day

I wish all veterans and their families a Happy Veterans' Day. Thank you for your service and the sacrifices you make, and have made, to keep us all safe. Let us remember to pray for the men and women who are in active military service, especially those in very dangerous assignments that God will protect them from harm.

READ MORE

Prayer Requests from US Bishops

11-04-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

I would like to thank those who helped with the planning of the parish and school events last weekend. My special thanks to the SJB team for the successful Harvest Fest on Saturday night. Special thanks, also, to the parish staff and volunteers who helped organize Trunk-or-Treat on Sunday night. Thank you, everyone, for your participation and personal sacrifices. For me, that was one of the most beautiful and memorable weekends of the year!

The next big event, our Parish Fall Fiesta FUNdraiser Dinner, is coming up Saturday, November 10. Don't miss out on the fun! Lots of food, fellowship, silent auction items, entertainment and more. Consider inviting your friends and neighbors to join you. Many thanks to the Fall Fiesta committee for all the planning and dedication you have made to ensure that we have a successful celebration. I look forward with excitement to another wonderful and memorable evening next Saturday. Proceeds from the event will be going towards the funding of our new church home.

READ MORE

November...when we pray for the dead

10-28-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

The month of November is a period dedicated to praying for the dead. On Thursday, November 1, the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints when we thank God for the lives of all the dead who have made it to heaven. On Friday, November 2, we celebrate the Memorial of All Souls, when we pray for the repose of the souls of the dead who are still undergoing the period of purification in purgatory before they can be admitted into heaven. Prayer for the dead is one of the greatest acts of charity we can perform. Our prayers help them during their time in purgatory so that they can enter more quickly into the fullness of heaven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that:

READ MORE

Upcoming Feasts

10-21-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

I am so excited this week, and I imagine you are too, as we look forward to a number of community events and Liturgical celebrations beginning next weekend and into the holiday seasons of November and December. Next weekend, we will have back-to-back community celebrations beginning with Harvest Fest on Saturday the 27th, hosted by St. John Bosco School. This is followed by Trunk-or-Treat hosted by St. Benedict on Sunday the 28th. As you know, St. John Bosco School and St. Benedict Parish are 'one community, one campus!' I have heard so many wonderful stories about these events and am excited, and looking forward to enjoying the fun next weekend. Please invite your family, friends and neighbors to come and join us at these celebrations - all are welcome!

READ MORE

Listening and Responding

09-23-2018Spiritual Reflections

There are three interwoven themes in today’s readings: listening to God, faith vs. good works, and losing our life in order to find it. How are they related?

The Suffering Servant of Isaiah undergoes much distress and ridicule, but is able to bear it because he has listened to the promptings of God day a er day. The psalm tells us that God listens, too. God hears our prayers for help and is always ready to save us. As our faith deepens, so does our desire to do the works of justice and charity that build up the reign of God. God directs our actions in ways we o en cannot see, and we don’t always see the results. We are called upon in faith to trust that what we do is enough, and that willingness to listen to God’s promptings will lead us in the right way.

Servant Leadership

09-23-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

If you asked me to use one word to summarize the three Scripture readings in our Liturgy today, I would say "ambition". The second closest would be "greed", then "jealousy", and "envy". In the Gospel today, Jesus told his disciples of his passion and death. Instead of being sympathetic, they engaged themselves in arguments about who was the greatest among them, in other words, who would succeed Jesus Christ after his death. Jesus then asked them about their argument and they remained silent. The big mistake they made was that they thought the leadership in the ministry would depend upon their personal intelligence or leadership skills, but they were wrong.

READ MORE

Religious Education Programs Resume

09-16-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

We welcome the children and teachers in our Religious Education Programs back from the summer break. Classes started during the week for all grades. I look forward to your support and participation in the R.E. activities throughout this coming year.

Memorial Mass

I would like to remind everyone that we have scheduled a Memorial Mass for Fr. Bob on Thursday, September 20 at 7 pm here in our church. Please come and join us as we celebrate the life of our beloved pastor. Fr. Bob's body arrived in Uganda on Sunday, September 9th and a Funeral Mass was held for him the following day. The family informed me that everything went well with the funeral. They also sent their appreciation for your prayers and support to Fr. Bob.

READ MORE